Learning Assistant

We are a truly international group working in different cultures and speaking different languages. We work across countries and cultures, too, by working with each other and with other schools and communities. Our schools are located in the UK, the USA, Canada, Spain, Chile, Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia and Mexico. We are constantly enhancing our existing group of schools with new ones including those we develop ourselves, and new schools that want to join our partnership.

 

We put learners and learning first. Learning is affected by both internal factors (such as emotions, motivation and general health and wellbeing) and external factors (such as environment, curriculum and relationships). The external factor that has the most significant impact on our students’ learning is the teacher.

 

At ISP, everyone is a learner. So as one of our teachers, you are also a learner.  Together, we will embark on an ongoing process of exploring, expanding and evolving your practice in ways that directly impact and improve student learning.  

 

Learner (ISP definition)

Everyone at ISP is a learner. The ISP learner recognizes that their mindset, experiences, and actions drive their learning outcomes. With this awareness, they exercise voice, choice, and ownership over their process of learning – leading their learning and the learning of others.

 

 

PHES-ISP Principles

Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Well-being and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

 

Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

 

Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

 

Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

 

PHES-ISP Learning Assistant Role Profile

 

1. Atmosphere. You enable students to learn in a safe, open, caring, collaborative and inclusive atmosphere. Your students feel confident to have open and honest conversations about their learning and how they can get better. You create a positive atmosphere by building relationships, behaviors, and inclusive learning experiences that support a good struggle for all your learners. You engage in professional and respectful dialogue with colleagues and the wider school and ISP communities about learning and teaching, with a shared commitment to getting better.

 

1. Shared Ideas. You know and model your school’s values and contribute to its mission and vision through your daily actions. Through all aspects of learning and teaching, you create a strong sense of shared behaviors and purpose for learners and their learning.

 

1. A Focus on Learners and Learning. You put learners and their learning first. Your understanding of the difference between learning and the factors that affect learning enables you to plan and support a good struggle for all your students to get better. You are committed to your personal and professional learning and development, engaging in a series of learning visits and inquiries with colleagues and leaders to support your ongoing self-evaluation. You are an active and valued member of dynamic learning communities,

 

1. Learning and Teaching. You put learners and their learning first in your design and facilitation of learning outcomes, content and experiences, which are underpinned by positive and supportive relationships. You understand the types and phases of learning and apply your knowledge, skills and understanding of these to effectively facilitate learning, teaching, and assessing to meet the personalized needs of each student. You empower students to lead their own learning, supporting them to monitor, assess and adjust their learning in response to feedback. You continuously inquire into the process of learning, making evidence-informed decisions and taking action to further improve learning and teaching.

 

1. Evidence of Learning. You gather, document and analyses evidence of learning from various sources and use this to identify targets and action steps for improving learning. You support students in knowing the different ways their learning can be evidenced and how to use feedback and learning advice to get better. Evidence enables you to make secure judgments about your students’ learning in line with their personal learning goals, age and stage appropriate expectations, and local, national and international benchmarking. You document and share evidence of learning to answer the questions: “What are my students learning?” and “How do I know?”.

 

1. Leadership for Learning. You see yourself as a leader for learning and demonstrate the same vision, values and commitment as school leaders to support students to continuously learn and get better. You take responsibility for where students are now with their learning and the targets and action steps needed to improve. You support students to become leaders of their own learning by helping them develop their voice, choice and ownership of their learning process.

 

1. Learning Spaces. You create and use spaces to support and demonstrate the school’s shared ideas about learners and learning and the ways in which students are getting better. You ensure learning spaces (physical and digital) are safe, collaborative, accessible and inclusive, and enable students to play an active role in their development.

 

1. In Partnership with Parents and Carers. You work in partnership with parents and carers, communicating with them regularly about their child’s learning, inviting their feedback and using this feedback to improve learning. You help parents and carers understand the school’s shared ideas about learners and learning in ways that help them to engage confidently when talking about what their child is getting better at, what their next steps are, and how they will be supported at home. You ensure that the individual needs of parents and carers are understood and that they feel informed and involved as valued members of the school’s learning community.

 

1. Improvement Planning. You are committed to learning and getting better and ensure this improvement happens strategically and effectively. You are active and accountable for your contribution in setting your own professional goals, targets and action steps that focus on improving learning and gathering evidence to demonstrate these. You contribute to department and school learning improvement planning where possible and view the school’s learning improvement plan as the central focus for getting better together.

