Neurodiversity and Reading Specialist (Teaching Assistant)

Have you ever considered working… in a prison?

This is an excellent opportunity to educate and rehabilitate adult learners.

If you would like a unique and challenging non-teaching role, where you can genuinely make a difference, enhance the prospects of learners, and ultimately change people’s lives for the better – then this could be the opportunity for you.

Like any educational setting, Prisons come with their challenges. In this environment, learners are locked up for large periods of the day, away from their families and for some, their children. Most are at rock bottom, having to live with the regret of what they have done – education gives them a focus. And hope.

Education provides prisoners with an opportunity to upskill, increasing their future employment prospects which directly reduces the likelihood of reoffending. Many prisoners will arrive without having basic Maths or English skills. Prison Education ensures all learners are put through Functional Skills Maths & English, which then puts them on the pathway to vocational learning courses, such as Carpentry, Bricklaying, Painting & Decorating, Plastering & Tiling, Industrial Cleaning, Barbering, Catering and Horticulture.

Details of this position:

This position is for a full time Neurodiversity and Reading Specialist to work in prison education.

Within this role, you will required to work collaboratively with tutors and staff within Education to provide support to learners with neurodiverse and inclusion needs including those with disabilities.

• Carry out initial and detailed screening activity on a monthly basis as outlined in the C16 schedule.
• Identify the neurodiverse and inclusion needs of individual prisoners through the screening process.
• Use the screening outcomes effectively to adapt support materials to ensure that neurodiverse learner needs are met within intervention and/or support sessions.
• To share recommendations and strategies with tutors following screening, using the summary sheet in the initial and detailed screener.
• Creating Individual Learning Support Plans.
• Coordinate, deliver and manage the allocation of support to those that have a learning support plan.

Work schedule: Full time 37 hours per week

Salary scale: Up to £26,000 per annum

Annual leave: 30 days per annum

To be considered, suitable candidates will need to meet the following criteria:

• Five GCSEs at Grade 4/C or above (or equivalent), including English Language and Mathematics
• To hold or be willing to work towards a Level 3 qualification for Inclusion Support Coordinators within an agreed timescale.
• Have experience of working in a learning environment.
• Have well-developed interpersonal skills in relating to prison staff and in working with students who may have little experience of education and training.
• To be able to manage a caseload of learners with neurodiverse and inclusion needs including those with disabilities.
• Knowledge of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and the SEND Code of Practice.

Benefits

• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• A paid PeoplePlus Life event day each year
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to hundreds of discounts via the Additions portal
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to online wellbeing centre
• A paid volunteering day each year
• Enhanced Maternity scheme
• Sharesave scheme
• Refer a Friend reward scheme
• Holiday purchase scheme
• Pension scheme
• Life assurance

The successful candidate will be required to obtain the appropriate prison clearance before starting the role and maintain this throughout employment.

Suitable candidates will need to be enthusiastic, resilient and have a humanistic approach. This role will not be for everyone, but anyone with a slight interest is encouraged to apply and if suitable, you will have the opportunity to have a discussion with the hiring manager directly over the phone, who can provide more detail and an insight into life working in a prison.

The successful candidate will be required to obtain the appropriate prison clearance before starting the role and maintain this throughout employment.

If you are interested in this position, then please apply via the link. Alternatively, you can contact Izzy to discuss the role in further detail.

If this vacancy is not of interest to you at this time, but you happen to know someone who might be suitable and interested, then please kindly pass these details on to them.

Important Notice

Dovetail and Slate is a market leading education recruitment company. We specialise in hiring across the entire spectrum of education, including positions in student support and support services. With our extensive range of roles, we are confident we can find the right match for you, so if the current vacancy does not seem relevant to your expertise, we welcome you to upload your CV or give us a call to discuss your ideal position, with our dedicated team.

Dovetail and Slate is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, applicants, and clients to share this commitment.

This role may involve work with under 18’s or vulnerable adults. Any appointment will be made subject to strict vetting and screening checks and receipt of a satisfactory enhanced DBS check. Dovetail and Slate ltd acts as an Employment Agency (perm) and an Employment Business (temp/contract).

Because education matters. Dovetail and Slate Limited (11351060) acts as an Employment Agency.

Because education matters. Dovetail and Slate Limited (11351060) acts as an Employment Agency.