WESTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD BASE: OMAGH/ENNISKILLEN AREA (POST 1) LONDONDERRY CITY AND COUNTY AREA (POST 2)

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1 WESTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD POST TITLE: LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION INTERVENTION OFFICER GRADE: SENIOR EXECUTIVE OFFICER (NJC SCP 26-31) DEPARTMENT: DIVISION: RESPONSIBLE TO: EDUCATION SERVICES CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE S SERVICES ADVISER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS BASE: OMAGH/ENNISKILLEN AREA (POST 1) LONDONDERRY CITY AND COUNTY AREA (POST 2) This post is currently being advertised by the Western Education and Library Board. It is planned that from 1 January 2010 this organisation will become part of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA), which is being established as a result of the Northern Ireland Executive s Review of Public Administration in education. All appointments completed before 1 January 2010 will be subject to a transfer of employment on 1 January 2010 to ESA. The transfer of employment is protected in accordance with the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)(TUPE) Regulations 2006 and therefore all terms and conditions of employment will be protected on transfer. All appointments made after 1 January 2010 will be offered by ESA as the employing authority. Teaching posts will continue to be offered on the basis of current terms and conditions of employment for teachers, as advertised. Non-Teaching posts will be offered on the basis of terms and conditions of employment for newly appointed staff to ESA (currently under negotiation). It is anticipated these will be similar to existing Joint Negotiating Council for Education and Library Boards (JNC) terms and conditions of employment, as advertised. 1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Southern Education & Library Board (SELB) and the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) are the Local Education Authorities for the District Council areas of Armagh, Banbridge, Cookstown, Craigavon, Dungannon and Newry & Mourne, Londonderry, Fermanagh, Limavady, Omagh and Strabane. The area has a population of approximately 614,000 and is comprised of both urban and rural areas. There are approximately 139,000 children and young people attending schools in the area. The Boards manage or maintain:- 32 Nursery Schools. 432 Primary Schools. 70 Secondary Schools. 7 Controlled Grammar Schools. 14 Special Schools. In addition, there are 21 Voluntary Grammar Schools, 12 Integrated Schools and 8 Irish Medium Schools to which the Board supplies a range of services.

2 This is an exciting and critical time for education. Both Boards are committed to the raising of standards throughout all services in line with the needs of the community. The Boards are working to bring about closer collaboration among its services and their more effective management and co-ordination through better strategic planning, deployment of people and focusing of resources to support the following outcomes:- the raising of achievements by children and young people, high standards of teaching in the classroom and the most competent management of schools by senior staff and Governors; improved collaboration with other education partners, Health & Social Services Boards and Trusts and others in meeting the needs of children and young people; greater responsiveness to the expectations and needs of parents of individual pupils; innovation across Board services to meet the changing educational, social and welfare needs of children and young people; the management of professionals within services to create teams and encourage interworking; the acquisition of additional resources to support and provide better facilities and services for young people. JOB PURPOSE The language assistant will work as part of the speech and language team within the Board area. They will offer advice and support to schools and parents in relation to pupils with language and communication delay in specific schools. This will involve working with teachers and pupils in the early years and at Foundation stage. The Language Assistant will work under the guidance and direction of other members of the team and the Adviser. The language Assistant will liaise with other board staff who deliver services to schools as well as parents and professionals in other agencies 2 MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The following list gives an outline of the main duties. Priorities and activities may vary from time to time. 2.1 Contribute to the implementation of a range of interventions Assist with the preparation and implementation of an individualised learning programme for pupils with language and communication difficulties. This would be delivered in consultation with other members of the Team and with the class teacher who has direct responsibility for the pupil. Facilitate the delivery of a range of interventions that are deemed to be appropriate to meet the needs of the individual pupil. Prepare materials that may be required to support the individual pupil in the classroom context as well as other aspects of the school setting. 2.2 Work directly with selected individual pupils Complete observations of individual pupils to provide a baseline for intervention. 2

