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APPLICATION FOR Specialist Teaching Assistant - Visual Impairment CS ST2089 HARROW COUNCIL Children’s Sensory Team – Visual Impairment Specialist Teaching Assistant for Children with Visual Impairment 19.5 hours/ wk.* Term time only These hours will be worked over 3 whole days. HO2 £7,513 - £ 7,930 without the Braille qualification HO3 £8,063 - £ 8,570 H03 with the Braille qualification The role requires the post holder to support pupils with visual impairment in Harrow schools. The person appointed will be a member of the Children’s Sensory Team. The main aim of the role is to increase pupil independence, ensure access to the curriculum, promote learning and support with health and safety needs. Production of accessible materials for pupils is a key part of the role therefore, word processing skills are essential. Braille skills are desirable. However, a post holder who is not qualified in Braille will be expected to learn Braille in his/her own time. This will be through a RNIB Braille correspondence course to examination level (BTEC level 3). You will be supported in their role by an Advisory Teacher for Children with Visual Impairment from the Children’s Sensory Team. You may work with one pupil, or a range of pupils, with visual impairment, and pupils may have additional disabilities/difficulties. You are required to work in any school in Harrow as directed by the Team Manager. For an informal discussion please contact Helen Forbes-Low on 020 8416 8848 Closing date: 1st November 2010 JOB DESCRIPTION / ROLE PROFILE Job Title: Grade: Specialist Teaching Assistant Children’s Sensory Team- Visual Impairment H2 – H3 to be reviewed Directorate: Children’s Services Division / Section: Reports to: Special Needs Services Children’s Sensory Team- Visual Impairment Helen Forbes-Low Date: October 2010 1 ROLE PURPOSE The role requires the post holder to support pupils with visual impairment in Harrow schools. The person appointed will be a member of the Children’s Sensory Team. The main aim of the role is to increase pupil independence, ensure access to the curriculum, promote learning and support with the health and safety needs of the pupil with visual impairment. Production of accessible materials for pupils is a key part of the role. Therefore, word processing skills are essential. Braille skills are desirable, however, staff who are not qualified in Braille will be expected to learn Braille through a RNIB Braille correspondence course to examination level. 2 DIMENSIONS Your line manager is the Team Manager of the Children’s Sensory Team- Visual impairment. You will be supported in your role by an Advisory Teacher for Children with Visual Impairment from the Children’s Sensory Team allocated to the pupil you are working with. 3 CONTEXT The post holder may work with one pupil, or a range of pupils, with visual impairment, and pupils may have additional disabilities/difficulties. You are required to work in any school in Harrow as directed by the Team Manager of the Children’s Sensory Team. 4 MAIN DUTIES / ACCOUNTABILITIES List the principal duties/accountabilities of the post and the role specific accountabilities. Note - Minimum accountabilities for equality & diversity, health & safety, training & development and information security compliance have been included as standard phrases for all posts. Depending on the level and responsibility of the post enhance and add to these as appropriate. A Generic Duties/Accountabilities - for all posts H11 and Below 1 To ensure compliance with your responsibilities as laid out in the council’s equal opportunity policy and take an active role in promoting and enabling equality of opportunity, promoting the diverse needs and aspirations of Harrow’s community, ensuring equality and diversity is mainstreamed in all service/directorate activities 2 To ensure compliance with your responsibilities as laid out in the council’s health and safety policy and take an active role in promoting a positive health and safety culture. 3 To promote and participate in the council’s investors in people (IIP) and individual performance appraisal and development (IPAD) initiatives and information management best practice. 4 To ensure compliance with the council’s information security policies and maintain confidentiality. Service Specific Duties/ Accountabilities 5 Work in close collaboration with staff in schools/ nurseries and teachers from the Children’s Sensory Team. 6 Contribute to planning for the needs of the pupil. 7 Devise and develop systems for gathering curriculum materials for modifications / adaptations in advance of lessons. Co-ordinate resources. Liaise with a wide range of resource providers. 