Higher Level Teaching Assistant - Somerford Primary School

HLTA for our new Forest Den Inclusion Support Provision

We are looking for an outstanding HLTA to work within our newly created Forest Den inclusion support provision. This role will work closely with the SENCO to support the educational needs of the students who access the Forest Den.

The successful candidate will hold an HLTA qualification and have significant experience of working with primary aged children who have special educational needs. Having qualifications or experience in supporting children with Autism, ADHD and Specific Learning Difficulties will also be very supportive to this role. You will have excellent behaviour management skills and be able to apply trauma-informed practices in helping support children who are anxious or dysregulated.

The Forest Den is based within the school and is a provision set up to support students who have special educational needs. The majority of these learners will have Education, Heath and Care Plans (EHCPs), as well as additional behavioural or emotional needs that mean they find accessing mainstream lessons within the school challenging at times. The pupils taught within the Forest Den will be supported to access their mainstream learning, as set by their class teacher, but will also be supported to work on individual targets as set out by their EHCP.

The role will also require the successful candidate to liaise and support within our main school provision. The role will be part of our extended pastoral provision for the school and will require the candidate to work with the team to meet and support our families, through informal meetings, EHCP annual reviews and regular individual learning plan reviews. The role will also require the successful candidate to work closely with the SENCO to deliver staff training and support the teaching assistants across the school.

The successful applicant will be required to work 32.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday 8.30am – 3.30 pm, with half an hour lunch break, 39 weeks per year including inset days. (Term time only) BCP Band F, pro rata for term time working weeks.

Information about our school is available on the school website at www.somerford.dorset.sch.uk. For any further information or to discuss the post or arrange a visit, please contact the Business Manager Mrs Vey on (01202) 485436 or [email protected]

Closing date for applications:        Sunday 3^rd August 2025

Interviews will be held on:              Friday 15^th August 2025

Somerford Primary School values the diversity of our workforce and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community.

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; this is a commitment which we expect all staff and volunteers to share. The successful candidate will be required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service check in line with the Governments safer recruitment guidelines.

The pro rata salary shown is based on the number of hours and weeks worked and includes appropriate paid annual leave and bank holiday entitlements.

The salary quoted is the annual salary for the position at the time of advert. The salary will be paid in equal monthly instalments and will be adjusted at the start of employment and again if leaving part way through the school year to ensure the correct salary is received for the work completed in an academic year.

This role is UK based and your Right to Work will need to be established as part of the appointment process.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (2013 and 2020)) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Somerford School will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. All aspects of social media and internet searches will be conducted. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination, a person who will not on the appointment panel will conduct the searches and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.

Somerford Primary School

Draper Road

Christchurch

BH23 3AS            

Headteacher:  Mrs Helen Frampton

Telephone: (01202) 485436