Job Details (Back to Job List)

If you have reason to believe this job is out of date, please let us know.

This job has now expired. Please do not apply for this position.

Relational Support Lead - Valley Bridge School

Gloucester

Job overview

Valley Bridge School, is a new independent special school for pupils aged 6 – 19, set in a beautiful location in Whaddon, near Gloucester, that is due to open for students in September 2024.

We are looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic Relational Support Lead who is open to learning a modern approach to teaching pupils with social, emotional, mental health needs. This is a term time only post.  Are you an experienced and skilled classroom practitioner with a passion for supporting students with SEMH needs? Are you nurturing , understanding and resilient? Do you want to feel valued, supported and part of a team?

Our Relational Support Leads play a critical role within our baserooms; using their knowledge and expertise in building effective relationships and meeting the needs of young people with barriers to learning, they create and deliver programs and interventions that optimise students wellbeing and engagement with learning.

Working closely with our teaching teams they proactively support our students throughout their school journey with us, by working directly with students, parents and colleagues. They support our teaching assistants develop their skills and knowledge about meeting needs and understanding behaviour as a form of communication.

Relational Support Leads partner with our curriculum coordinators and teachers with practical aspects of student journey and progression such as reviews, risk assessment, record keeping and communicating with external third parties and parents.

They also play a key role in developing and delivering a bespoke RSE and PSHE curriculum designed to meet the needs of their students.

This is a diverse and rewarding role, with opportunities for development and to engage in training.

Candidates should have significant experience of working with students with ASC and SEMH needs in a classroom environment, they should have a clear understanding of safeguarding and wellbeing support, experience and knowledge about proactively and reactively meeting the needs of students.

They should be dynamic, resilient and creative.

This post would suit an HLTA, experienced teaching assistant or behaviour and engagement specialist.

We understand the importance of building meaningful relationships with pupils and families to nurture growth and development of relational milestones such as, building trust and sharing enjoyment. Care and making connections are at the heart of our ethos and we work hard to ensure that all staff feel cared for too.

We are strongly committed to providing high quality professional development for all our staff. As part of a new and growing group, we will be able to offer significant opportunities to work in collaboration with colleagues from across the group in order to develop innovative teaching practice.

The wellbeing of our staff is an important priority therefore we provide opportunities to ensure we value their hard work and dedication and promote a healthy work-life balance. We are constantly reviewing our practices to ensure that our staff can focus on what matters: providing a rich environment in which children and young adults can learn and thrive.

Please note that early application is encouraged as we may appoint prior to the closing date.

If you would like further information about the role do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

For more information about our school and the group please go to https://valleybridgeschool.co.uk/ and https://spaghettibridge.co.uk/

Spaghetti Bridge Ltd are committed to Safeguarding therefore, all employees working at this school must have the ability to work in a way that promotes the safety and wellbeing of our children and young people. All applicants must be willing to undergo safeguarding checks appropriate to the post, including checks with Disclosure & Barring Service and employment references. We will request references from where you have worked with either children or adults at risk. Please be aware that references will be requested prior to interview for roles within our schools and that online searches will be completed on all shortlisted candidates in line with the provisions of Keeping Children Safe in Education.

This post involves working with children and young people considered to be at risk and therefore is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Spaghetti Bridge undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a criminal record check on the basis of a conviction or other information revealed.

As an equal opportunities employer, Spaghetti Bridge is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination.

We are a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply.

Job Description
Relational Support Lead
Job details
Main purpose

The Relational Support Lead is responsible for providing a blend of proactive programs and support, for
students' individual needs, to optimise their wellbeing and learning. The Relational Support Lead will
establish ongoing communication and positive relationships with students, staff, and external contacts to ensure students and staff are provided with the best possible support and guidance.

The Relational Support Lead will support a designated group of students in line with the Relational support policy, vision, values and ethos of the school.