8 Prepare high quality materials in Large Print, Tape, Braille and tactile form. (It is an essential expectation of this post that the post holder will undertake the RNIB qualification in Braille). To read and translate Braille. 9 Competently use with training, a range of specialist equipment to support learning e.g. Brailler, Braille notetaker, heat pens, CCTV, translation/enlarging software/hardware. 10 Provide in class support, this may also include supervising small groups. 11 Encourage increasing independence for the pupil. With school staff, support the pupil’s health and safety requirements. 12 Reinforce programmes devised by outside professionals. Maintain close links with other professionals/agencies. 13 Contribute to record keeping. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the support given. Attend and contribute to review meetings including annual reviews. 14 Contribute to home/school links via the school system. 15 Carry out any other duties that may be commensurate with the post. 5. SELECTION CRITERIA Note for applicants – The selection criteria specifies the knowledge, experience, skills, abilities, qualifications and training required to perform the duties of the post for which you are applying. In your application you will need to explain how your knowledge, experience, skills, abilities gained in paid or unpaid work, study or training, meets each of the selection criteria marked ‘A’ below, including your awareness, understanding and commitment to equality and diversity in employment and service delivery. If you fail to do so, you will not be shortlisted. Shortlisting will be on the basis of assessing the selection criteria marked ‘A’ Ranking Order Knowledge Indicator (Define the knowledge that is essential to the job e.g. particular legislation related to the job) a. A firm commitment to equal opportunities, principles and practices. A belief in the pupils’ right to independence and an awareness of when to stand back in order to encourage this. Method of Assessment 1 b. The ability to prepare and organise high quality curriculum materials from print copies using a range of equipment, including ICT and specific software. A working knowledge of Microsoft word and touch- typing skills. A, I, T 2 c. The ability to organise and maintain effective record keeping. 1 A, I A,I 1 Experience (Specify the range, type and depth of experience required rather than being general or just specifying the number of years and consider relevant unpaid work) a. Successful experience of working with children and class teachers in a support role b. The ability to work autonomously and as part of a team 1 c. Experience of using MS word or similar including printing 1 d. Experience of record keeping A,I 1 e. Experience of working to agreed standards A,I 2 Education, Qualifications and Training Method of Assessment A,I A,I A,I, T Method of 1 1 1 (Specify only essential qualifications that can be justified and equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, consider work related qualifications e.g. NVQ’s. Remember relevant experience can be in addition to or instead of qualifications. If no qualifications are required, this section can be left blank) A Braille qualification or a willingness to learn Braille on appointment and complete a course to examination level (Studying is in own time) Skills and Abilities (Specify type and level of skills and abilities relevant to the job that can be measured, e.g. accurate recording) a. Good interpersonal skills. Including the ability to respond flexibly, sensitively and positively to others. b. Ability to support the child and young person with information presented near to and at distance enabling them to have immediate access. Assessment A,I Method of Assessme nt A, I A,I 1 b. The ability to communicate clearly with pupil with a visual impairment, parents and staff. Including a good recording voice. A, I 1 c. The ability to work flexibly and independently. A, I 1 d. The ability to recognise when to seek advice. A,I 1 e. Have good keyboard skills and word processing skills A, I, T 1 f. Be able to proof read A,I,T 1 g. Ability to manage workload and meet deadlines A, I 1 h. Be positive and willing to change working environments as directed by the Team leader A, I Other Essential Factors Method of (Specify criteria directly related to the job e.g. ability to work unsocial Assessme hours, physical requirements, distinguish between ‘need’ and nt ‘convenience’ so it is justifiable and not discriminatory e.g. to women or disabled applicants. Include Genuine Occupational Qualifications or Requirements (GOQ’s or GOR’s) here if an essential requirement Method of Assessment:- A – Application, I – Interview, T - Test