Individual Support Workers - The William Henry Smith School

Kirklees Council are advertising this role on behalf of The William Henry Smith School.

Are you a reliable, enthusiastic and highly driven individual with experience in SEMH?

Do you have the ability to build strong relationships with children and young people, and the resilience to handle challenging behaviour effectively?

Are you excited by the rewards and challenges of working with very special, complex young people?

Our offer:

• A friendly and inclusive working environment 
• Dedicated career pathways to enable you to achieve your full potential 
• Opportunities to truly enrich the lives of our children and young people and make a positive difference
• Life assurance scheme (3x annual salary)
• An employee assistance healthcare cashback plan
• A Quality of Life and Well-being programme of activity and experiences
• A competitive defined contribution pension scheme
• An employee assistance healthcare cashback plan
• A full induction programme, including an outstanding network of support 
• A learning and development programme and CPD
• Assistance with childcare savings and cycle to work scheme
• Subscription to Head Space and Perks at Work online apps which offers hundreds of discounts and benefits
• 50% towards the cost of branded workwear
• Personal health and fitness training, and a financial advisory service

‘Staff work in a continuous learning environment. They have many opportunities for professional development. A well-crafted induction programme develops into specialist training opportunities. The school equips staff to provide effective care for children,’ (Ofsted 2020).

The Smith Foundation is a registered charity that operates our outstanding special school, a bespoke education, support and tuition service, and a children’s home, all for children and young adults experiencing social, emotional and mental health challenges (SEMH).

The William Henry Smith is a non-maintained residential special school for boys aged 5-19. Our students have a breadth of special educational needs, including learning difficulty and disability. We are a not for profit charitable organisation providing ‘Ofsted Outstanding’ education, health, therapy and care. Opportunities for success are provided through a diverse programme of bespoke individual learning pathways and life skills across the 24-hour curriculum, which serve to develop resilience, 
skills and accreditation for life-long learning, happiness and an improved quality of life. The school has a strong ethos and culture, built upon firm foundations that underpins all our work on improving quality of life outcomes for all our students and their families, through our strong focus on key working, developing relationships with students, and partnerships with parents and carers. 

The school operates across 2 sites, ‘the main school site’ and from our satellite provision in Elland. This provision – BEST (Bespoke Education, Support and Tuition) is an extension to the school, providing much needed ‘specialised’ support to children and young adults who are unable to flourish as a consequence of complex needs, and/or significant time out of any school/education provision. 

The school has a wealth and breadth of professionals which form an integrated team around students, including Psychotherapists, Speech and Language and Occupational Therapists, School Nurses, a Social Worker and a Family team. Residential Care and Teaching and Learning staff play a vital part in children’s lives, progress and quality of life.

We are looking to appoint highly motivated, enthusiastic, reliable and proactive Individual Support Workers, with excellent communication skills and the ability to form strong relationships with children and young people. The successful candidate will enjoy being part of an energetic and successful team; have the characteristics, personality, and resilience to handle challenging behaviour professionally; be physically fit to provide social learning experiences; be involved in education, health and care planning, report writing and enjoy the challenge of working with some very special complex young people. They will support learning in both care and classroom settings and offer proactive support to young people and their families. They will work closely with the school’s therapy/communication team, with the support of Learning Mentor Teams, which serve to provide holistic and creative wrap around care and support for all our young people. There is a whole school expectation that all staff play an integral part in our key working structure which is embedded within our quality of life values and ethos.

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Our recruitment process aims to create and maintain a safe workforce and contains robust vetting procedures. The successful applicant will be appointed subject to references and enhanced DBS check (this is a position working in regulated activity). The successful candidate will be subject to a rigorous safer recruitment process and must adhere to a strict code of conduct regarding behaviour at all times.

The successful candidate will:

• Be educated to GCSE grade C or equivalent in English and Maths
• Act as a role model, be able to empower, motivate and provide a high level of support for the team and young people
• Demonstrate experience of acting ethically, with integrity and empathy as well as commitment to working towards these values
• Be passionate in motivating, inspiring and safeguarding young people and the team members in their care
• Embrace and support the school’s Quality of Life and Positive Behaviour Support ethos 
• Have the ability to develop positive and sustainable relationships with children and young people
• Be an outstanding practitioner able to provide stimulating learning opportunities
• Be a creative and reflective individual who inspires confidence in meeting the needs of our young people
• Be highly motivated and able to contribute to collaborative working with colleagues and wider partners
• Be able to demonstrate resilience, motivation and commitment
• Have a positive attitude and mind-set, embracing the positive physical and mental health and wellbeing ethos. This includes role modelling self-care and reflection as part of our wider strategy
• Have the ability to promote and celebrate diversity, collaboration, and equality at all times
• Be honest and act with integrity, be trustworthy and understand the need for confidentiality

Special School experience is not essential but a willingness to learn and understand the complex needs of our children and young people; drive, aspiration and achievement and the ability to promote quality of life most certainly is.

The school values equality and diversity across its workforce and aims to ensure our staff community is reflective of the diversity of the children and young people within our care. We are also committed to promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of both students and staff, and one which reflects life in modern Britain.

For further information and to arrange an essential visit as part of the recruitment process, please contact Stewart Griffiths (Head of ISW Operations) at the following email address: Stewart.Griffiths@whsschool.org.uk

Application packs can be downloaded from the school website (please note we do not accept CV’s).

Informal show rounds school to be requested.

Applications deadline: Monday, 20th March 2023.

Interviews to be confirmed if successfully shortlisted on application.