Key Accountabilities

In addition to the requirements of a learning mentor, the Relational support Lead will:

• Be a visible presence within the school in order to form supportive and constructive
• relationships between staff and students that are based on trust and are respectful.
• Provide dynamic support and modelling for learning mentors and teachers in base rooms
• Attend school briefings and share incident data if appropriate
• Build trusting, respectful relationships with parents and carers through effective
• communication and recognising the contribution that parents/carers are able to make to the development of children and young people
• Support the transition of new students into the school
• Support the transition of students moving to Further Education
• Support students and families with re-engagement to school, identifying strategies for increased engagement and attendance
• Ensure Risk Assessments and Relational Support Plans are robust, implemented consistently and reviewed regularly
• Provide outreach to safeguard and re-engage students
• Support Curriculum Coordinators with administrative tasks for college applications and transitions
• Ensure incident logs are reviewed in a timely manner, using factual and non-emotive language
• Alongside the CCs to hold internal and external strategy meetings for all of their student cohort to ensure they are being effectively supported and making progress
• Ensure appropriate actions and notes are recorded for incident records
• Develop appropriate strategies in conjunction with system data, colleagues and professionals, to effectively remove barriers to learning and develop replacement strategies
• Maintain up-to-date records which comply with Data Protection and Health and Safety regulations
• Have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students, and to follow the procedures adopted by the school
• To be a key component in the developing and delivering of PSHE topics, including RSE, in line with the needs of the student
• To work closely with CCs and DSLs to design and implement the CPD for all staff and to create individual support plans for individual staff when needed
• Coordinate therapy programme in conjunction with CCs
• To support the CCs with the preparation of reports and paperwork for chair and/or attend other external meetings, including EHCP, CIN, PEP transition and LAC reviews
• Work alongside CCs to ensure that all EHCPs for their students are accurate and up to date
• Cover staff absence in base groups and work with CCs to support planning of absent staff members

Health, safety and discipline

• Promote the safety and wellbeing of pupils

Professional development

• Take part in further training and development in order to improve own skills relevant to the role

Communication

• Communicate effectively with pupils, staff, parents and carers
• Be able to write clear and concise reviews

Working with colleagues and other relevant professionals

• Collaborate and work with colleagues and other relevant professionals within and beyond the school
• Develop effective professional relationships with colleagues

Personal and professional conduct

• Maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school
• Have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school, and maintain high standards of attendance and punctuality
• The Relational Support Lead will be required to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, and follow school policies and the staff code of conduct.

Person specification

Qualifications and experience:

Essential

• The post holder will have spent a considerable amount of time working with ASC and students with SEMH needs in an educational environment
• Have a clear understanding of Safeguarding and Wellbeing support
• Experience of working alongside students with complex needs
• Experience proactively and reactively supporting challenging behaviour
• Knowledge of interventions around anxiety and emotional wellbeing

Desirable

• Team Teach training
• Experience of classroom strategies
• to support ASC/SEMH
• Experience of providing mentoring to students
• Experience leading staff

Skills and knowledge

• Ability to demonstrate a good understanding of an ASC/SEMH friendly environment
• Ability to train, supervise and develop staff
• Ability to be adaptable/flexible and cope with the unexpected
• A good understanding of, and commitment to, Safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and equal opportunities
• Good written communication skills

Desirable

• Training and experience of multi-agency working

Personal qualities

• A commitment to getting the best outcomes for all pupils and promoting the ethos and
• values of the school
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality at all times
• Commitment to safeguarding and equality

Please note that this is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a
comprehensive list of all tasks that the Relational Support Lead will carry out. The postholder may be
required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team and the post is likely to have to adapt over time to meet the changing needs of the school and our students.

Please click on Apply Now and email your CV and covering letter.

Closing date for applications: 3rd July 2024

Salary: £25,000 per annum

Hours Per Week: Full Time, Permanent

Be the First to Apply for Jobs Like This

Browse All Jobs

Browse More Jobs from the "Head & Deputy Head Teachers" Category

Newsletter
To sign up up for GlosJobs weekly newsletter, please click here.