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JOB DESCRIPTION
Department: Education Department
School Improvement and Inclusion
Section: Advisory Teaching Service
Job Title Advisory Teacher
Communication/Interaction
Grade T.M.P.S. + up to 2 SEN allowances
Work Location To be negotiated
Post No.
1.
JOB PURPOSE
To be responsible for offering advice and support to all concerned with children with
communication/interaction difficulties in mainstream schools.
2.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
PRE-SCHOOL FOCUS
To be involved with all children in their preschool year (last term usually) who have been
identified or who are believed to have communication/interaction difficulties.
MAINSTREAM FOCUS
To visit children with communication/interaction difficulties attending any phase of mainstream
education, assess and offer appropriate advisory and teaching support, including inservice training
to staff.
To be responsible for updating personal information in respect of curriculum developments. To
disseminate this information and its implications for children with communication/interaction
difficulties to professional colleagues/ staff involved with the support of children with Special
Educational Needs.
To maintain files on individual children which include speech therapy reports, E.P.’s reports
educational update. Correspondence relevant to individual children and associated areas of
support and guidance.
To provide written reports about individual children. Collate and discuss such information with
Lead Advisory Teacher during case reviews.
To co-ordinate the annual review meetings with Head teachers/school, presenting written reports
on aspects of the child’s social, emotional, linguistic, educational progress/development.
To contribute to the development of a programme arising from these reviews.
To share responsibility for monitoring and evaluating such programmes and liaise with Head of
Service/Head teacher on successes and failures.
To be responsible for training, supporting and guiding special support assistants working with
C&I. children.
To undertake those duties which support the achievement of the County Council’s equal
opportunities objectives, with particular reference to the targets/positive actions included in the
Positive Action Plan and aspects of service delivery.
To ensure that a high priority is given to the management of health and safety and that you carry
out your legal responsibilities for ensuring that risk assessments are made and action taken; that
appropriate information, instructions, training and supervision is made to ensure the health and
safety at work of those employees for whom you are responsible.
ADMINISTRATIVE FOCUS
To allocate a part of the weekly timetable for administrative duties associated with advisory and
support work.
The completion of reports, reviews and letters required by agencies concerned with the support of
children with communication/interaction difficulties.
Preparation of materials for use with individual children, teaching and non-teaching staff which
will facilitate effective inclusion of the children into school system and environment, ensuring an
understanding of the implications of communication/interaction difficulties.
Completion and submission of individual timetables to Head of Service prior to commencement of
the working week.
Completion of travel claims/expenses forms and submission to the Lead Advisory Teacher by a
designated date for ratification.
Liaison with Head of Service over any changes, to working practises which may be required from
time to time.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
To undertake any additional duties consistent with the role of an advisory teacher for children with
communication/interaction difficulties as determined by the Head of Service or Director of
Education.
To attend such meetings as requested by the Head of Service to facilitate improved
communication and professional development.
To offer a ‘fully open’ policy on the supply of information to parents of children with
communication/interaction difficulties.
All Advisory staff are involved in the process of identification and recommendations to the Lead
Advisory Teacher, of children requiring Statutory Assessment.
To be involved in the appointment of Learning Support Workers for Statemented children and to
ensure that they are appropriately supported and trained.
In addition, each advisory teacher will have a specific responsibility within the team. S/he is
expected to develop and update this resource in conjunction with the Lead Advisory Teacher. This
area of responsibility also forms part of the advisory teacher’s professional development
programme.
All qualified staff are paid on standard scale with an incentive allowance. In addition, advisory
staff are classed as essential car users and may qualify for a car under the L.E.A. contract hire
agreement.
3.
QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE
 DfES Teacher Qualification – essential
 DfES Approved Specialist Teacher Qualification, Language and/or Communication
Impairment – desirable
 Social Use of Language Programme[SULP], desirable
 Experience of mainstream teaching – desirable
 Experience of SEN teaching – desirable
4.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
Designated Learning Support Workers
5.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED
1. Lead Advisory Teacher, Communication/Interaction
2. Head of Advisory Teaching Service
All aspects of management and deployment of C & I advisory teachers are the responsibility of the
Head of the Advisory Teaching Service, and ultimately the Executive Director of Education, Jo
Davidson.
6.
PRINCIPAL CONTACTS
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7.
Lead Advisory Teacher, Communication/Interaction
Advisory Teacher, Communication/Interaction
Learning Support Workers, Communication/Interaction
Other members of the Advisory Teaching Service
Head of Advisory Teaching Service
Other members of SENSS
SPECIAL CONDITIONS (if applicable)
The post is subject to an initial probationary period of six months.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
This job description sets out the main duties of the post at the date when it was drawn up. Such
duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level
of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves
justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.
DATE: Jan 2003
Ref: FNF/