Job Description
We are proud that Outwood Academy Portland is rated Good by Ofsted. We are an 11-18 academy based in the large friendly town of Worksop, near Sheffield and Nottingham. For further details on Worksop, click here
We welcome applications from educators seeking either full-time or part-time opportunities to join our academy.
We are a welcoming and supportive academy, with a relentless determination to provide the very best education for every child. We place students at the centre of everything we do, with a focus on creating a culture of success and a positive climate for learning. We have an exceptional culture and student behaviour which is recognised by being a host school for the Exemplary Leadership Programme.
‘Overwhelmingly, staff are upbeat about the school. They value the positive changes in the school’s culture. They appreciate training opportunities. They welcome steps to make their workload more manageable. Staff morale is positive and they are very proud to be part of the school.’ - Ofsted, November 2024.
Our academy provides a wide range of extended learning opportunities including access to a variety of online learning programmes, intranet subject resources, small group catch up interventions, after school academic support sessions and well planned homework to enable students to extend and complement their learning.
We believe our success speaks for itself as we are above the national average for the number of students achieving at a Grade 5 or above in English & maths GCSEs. We are also proud to have been awarded Bronze Status by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health Award.
We work hard to ensure we reduce workload on staff, allowing more time in the classroom to put our vision of students first, raising standards and transforming lives into practice.
All academies within the Outwood Family have gained the IQM Inclusive Schools Award with 18 having Centre of Excellence status and one holding Flagship status.
Are you an enthusiastic, dynamic, and inspirational individual with a passion for Mathematics? Do you believe in the power of education to change lives?
Outwood Academy Portland is seeking an outstanding Specialist Teaching Assistant to join our dedicated Maths team. This is a unique opportunity to work closely with our high-performing Maths department, using your energy and creativity to develop students' learning, unlock their potential, and support their journey towards personalised academic and life-skill outcomes.
About The Role
As a Specialist Teaching Assistant, you will be at the heart of our mission to ensure every student can access and thrive in all areas of the curriculum and school life. You will collaborate with established and supportive teachers and support staff who are committed to delivering excellent teaching that is relevant, exciting, innovative, and truly transformational.
Your key focus will be to enhance student provision, particularly in Maths, proactively embedding and developing essential literacy and numeracy skills. You'll adopt a personalised approach to planning and delivering a bespoke curriculum, ensuring all students receive the support they need to succeed.
Your Key Responsibilities Will Include
- Student-Centric Support: Managing a dedicated caseload of students, providing tailored support both inside and outside the classroom.
- Assessment & Progress: Assessing the needs of students and using your detailed knowledge and specialist Maths skills to significantly support their educational progress, attainment, and preparation for adulthood.
- Targeted Intervention: Designing and delivering impactful intervention programs to individuals and small groups, preparing relevant and appropriate learning experiences in conjunction with Maths department staff.
- Collaborative Planning: Working proactively with members of the Maths department to improve attainment through personalised learning strategies.
- Progress Tracking & Communication: Meticulously tracking and monitoring student life skill targets and/or EHCP outcomes, discussing progress effectively with parents/carers, and collaboratively agreeing on new targets/EHCP outcomes at interim reviews.
What We're Looking For
- A genuine passion for Mathematics and the ability to inspire a love for the subject in students.
- Enthusiasm, dynamism, and an inspirational approach to supporting young people.
- Proven energy and creativity to develop engaging learning experiences.
- Strong skills in embedding and developing literacy and numeracy.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build rapport with students, colleagues, and parents.
- A commitment to personalised learning and inclusive education.
- The ability to work collaboratively as part of a high-performing team.
Why Join Outwood Academy Portland?
- High-Performing Team: Become part of a supportive and successful Maths department and a dedicated Inclusion team.
- Transformational Impact: Play a crucial role in a department that delivers exciting, innovative, and life-changing education.
- Collaborative Environment: Work alongside established professionals who value teamwork and mutual support.
- Student-Focused Culture: Contribute to a school that prioritizes personalised outcomes and student well-being.
- Our Vision for Maths: We are committed to:
- Developing student proficiency in all areas of numeracy, including problem-solving, verbal reasoning, and mathematical communication.
- Providing a varied and stimulating curriculum that responds to student needs and broadens their understanding of the world.
- Encouraging creativity, experimentation with mathematical language, and confidence in communicating ideas.
- Fostering a culture where students are eager and equipped to tackle mathematical problems in unfamiliar contexts.
