Learning Support Assistant (secondary)

Job Title

Position at Star International School (Branch) - SIQ

Duties and Responsibilities

The holder of this post is expected to carry out the professional duties described below, as circumstances may require and in accordance with the school's policies under the direction of the Secondary SENCO/Head of secondary. While every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, each individual task undertaken may not be identified. Employees will be expected to comply with any reasonable request from a manager to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description. Employees are expected to be courteous to colleagues at all times and provide a welcoming environment to visitors and telephone callers.

Learning and Teaching

• Encourage and enable all students to become effective, confident and independent life-long learners
• Use excellent subject knowledge, pedagogic and interpersonal skills to enthuse students and enable students to experience amazing learning
• Make full use of ICT and the new technologies to enhance the quality of teaching and learning for students of all ages and attainment levels
• Plan lessons taking full account of students' individual learning needs, as well as their individual learning styles, preferences and capabilities
• Promote the intellectual, moral, spiritual, cultural, physical and personal abilities and aptitudes of the students in her/his classes and provide guidance and advice to students on educational and relevant social and other matters
• To embed UAE heritage and culture within the curriculum
• Advise and cooperate with the Head of School and other colleagues on the preparation and development of courses of study, teaching materials, teaching schemes, methods of teaching and assessment and pastoral arrangements

Attainment and Progress

• Assess, record and report on the development, progress and attainment of the students in her/his classes
• Guide students to set targets to improve on their previous 'best' and give regular feedback to students to support next steps in learning
• Communicate open and professionally with parents on a regular basis about the attainment and progress of their child

A Team Player

• Maintain excellent professional relationships with colleagues by making a wider professional contribution to the continuing improvement of the school
• Plan and deliver a programme of learning opportunities and activities to enrich and enhance the taught curriculum
• Cooperate with colleagues to establish and maintain fair and consistent disciplinary practices in the classroom, around the school and on school trips, and taking active measures to protect students from all forms of abuse, including racist or sexist abuse, bullying, and any kind of corporal punishment
• Contribute actively to department discussions in academic meetings
• Actively support the school partnership with the community e.g. attending school / community events which may occasionally occur at weekends or in the evening i.e. school concerts etc.
• Promote a positive ethos across the school based on the school vision/values and a commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of students, staff, and the wider school community

Professional Development

• Be proactive and take accountability for own development
• Participate in arrangements for her/his further training and professional development as a teacher

Safeguarding

• Work in line with our safeguarding and child protection policies
• Work with the DSL to promote the best interests of pupils, including sharing concerns where necessary
• Promote the safeguarding of all pupils in the school

Key Duties

• Work with class teachers to raise the learning and attainment of pupils
• Promote pupils' independence, self-esteem and social inclusion
• Give support to pupils, individually or in groups, so they can access the curriculum, take part in learning, and experience a sense of achievement
• Demonstrate an informed and efficient approach to teaching and learning by adopting relevant strategies to support the work of the teacher and increase achievement of all pupils including, where appropriate, those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• Promote, support and facilitate inclusion by encouraging participation of all pupils in learning and extracurricular activities
• Support the teaching of a broad and balanced curriculum aimed at pupils achieving their full potential in all areas of learning
• Use effective behaviour management strategies consistently in line with the school's policy and procedures
• Support class teachers with maintaining good order and discipline among pupils, managing behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment
• Organise and manage teaching space and resources to help maintain a stimulating and safe learning environment
• Observe pupil performance and pass observations on to the class teacher
• Supervise a class if the teacher is temporarily unavailable
• Use ICT skills to advance pupils' learning
• Undertake any other relevant duties given by the class teacher
• Contribute to effective assessment and planning by supporting the monitoring, recording and reporting of pupil performance and progress as appropriate to the level of the role
• Read and understand lesson plans shared prior to lessons, if available
• Prepare the classroom for lessons
• Communicate effectively with other staff members and pupils, and with parents and carers under the direction of the class teacher
• Communicate their knowledge and understanding of pupils to other school staff and education, health and social care professionals, so that informed decision making can take place on intervention and provision
• Contribute to meetings with parents and carers by providing feedback on pupil progress, attainment and barriers to learning, as directed by teachers
• With the class teacher, keep other professionals accurately informed of performance and progress, or concerns they may have about the pupils they work with
• Understand their role in order to be able to work collaboratively with classroom teachers and other colleagues, including specialist advisory teachers
• Collaborate and work with colleagues and other relevant professionals within and beyond the school
• Develop effective professional relationships with colleagues

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

• Education: A high school or Bachelor's degree in any subject preferably SEN
• Experience: A minimum of 2 years' experience in a school set up in SEN department.

Competencies

• Excellent working knowledge of the UK Curriculum and the latest practices
• Excellent IT skills, communication skills, and command of the English language, in spoken and written form
• A collaborative team-player with excellent interpersonal skills
• Experience of working with EAL, ELL and SEND students
• Excellent classroom management

Attributes

• Collaborative team player
• Empathetic listener
• Displays integrity and confidentiality
• Internationally minded
• Emotional intelligent
• Interculturally aware
• Experienced in online and classroom teaching
• Flexible and have a can-do attitude

Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

Star International school and ISP are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years' employment history.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of age, disability status, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.