SEND Teaching Assistant

“Pupils and staff enjoy belonging to a vibrant school community where caring, respectful relationships are the norm” - Ofsted (January 2024)

We are seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic SEND Teaching Assistant to join our SEND team at King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy.

The successful candidate will support pupils with a range of special educational needs, working closely with teaching staff and the wider SEND team to help pupils access learning, develop their confidence and achieve the best possible outcomes. This will include providing targeted interventions, in-class support and bespoke 1:1 support according to individual pupil needs.

We are looking for someone who shares our academy values and will be bold in advocating for our pupils, ambitious for what they can achieve, collaborative in working with colleagues and families, and above all kind in the support and encouragement they provide every day.

Our SEND provision is an important part of our academy community, with Ofsted recognising that the “identification and support for pupils with SEND are strong”. This is an excellent opportunity to join a supportive team and make a genuine difference to the experiences and outcomes of our young people.

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is a dynamic and forward-thinking school where pupils know that staff have high expectations of them and want them to succeed. We are proud of the journey our academy continues to make and would welcome applications from individuals who share our commitment to providing an inclusive, ambitious education for every pupil.

Who will you be joining?

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is located in South West Birmingham. The academy is rapidly improving and continuing to benefit from having joined King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham which has led to investment across the academy, including the availability of cutting-edge technology in each classroom. King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is proud to be part of The Schools of King Edward VI Birmingham which supports its schools, faculties/departments and individual staff to work collaboratively. The successful candidate will benefit from a wide range of professional development opportunities encompassing the potential to experience schools across the Foundation and to pursue professional qualifications. There will be opportunities to collaborate with other schools and to benefit from their expertise and resources.

Our expectations and aspirations

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy has the highest aspirations and expectations for all members of its community. As a member of staff, you will be valued, challenged and supported in making a difference to the lives of our young people. We expect the same of our pupils. We demand courtesy, endeavour and resilience from all of our pupils and the support of their parents and carers.

We are exceptionally proud of our academy and our young people and would encourage interested applicants to come and spend some time with the leadership team to understand our shared vision, have a look around and experience what life is like as part of our community.

About the Academy Trust

The King Edward VI Foundation, Birmingham, is a progressive charitable organisation which has supported excellence in education across the city since 1552. Our schools are diverse in nature but have a common purpose and commitment to achieving our mission of “making Birmingham the best place to be educated in the UK”.

Our Academy Trust currently consists of two independent schools, six selective, and five non-selective academies. Our recent expansion into a wider diversity of local communities is enabling us to accelerate our strategies for improving the life chances of young people in Birmingham, whatever their background.

The King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham (“the Academy Trust”) was established in 2017 and is made up of the academies outlined above. The academies receive back office central support services including governance, from the Foundation Office (a central support services function), with several staff being seconded from the Foundation to deliver support services to the Academy Trust and the academies themselves.

Our highly focused five-year strategy aims to build on our existing strengths and heritage and deliver our ambitious growth strategy which aims to bring in a further five academies over the next five years.