 

 

PHES-ISP Learning Assistant Key Responsibilities

 

Park House English school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and expects all staff members to share this commitment.

 

Line Manager: Head of Primary / Assistant Head: Early Years

Overseen by: Principal

 

PURPOSE:

 

The primary purpose of the Learning Assistant is to work under the guidance of teaching and senior staff to implement agreed work programs with individuals/groups in and out of the classroom.  This could include those requiring detailed and specialist knowledge in particular areas and will involve assisting the teacher in the management and preparation of resources.  The primary focus will be to support students in accessing the curriculum and assisting them to undertake and complete tasks.  

 

ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITES:

 

Main Duties:

• Establish productive working relationships with children, acting as a role model and setting high expectations.
• Support children consistently whilst recognising and responding to their individual needs.
• Promote the inclusion and acceptance of all children within the classroom.
• Encourage to interact and work co-operatively with others and engage all students in activities.
• Promote independence and employ strategies to recognise and reward achievements and self-reliance.
• Work with the teacher to establish an appropriate learning environment.
• Assist with the implementation of IEP’s.
• Monitor and evaluate children’s responses to learning. 
• Promote positive values, attitudes and good student behaviour, in line with established policy. 
• Implement agreed learning activities, adjusting activities according to responses and needs.
• Support the use of IT in learning activities and develop students’ competence and independence.
• Help all students to access learning activities.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work and aims of the school.
• Assist with preparing equipment, apparatus and display boards.
• Supervising children to and from the swimming pool, including changing, as appropriate.  This is a shared responsibility with the teacher.
• Creating, Checking and tidying resources, maintaining a well organised working environment.
• Playground duties and monitoring of snack time.
• Working with groups of children at the direction of the teacher.
• Assisting and implementing school policies.
• Be prepared to undertake further professional development.
• Take part in the performance management process, setting and reviewing annual targets.

 

Other:

• Any other duties required by the class teacher, Head of Year, Deputy Head, Assistant Head or the Head Teacher, which is in the scope of the post. 
• At all times carry out duties with due regard to the school’s Health and Safety policy. 
• Incorporate the school’s vision and mission into normal working practice. 
• Be responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children.
• Follow the reporting procedures contained in the Child Protection Policy with regards to raising concerns about the welfare of any.

 

PROFILE

 

• G.C.S.E. (or equivalent) grade C or above in English and math
• Experience of working with primary children 
• Experience of developing and preparing resources
• Some experience supporting pupils with additional learning needs

 

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

 

• Effective communication skills
• Highly organised
• Sensitive, caring and responsive to the needs of young people
• Enthusiastic and good at motivating students
• Ability to work constructively as part of a team
• Working knowledge of the Key Stage 1 and 2 curriculum
• An understanding of the principles of child development and learning processes and in particular barriers to learning
• A good understanding of classroom roles and responsibilities

 

OTHER     

 

Whilst 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 that is not specified in this job description. Employees are expected to be courteous to colleagues and provide a welcoming environment to visitors and telephone callers.

 

The school will endeavour to make any necessary reasonable adjustments to the job and the working environment to enable access to employment opportunities for disabled job applicants or continued employment for any employee who develops a disabling condition.

 

This job description is current at the date shown, but, in consultation with you, may be changed by the Principal to reflect or anticipate changes in the job commensurate with the grade and job title.

 

As a member of the staff of Park House you will need to comply with the below:

•          Compliance with the school’s Vision, Mission and Policies

•          Compliance with the UK Teacher’s standards : Teachers’ standards – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

•          Positive Professional Relationship with all staff members are maintained

•          Contact with students is on a strictly professional basis with the physical and emotional safety of students being of paramount importance

•          The hours of work as arranged with the principal are strictly followed

•          This position entails working with information, much of which is held in confidence.  Under no circumstances is this confidentiality to be compromised

 

 

PHES is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All shortlisted candidates and post holders are subject to appropriate International Criminal and Child Protection Background Checks or equivalent, covering the previous 10 years of employment history. PHES recruit teachers in several ways including direct application to the school and through international teacher recruitment agencies and organizations.