Job Introduction
Closing Date: 5th May 2025
Interview: Week Commencing 12th May
Salary: Light Years Pay Scale K15.5-K30 / Band 5-7 NHS Equivalent (£28,407 – £50,056) pro rata 37.5 hour week FTE
Hours of work: 18 hours per week (flexible arrangements)
Contract Type: Permanent
Reporting to: Headteacher
Join our caring, friendly and dynamic multi-disciplinary team who are passionate about promoting communication, independence, and wellbeing in our pupils and supporting and empowering families.
This is an exciting opportunity to support us to grow and establish an onsite Therapy Team working alongside an Occupational Therapist and Thrive Practitioner. You would be based at Light Years School, Fareham, an ‘outstanding’ specialist independent provision.
This role will be supporting our children, aged 7-11, who have a range of needs including autism, SEMH needs, ADHD and speech, language and communication needs. Your role will involve carrying out assessments, formulating therapy plans in line with children's EHCP outcomes, supporting the teaching team with whole class therapy, delivering 1:1 and group sessions, supporting outreach provision and holding whole school CPD sessions.
You will develop and apply your clinical skills in delivering hands-on speech and language therapy, thereby ensuring the provision of a high standard of speech and language assessment, treatment and advice to children, young people and their families accessing the school.
Values
The Speech and Language Therapist will share our values:
Understanding: We show understanding and care to truly comprehend a child’s journey up to the point of joining our school.
Acceptance: We encourage children to accept themselves and others for who they are and feel good about themselves.
Celebrate: We celebrate pupil’s individuality and their superpowers!
Resilience: We inspire pupils to try new experiences, overcome barriers and grow in confidence.
Courage: We promote a culture where pupils will feel safe enough to see failure as part of their learning and be brave enough to take on the next challenge.
Kindness: We treat our school community with kindness and respect.
Person Specification
Essential criteria:
- Speech and Language Therapy BSc (Hons)
- HCPC registration
- Experience working with children who have autism, learning disabilities and SEMH needs
- Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively in a team, to design and lead the Speech and Language programme delivered across the school
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and listening skills
- Patience, empathy, flexibility and the ability to remain calm under pressure
- Creativity and problem-solving skills to design programmes appropriate for different learning styles and communication issues
- The ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team to improve the effectiveness of service delivery, as well as independently on your own
- Organisation and time management skills, with the ability to plan and prioritise your own workload
- Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
- Excellent organisational, prioritisation, analytical and reflection skills
- Understanding the roles of other professionals and ability to work collaboratively within a variety of teams and organisations relevant to the client group
- Ability to communicate complex information to others where there may be barriers to understanding
- Evidence of continuing professional development and advanced training, e.g. Touch Cues, Makaton, PECS, SCERTS
- Well established knowledge of a range of standardised and functional assessment tools
- Sound knowledge of the National Curriculum across all Key Stages
- Knowledge of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the children who attend Light Years School including a range of appropriate Augmentative and Alternative Communication aids for this client group
Role Description
Working as part of the multi disciplinary team delivering speech and language programmes across the school.
Main duties to include:
- Grow and develop Light Years School Speech and language programme
- Prepare detailed reports for each pupil supported through the therapy program and share with parents and the school
- To maintain current knowledge of educational initiatives and developments at both local and national level
- To ensure all sessions are recorded in line with Light Years School policies and processes
- To keep updated on SEN developments in mainstream schools
- To monitor and support practice within any Local Authority schools where outreach has been requested
- To provide advice, support and training to school staff in order that provision is made to meet the needs of individual children and young people with a range of SEND
- To support staff in implementing strategies to improve access to the curriculum for children and young people with a range of SEND where appropriate[SA5]
- Being part of the EHCP annual review process for all children
- Collaborate with other healthcare professionals, educators, and family members to ensure coordinated and comprehensive care
- Participate in team meetings, case conferences, and continuing professional development activities
- Advocate for the rights of children and support their autonomy in decision-making
- Host whole school CPD training once per half term
Bespoke Educational Packages
- Work with others on curriculum and pupil development to secure co-ordinated outcomes for those children not in full time education.
- Support with providing bespoke education for pupils not attending.
- Work with pupils on roll at Light Years School, but not attending full time, and support their re-engagement back into school.
- Work with pupils on a 1:1 basis, providing them with SALT programmes to meet their needs
Working with staff, parents/carers and relevant professionals
- Share 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
- Communicate effectively with parents and carers under the direction of teachers
- Contribute to meetings with parents and carers by providing feedback on pupil progress, attainment and barriers to learning, as directed by teachers
- Collaborate and work with colleagues and other relevant professionals within and beyond the school
- Develop effective professional relationships with colleagues
Safeguarding
- Work in line with statutory safeguarding guidance (e.g. Keeping Children Safe in Education, Prevent) and our safeguarding and child protection policies
- Promote the safeguarding of all pupils in the school
Visits are strongly encouraged prior to interview.
Staff benefits
- Clinical supervision depending on experience in line with the RCSLT guidelines
- Access to bright exchange for discounts and offers from hundreds of high street brands and businesses
- Private, no excess medical insurance provided through Vitality Life
- Canada life assurance insurance
- Employee assistance programme support line providing; ‘we care’ health support, ‘my strength’ mental health support, ‘toothfairy’ online dentist
- Access to bereavement counselling and probate helpline
- Work place pension scheme
- Fantastic CPD opportunities
To Apply:
Please go to our website: www.lightyearseducation.co.uk and complete an application form and return to admin@lightyearseducation.co.uk. Early applications are encouraged and we reserve the right to close the vacancy if a suitable candidate is found. If you have any questions about the role or would like to arrange a tour please contact Sarah Alden via email at admin@lightyearseducation.co.uk
Safer Recruitment
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.
