Communication Support Worker (City of Oxford College) OCC616381

Job details

Salary range:

• Teaching Assistant - £24,702 - £26,873 pro-rata, per annum

• For a candidate with British Sign Language level 3 or above - £29,269 - £32,076 pro-rata, per annum

Work location: SENSS Post-16 Sensory Support Base at The City of Oxford College, Oxford

Hours per week: 30 (5 days) - applications for part-time working will also be considered   

Contract type: Permanent (term-time only, 39 working weeks per annum)

Vetting requirements: This role is subject to a criminal records check

Closing date: Sunday 9th June 2024

Interview date: Week commencing 17th June 2024

Do you have the skills and passion to make a difference to the learning experience of children and young people with special educational needs?

We would love you to join us!

About us

Teaching Assistants and Communication Support Workers (CSW) are an essential part of the educational team working with children and young people who are deaf and vision impaired in Oxfordshire educational settings. TA/CSWs work in the Deaf and Hearing Support Resource Bases at New Marston Primary School and The Cherwell School (secondary), and in the Post-16 Sensory Support Team based at The City of Oxford College with post-16 students who have a sensory impairment (deafness or vision impairment) in the Colleges of Further Education in Oxfordshire.

*the terms deaf/deafness refer to all levels and types of hearing loss

About the role

We are seeking Teaching Assistants or Communication Support Workers with a calm, encouraging and positive manner to work with young people who are deaf or have a vision impairment in the Post-16 Sensory Support Resource Base based at The City of Oxford College in Oxford. No previous knowledge of working with students who are deaf or have a vision impairment is required.

The deaf students we support in Oxfordshire have a range of communication modes and learning styles. Some speak and listen as their primary mode of communication, some use sign language together with speaking and listening, and some are British Sign Language users. Students with vision impairment similarly have a range of access and learning needs.

There are good public transport links to The City of Oxford College.

The role is permanent and is term-time only (39 working weeks per year).

About you

You will have the ability to communicate sensitively and appropriately with young people, families, and colleagues. You work positively as part of a team but also feel confident to work independently and take initiative when needed.

You have a good level of basic education (e.g. Grade 4 or above in GCSE Maths and English or equivalent) or equivalent professional experience.

Working closely with specialist Teachers, mainstream staff and other professionals to improve outcomes, your aim will be to enable access to the curriculum and to facilitate full inclusion for the students you work with.

Ideally, you will have experience of working with children and young people with SEN or disability, but training will be given. We are particularly interested if you have a qualification in communicating with deaf people (preferably Level 2 CACDP or above, or a level of fluency in BSL at a comparable stage) or if you have experience of supporting people with vision impairment. If you have an interest in learning sign language or developing skills for supporting students who are blind or vision impaired, this role offers opportunities for you to develop these skills.  

You will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be resilient, creative, and adaptable.

No previous knowledge of working with deaf students or students with vision impairment is required, but would be an advantage. A passion for working with children and young people to make a difference and improve their access to learning is essential.

Rewards and benefits

• Culture of flexible working 
• Technology to support agile working where role permits 
• This is a term-time only role. The successful candidate will benefit from leave during all OCC school holidays (however no holiday can be taken during term time).
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support 
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9% 
• Enhanced family friendly policies 
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel 
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development 

Would you like to know more?

Please click here to view the Job Description and Selection Criteria

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Susannah Sentence, Lead Teacher of the Post-16 Sensory Support Team, on 07747 648473 or susannah.sentance@oxfordshire.gov.uk

You are also most welcome visit the base, meet our friendly and caring team, and the students we support, before you apply.

Application Procedure

To apply, please complete an online application form by clicking either of the Apply Now buttons at the top and bottom of this advert. This includes a section asking you to explain how you meet the selection criteria, as specified in the job posting. You may attach a cover letter and/or CV to your application form, however it is not mandatory.    

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