Upper Shirley High School

Bellemoor Road

Southampton SO15 7QU

Co-ed Comprehensive (11-16)

Tel: 023 8032 5333

Role: Support to Alternative Provisions Programme

Contract: 17.5 hours per week, term time only.

Working Pattern: 9.45am to 1.15pm.

Grade: 6

Actual Salary: £6677 - £8950 (Depending on experience)

Start date:As soon as possible

Our vision: Upper Shirley High School is the place where all individuals are challenged to achieve; where we are distinguished as leaders of learning and the passion of our people transforms futures.

We are seeking to recruit a reliable and hardworking individual to deliver and develop the Alternative Provisions Programme within our school. If you are energetic, creative and organised, and serious about making a difference to the education of young people, this could be the job for you.

In this role, the successful applicant will work with different students who benefit from a more active and ‘hands on’ approach to their learning. This will include developing our gardens and Eco area, as well as small scale construction projects where required, empowering the students to take the lead and complete a variety of projects. Duties will also include supporting and delivering student learning, preparing resources, undertaking maintenance and care of equipment, and ensuring compliance with all Health & Safety regulations.

To be successful in this role we are looking for a person with:

  • a keen interest in practical pursuits such as gardening and small scale construction projects
  • experience of working with children/young people
  • excellent interpersonal skills
  • the ability to establish a rapport with adults and children
  • good communication, literacy & numeracy skills

A full job description and application form can be downloaded from our website under the ‘Staff’ section.

Closing Date: Midday, Monday 19th October 2015

Interview Date: w/c Monday 2nd November 2015

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and an enhanced DBS will be required for this post.

Job Description

Post:Support for the Alternative Provision (AP) programmes

Grade:6

Responsible to:SENCO

Hours:`17.5 hours per week, term time only (9.45am to 1.15pm daily)

Job Purpose:Overseeing and supporting students participating in the Learn and Grow and construction programmes

Key Responsibilities:

  • Working alongside the Guidance team, supporting students who need to access alternative provision to support their academic learning.
  • Creation of a variety of projects to support students to develop skills in construction and horticulture (Learn and Grow). These students will be identified by the G&A team or the SENCO, and specific guidance and support regarding their needs will be provided. Key projects will focus upon the whole school environment, giving the students a role in caring for their school.
  • Supporting the students with these projects on a 1:1 basis, with a possible 1:6 ratio
  • Liaising with the SENCO regarding specific qualifications that the students can achieve and ensuring that the requirements of these qualifications are met.

Specific Responsibilities for Learn & Grow activities:

  • To carry out a variety of gardening duties, requiring a minimum amount of supervision.
  • Taking responsibility for the planting and successful growing of seasonal fruit and vegetables across the school year.
  • To care for, maintain and develop identified garden areas, sometimes working alone but mostly working with, and supervising student participation.
  • Working with the students to share skills, knowledge and expertise in relation to all aspects of the growing of fruit and vegetables.
  • To ensure that identified garden areas are cared for, managed and developed in order that they can be used to support curriculum delivery and enrichment.
  • To be responsible for purchasing required materials, plants and equipment in order that the gardens can be cared for, managed and developed effectively.
  • To have a knowledge and understanding of the way in which to care for, manage and develop identified garden areas, including soil cultivation, digging, forking, mulching, watering, raking, weeding, edging, pruning, seed sowing, bed preparation and planting.
  • To work collaboratively with colleagues; working at all times within the school’s policies and procedures.

Specific Responsibilities for Construction work:

  • Taking responsibility for the creation of small scale construction projects including joinery, brick laying and basic electronics.
  • Working with the students to share skills, knowledge and expertise in relation to all aspects of the basic construction.
  • To be responsible for purchasing required materials for construction to ensure the students can develop their knowledge and expertise effectively.