3 Contribute to the delivery of time-limited blocks of intervention with pupils who require more specific support in addition to the advice and support provided to the teacher. Monitor and assess the appropriateness of the intervention in consultation with the class teacher, a designated member of the speech and language team and other professionals, as appropriate. 2.3 Working co-jointly with teachers Work closely with class teachers, special needs co-ordinators and learning support teachers in schools to develop effective strategies and interventions in relation to individual pupils, as outlined in the individualised programmes. 2.4 Parental Involvement Liaise with the pupil s parents to encourage their involvement and to offer advice and support as to how a school based intervention can provide consistency and continuity with strategies that are used to support their child at home. Encourage liaison between home and school to maximise consistency in relation to the effective strategies that are being implemented to meet the needs of the pupil; 2.5 Pupil records and reports Keep file notes of intervention sessions with individual pupils. Prepare reports on progress that has been made with individual pupils, under the supervision of a designated member of the Speech and Language Team. 2.6 Liaise with other Agencies Liaise as appropriate with other agencies involved in promoting pupils learning, social and developmental needs. Engage in multi-disciplinary meetings as appropriate to meet the needs of individual pupils. 2.7 Continuing Professional Development Keep informed of current approaches, teaching strategies and resources relevant to delivering interventions with pupils with a Language and communication difficulty so that appropriate interventions can be applied in school contexts. Attend other courses to continue to develop knowledge and skills in relation to autism. 2.8 Other Duties Undertake any other related duties as required by the Board. Qualifications and Experience Applicants must: 3

4 Hold a Degree in Psychology, Social Science or Education or other 3 rd level qualification; Have a minimum of one year s experience of working with children with special educational needs; Have experience of designing and implementing programmes of support for individual children. Applicants must have access to transport in order to fulfil the requirements of the post. Preference maybe be given to applicants who have experience of working with pupils with Language and Communication difficulties. The Selection Panel reserves the right to enhance the shortlisting criteria in order to facilitate a manageable shortlist. Specific Knowledge, Skills and Attributes Knowledge Applicants must have: Skills a knowledge of specific strategies and methods suitable for pupils with Language and Communication Difficulties a knowledge of the needs of pupils with special educational needs. Applicants must be able to: communicate clearly both orally and in written form; record information; work logically and with precision; plan and organise work; work to deadlines; engage with other professionals. Personal Attributes Applicants must: possess a high degree of interpersonal skills; have a strong commitment to team work, to supporting children, teachers and parents; empathy for the needs of children with special educational needs. The person appointed will be required to hold a current driving licence and have the use of a car, appropriately maintained and insured for board business, for which a mileage allowance is payable in accordance with the Board s Scheme Please note the onus is on candidates to provide sufficient detailed information on their application forms in order to demonstrate how they meet each of the criteria. Failure to do so may result in a candidate not being shortlisted since Selection Panels cannot make assumptions in the absence of essential information. 4

5 Terms and Conditions of Service The main terms and conditions of employment are those for Language and Communication Intervention Officers as laid down by the Joint Negotiating Council for Education and Library Boards (NI) and are drawn mainly from the conditions of service of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities staff. Salary Scale The salary scale for the post is 22,001-26,016 per annum. Hours of Work The hours of work will not normally be less than 36 per week required initially up to 31 March 2010 with possible extension (subject to funding). Annual Leave Entitlement Entitlement to annual leave is 23 days in a full holiday year in addition to 12 public and extra statutory holidays. Entitlement to leave in the first year of employment is pro-rata to the number of months completed. General Conditions of Appointment Appointments are subject to (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) the Contracts of Employment and Redundancy Payments Act 1965 as amended and in particular the statutory provisions relating to termination of employment and the period of notice; the provisions of the Local Government Superannuation Act (NI) for the time being in force; production of satisfactory evidence of health; probationary period of six months; sickness and maternity benefit regulations as incorporated in the Board s Scheme for Sickness Allowance, details of which are available on request from the Human Resources Department; the condition that no other employment is entered into during the period of employment by the Board and that no employment by or in the service of another person or body should be undertaken except with express approval of the Board. Canvassing and Referees Canvassing directly or indirectly will entail disqualification. Referees asked for on the application form should not include any officer or member of the Western Education and Library Board. Posts involving work in educational institutions are subject to the provisions of the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (NI) Order 2003 NOVEMBER