Ready to make a real difference?
If you are passionate about Maths and committed to helping students achieve their full potential, we would love to hear from you.
A message from Carolyn Blundell, Community Executive Principal
As the Community Executive Principal, I'm excited to share why joining our team offers a unique and rewarding experience that goes beyond working in a single school - if you choose to become a part of the team you will influence the lives of over 6,000 young people; shaping their futures by raising standards and transforming lives.
Imagine being part of a supportive network of four Outwood academies across Nottinghamshire and Sheffield, where collaboration and innovation are at the heart of everything we do. This is what it means to be part of our Outwood community, and it's something I'm passionate about fostering in my role. Across the learning community we host joint senior team meetings, schedule regular learning walks in different schools for colleagues (at all levels), work with local businesses to secure student opportunities and enrichments and are constantly developing mechanisms for working with parents. We have fostered a culture of sharing the very best practice across the community and are committed to providing world class professional development for teaching and support staff.
With Us, You Will Have The Opportunity To
Connect and collaborate with colleagues across multiple schools: Share best practices, participate in joint projects, and learn from a diverse range of experienced professionals.
Develop your skills and expertise: Benefit from a wide range of professional development opportunities and contribute to a dynamic learning community.
Make a bigger impact: Your contributions will extend beyond your own classroom, and school, influencing and supporting colleagues and students across the community.
Be part of something bigger: Experience the strength and support of a close-knit community within the larger Outwood family.
I work closely with each academy in our community to facilitate this collaboration, ensuring that we are sharing our strengths, learning from each other, and constantly striving for improvement. This creates a truly unique and supportive environment where everyone can thrive. We also look to extend and enrich the lives of our students ensuring they too benefit from being part of a wider 'community' than the one in which they live.
To View The Job Description, Please Click Here.
To view the person specification, which you should use when completing your application, please click here .
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the role please contact Megan Fox, Head of Maths at
[email protected].
About Us
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS - WHAT DO WE OFFER AS AN EMPLOYER?
Outwood Grange Academies Trust Supports Colleagues By Funding An Extensive Range Of Accredited Training Courses And Apprenticeship Opportunities Up To Masters Level. We Also Offer
Your starting salary with annual increments plus inflation linked increases. The starting salary within the grade advertised will be dependent upon your experience. You will also receive:
- A comprehensive induction and training process
- Automatic enrolment into an increasingly rare and valuable defined Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution rates
- Flexible family friendly policies from day one
- Enhanced occupational benefits available (such as maternity, adoption and parental leave) with no qualifying period
- Holidays: A minimum of 25 days plus bank holidays (this increases with length of service)
- A range of working patterns are available dependant upon the role
Automatic enrolment into our Employee Assistance Programme which gives you and your family members free access to:
- Specialist information on a wide range of work-life issues
- Emotional support and counselling for a wide range of personal and work issues
- Legal guidance
- Financial guidance and debt counselling
- Child and dependent care support and advice
- Support for managers
Benefits
We are also a wellbeing employer with a dedicated wellbeing strategy and menopause policy along with menopause champions based in our academies. Other benefits include:
- Free flu vaccinations
- Free onsite parking
- Employee discounts such as competitively priced Synergy Car Leasing
- Access to various discount sites
Outwood Grange Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All appointments are made in accordance with safer recruitment practices and the statutory guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education. Online checks will be carried out on all shortlisted candidates, and all appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and checks regarding suitability to work with children.
We reserve the right to close advertisements early. Advertisements will therefore close at 12 noon, either on the advertised closing date, or the day the decision has been taken to close the advertisement early.
For more information on Outwood and a message from our CEO please click here
Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) is an education charity and not-for-profit sponsor of primary, junior and secondary academies. We are a dynamic organisation, recognised nationally as one of the highest performing family of schools in the North of England, and we currently sponsor over 40 schools.
Our educational blueprint has been developed through leading and supporting schools over many years.
We have used this successful blueprint to sponsor academies and have a transformational effect on children’s life chances within very quick timescales.
We feel strongly that academies should enhance the education provision of the community they serve, in addition to driving up standards and playing a central role in regeneration. This is because we believe that improving the life chances of young people is essential to developing a strong local and national economy.
We are now comprised of over 40 schools who work together to ensure that all children, irrespective of their starting point, receive an excellent education. We pride ourselves on meeting the needs of children in our care, including the most vulnerable or challenging.