Key Tasks:

Safety & Maintenance Checks

  • To carry out a daily check of all tools & equipment and ensure that they are in proper and safe working order. To record this check in an appropriate way on a weekly basis.
  • Supporting the SENCO/School Business Manager in ensuring the health and safety of all participants, making sure all H&Sdocumentation i.e. risk assessments/safety checks are completed and complied with. Undertaking all necessary and relevant H&S training.
  • To check at the end of the day that all equipment and tools are properly and safely stored.
  • To carry out weekly checks of all designated working areas identifying and rectifying any damage in order to maintain an orderly and safe environment.
  • To undertake regular maintenance of all tools and equipment, identifying risks/safety hazards and the need for repair/replacement.
  • To undertake the repair of damage to any of the workshop/storage facilities, green houses, sheds and flower beds.

Organisation of Stock

  • To organise the purchasing, storing and the recording of school resources used.
  • To track the use of tools and equipment by other departments and to ensure the School Inventory is kept up to date.

Assistance with Students

  • Working alongside students to support their learning and needs, after school when required.
  • Where necessary, to remind staff and students of the need to adhere to safety procedures when these are seen to be contravened. Making senior staff aware where necessary.

Supporting the school

At an appropriate level, according to the job role, grade and training received, all employees in the school are expected to:

  • Support the aims, values, mission and ethos of the school and participate in a team approach to all aspects of school life.
  • Attend and contribute to staff meetings and INSET days as required, and identify areas of personal practice and experience to develop.
  • Take appropriate responsibility for safeguarding and children’s welfare and be aware of confidential issues linked to home/child/teacher/school and keep confidences appropriately.
  • Be aware of health and safety issues and act in accordance with the school’s Health and Safety Policy.

Other Duties

The postholder may be expected to carry out duties other than those given in the job description where the level of responsibility is similar and he/she has appropriate qualifications or receives appropriate training to carry out these duties.

The postholder must:

  • Ensure that trust policies and procedures are implemented and followed;
  • Work as appropriate with the Trust Central Services team in matters relating to finance, HR, IT and Health and Safety

Person Specification: / Selection Criteria
Essential (E)
Desirable (D)
Role: Support for the Alternative Provisions Programmes
Experience
Experience of working with secondary school aged children / E
Experience of working with secondary aged children with additional needs / D
Experience of working with and supervising students including an ability to teach by example, the principles of good horticultural practice / D
Experience of successful project planning from idea, through implementation to completion. / E
Qualifications/Training
Gardening Experience / E
Knowledge and interest in the horticulture or landscape industry and its processes / D
Experience, knowledge and training around small scale construction projects including joinery, brick laying and basic electronics. / E
Specification relevant to both roles
Knowledge/Skills
Ability to communicate confidently and effectively with students and
colleagues / E
Be keenly interested in children as individuals, in how they learn and in a co-operative approach to learning / E
Knowledge of Health & Safety legislation and its application in a work setting / E
Knowledge of safe working practices in relation to the handling and usage of hazardous equipment and tools / E
Have sufficient practical and organisational skills to contribute to the preparation and management of educational resources. / E
Excellent organisational skills / E
Excellent time management skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure / E
Organisation of own workload and priorities on a day to day basis using own initiative / E
Ability to maintain and service machinery and equipment / E
Ability to prepare equipment and materials for lessons, as requested by the teaching staff / E
Experience of showing assertiveness in difficult situations / E
Knowledge of legislation surrounding the safeguarding of children / D
Behavioural Attributes
Be able to establish a rapport with adults and children / E
Demonstrated skills in organising multiple tasks and projects / E
Has a sense of humour particularly when facing difficult and challenging situations / E
Is committed, resilient, robust and resourceful and of a reflective focussed and determined disposition / E
Is reliable and has an excellent record of attendance and punctuality / E
See tasks through to completion / E
Ability to work constructively as part of a team / E
Has high expectations, sets and delivers high standards and commands credibility through expertise / E
Other
Enjoys seeing young people learn in a positive climate and is committed to ensuring all students are supported in making progress / D
Acts with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner / E