Learning Assistant - Makaton Qualified

The College is currently seeking to recruit a permanent Learning Assistant to join our Learner Support team at St. Helens College and Knowsley Community College.

This role is based at Knowsley Community College, Stockbridge Lane and requires the ability to support a range of educational needs both in and out of the classroom, for our students. Applications from enthusiastic, conscientious, and personable individuals, who are learner focused, and have experience of supporting learners with additional needs (SEN) are welcome.

Successful candidates must have a minimum Math and English GCSE grade 5 or equivalent, and hold at least a Level 2 qualification in Supporting Teaching and Learning (Learning Assistant). A Level 2 or Level 3 qualification in Makaton is essential for this position.

As well as working in a thriving environment, the College will provide Continuous Professional Development in a variety of learning difficulties and disabilities awareness courses.

Main responsibilities include:

• Supporting a student with Makaton
• To implement specialist support for individuals as per their Support Plan.
• To enable students to overcome barriers to learning by employing appropriate teaching and learning strategies.
• To monitor the effectiveness of specialist support and feedback to the Learner Support Manager.
• To assist with the physical and emotional needs of students and to manage changing behaviours of students, with vocational tutors.
• To encourage independence whenever possible, e.g., giving choices and prompting.
• To monitor progress in lessons and record Support Logs for individual students on ProMonitor.

What can we offer you?

• Positive and enjoyable working environment
• Working 36 hours a week term time only
• Permanent/Term-Time Only contract, ideal for work-life balance
• Contributory pension scheme with an excellent employer contribution: Merseyside Pension Scheme – 20.10%
• Death in Service benefits
• Free on-site parking
• 10% discounts at all College Catering outlets and subsidised Starbucks
• 15% off meals in our Colours restaurant on Thursday and Friday evenings
• 15% off treatments in our College Hair & Beauty Salons
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Discount Scheme
• Well-being events and access to a well-being portal
• CPD
• Opportunities for career development within the team and wider college

We reserve the right to close this vacancy when we are in receipt of sufficient applications.

Should you wish to apply for this post you are advised to complete and submit your application form as soon as possible.

St Helens College and Knowsley Community College are committed to Equality and Diversity and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff, students and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

This role does not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas & Immigration to enable sponsorship of migrant workers.  Therefore, we cannot progress applications from candidates who require sponsorship to work in the UK.

Please note we do not accept speculative calls and emails with CV’s from recruitment agencies. Any speculative CVs sent to the College will NOT be considered. If any assistant is required by agencies, jobs will be sent to them via the TALOS portal.

Artificial intelligence can be a helpful tool when putting together your application or CV. However, it’s important that everything you include is honest, accurate, and genuinely based on your own experiences. If you choose to use AI to support your writing, please make sure you indicate clearly where it has been used.

All examples and statements must still be truthful and reflect your own work. If any content is found to be plagiarised, whether taken from someone else’s ideas or generated by AI and presented as your own, your application may be withdrawn.