Generation UK-India Teaching Assistant programme. Host a teaching assistant from the UK

Transcription

1 Generation UK-India Teaching Assistant programme Host a teaching assistant from the UK Contents 1. About Generation UK-India Teaching Assistantships What does it involve?... 2 What does a teaching assistant do?... 2 What are the credentials of the assistants?... 3 When will teaching assistantships take place?... 3 Working hours... 4 Roles and responsibilities... 4 Responsibilities of the teaching assistant... 4 What is the role of the host organisation?... 4 Equal opportunities and diversity... 5 Health and safety What support will I get from the British Council? What is the selection process for host organisations?... 7 Eligibility criteria... 7 Quality assessment How much will it cost?... 8 Recruitment of teaching assistants How do I apply? Queries... 9 Page 1 of 9 Date issued: 27/11/2015

2 1. About Generation UK-India Generation UK-India is a large scale mobility programme, delivered by the British Council and partners across UK and India. Launched on 13 November 2014 by Greg Clark, UK Minister for Universities, Science and Cities and welcomed by the Indian Minister for Human Resource Development Smriti Irani, the programme will support up to 25,000 young people coming to India from the UK between to gain exposure, experience and skills. Our vision is to create a more globally competitive workforce, and strengthen cultural understanding between the two nations. The Indian partners participating in this initiative will benefit from the skills and expertise of the individuals coming from the UK. The programme is aimed at young people and professionals in the UK (over 18) with a range of placements offered including: Cultural Immersion placements Internships Study placements Teaching Assistantships 2. Teaching Assistantships The Teaching Assistant strand of the Generation UK-India programme places undergraduate students and recent graduates from the UK in schools across India for a period of two or five months. Teaching Assistants support their host schools in delivering lessons across the curriculum as well as getting involved in co-curricular activities. Hosting a teaching assistant creates opportunities for the students of Indian schools to gain international experience and integrate this into their studies. It also gives the hosting institutions the chance to internationalise their staff and build important links with the UK. We are now in the process of inviting applications from Indian schools who would like to host teaching assistant in Please note, a school will be assigned a teaching assistant depending on whether it fulfils the eligibility and quality criteria as well as availability of suitable candidates. The following document gives more information regarding what is involved in hosting a teaching assistant from the UK as well as details on how to apply. 3. What does it involve? What does a teaching assistant do? The role of the teaching assistant is to: Work with a teacher in the host school and support the teaching of chosen subjects according to the skills of the assistant and the needs of the school. Page 2 of 9 Date issued: 27/11/2015

3 Develop interactive lesson plans and activities with the teacher to enable students to improve subject knowledge Design and support co-curricular activities such as drama/ sports/ digital/ media/ music Offer additional support to pupils if required Support with international projects including building links with schools and organisations in the UK In general teaching assistants should work alongside other teachers however after a minimum 1 week of observation they can be asked to lead the delivery of certain classes with the presence of a supervising teacher in the classroom. This should be agreed in advance with the teaching assistant based on their skills and experience. Each teaching assistant placement should have clear learning outcomes and deliverables for both the teaching assistants involved and the staff and students of the host school. Please note as many of the teaching assistants are not qualified teachers they will need support and guidance from the teachers in your school during the placement. What are the credentials of the assistants? All teaching assistants will be enthusiastic undergraduates, graduates or post graduates from the UK. The majority are not qualified teachers (only 5% of teaching assistants in were) but all have some experience of teaching or youth work. Applicants will be assessed before departure to ensure they meet the eligibility and quality requirements. This includes ensuring that they are motivated to teach. Prior to departure they will receive briefing information and undertake British Council training to prepare them for their role. All teaching assistants will have a criminal record check prior to starting their role. In your application you will be able to request specific preferences relating to your teaching assistant including: areas of expertise e.g. History, English, Music, Sport, amount of experience (stipends for more experienced assistants will be higher) timing and duration of placement Please note that these preferences cannot be guaranteed and we expect host schools to be flexible with their requirements. When will teaching assistantships take place? You can request your teaching assistant to start in July or August Assistantships can be for either two or five months. Please request your preferred placement duration and start date in your application form. We will try to meet your preferences as closely as possible taking into account the preferences and skills of the teaching assistants available. Page 3 of 9 Date issued: 27/11/2015

4 Working hours Teaching assistants shall provide their time and teaching assistant services to the host school for five days per week with a maximum of 20 hours of teaching time in the classroom. In addition to the 20 hours of classroom time, teaching assistants will be expected to set aside up to an additional 15 hours across these five days for lesson planning, co-curricular activities and staff meetings. The Host School shall give the teaching assistants two consecutive days off each week. These should be the same days each week and would normally be Saturday and Sunday. If the school does require the assistant to work on one of their normal days off, they must give at least 1 week s notice and must then agree another day off in lieu. In the event that the Assistant agrees to provide additional time and services over and above the contracted days and hours, the Host School must agree this in advance with the Assistant and ensure that they are offered an equal or greater amount of time off before the end of the Placement. Roles and responsibilities Responsibilities of the teaching assistant Each teaching assistant will be expected to: complete the relevant training and paperwork in advance of the placement including a criminal record check attend the pre-departure and arrival induction briefings and participate in a Skype meeting prior to the Placement organise and cover the costs of return flights, visa and insurance adhere at all times to the terms and conditions in the Hosting Agreement and the principles of the Generation UK-India Code of Conduct comply with all Host School policies of which they are notified, including but not restricted to policies relating to the environment, health and safety, child protection, dress code, internet usage, social-media usage and reporting absences from work deliver work to the best of their ability and do their best to fully integrate into life at the Host School. What is the role of the host organisation? Organise a safe and secure living and working environment for the Assistants. Attend an online host school briefing in advance of hosting teaching assistants. Organise a safe and secure accommodation for the teaching assistants. The accommodation arranged must be suitable for the teaching assistant, fully risk assessed and in compliance with the Accommodation Requirements in Schedule 3. Complete a risk assessment of the host school premises, the accommodation and emergency procedures with the British Council during the monitoring visits and have a management strategy in place addressing any potential risks. Set up a planning meeting with the teaching assistants preferably via Skype or via telephone if not available in advance of the placement and complete a draft work plan to be shared with the British Council prior to the induction meeting. The work plan should be appropriate to the training and experience goals of the individual as well as aligning with the needs of the host school. Page 4 of 9 Date issued: 27/11/2015

5 Attend an induction meeting in India. Organise and pay for travel for the teaching assistants from the induction meeting to the host school. The host school must accompany the teaching assistants on this travel. Provide a local induction to the host school including: o introduction to the host school staff o information on host school rules and regulations o an observation period of at least one week at the start of their placement. Assign the teaching assistants a mentor from the staff of the host school who will arrange regular weekly meetings with the teaching assistants and be their first point of contact for all support queries. Provide teaching assistants with a minimum of one free afternoon or evening meal per day. Ensure the regular payment of the teaching assistants allowance by the 10 th of each month. The allowance may be given in cash or transferred to the teaching assistants local bank account if held. The final allowance must be paid at least 2 weeks in advance of the end of the Placement. The allowance should be paid on a pro rata basis where the assistant s placement is not in full months. Ensure the Assistant is allowed at least 2 full free days off each week as well as all Indian public holidays and regular host school holidays. Holiday dates should be shared in advance. Provide welfare support and pastoral care to Teaching Assistants escalating to the British Council in India where necessary. Ensure compliance with the British Council programme requirements outline below. Equal opportunities and diversity The British Council requires that clients, customers, partners and suppliers are aware of our Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy ( and operate consistently with it. Host schools must acknowledge that the British Council is subject to UK legislation on the subject of equal opportunities and diversity, and should be aware of these conditions. Health and safety Placements must be safe and well managed and the British Council will undertake a monitoring and risk assessment for each teaching assistant placement. Each host school must abide by recognised health and safety good practice and must be able to provide assurance that staff are suitably trained and able to carry out their health and safety responsibilities competently, while the facilities must be safe and suitable. The Assistants must be provided with adequate information, supervision and information to ensure their own safety. The geographical location of the host school must be one that is safe for foreign nationals. Appropriate accommodation must be provided for the Assistants use. Appropriate is defined as the following: a) Safe the accommodation must be maintained to a high standard following recognised health and safety standards. Recognised fire safety management must be in place including smoke detectors, alarms and emergency exits. If the accommodation does not include a smoke detector, one must be installed. Electrical Page 5 of 9 Date issued: 27/11/2015

6 and gas supply and equipment must be in safe and working order, maintained to suitable standards. b) Secure the access door to the accommodation should be lockable with a viewing/peephole device or a safety chain/wishbone latch in place. The location of the accommodation should be in safe area for international visitors, which is well lit at night and easily accessible to the location of the Assistants Placements. Ideally accommodation should have CCTV and/or a receptionist in place 24 hours a day. c) Hygienic - accommodation should be regularly cleaned to maintain a high standard of hygiene and should not have any vermin or insect infestations. d) Furnished and equipped - accommodation should have a bed, storage facilities, cooling/heating equipment as necessary, power supply and lighting, access to separate washing and bathing facilities including WCs with a seat and a lid and hot and cold running water 24 hours a day. There should also be access to safe, hygienic and modern cooking facilities. Wifi should be provided free of charge and electricity and gas bills should be covered by the Host School. e) Teaching assistants must be accommodated in single rooms although these can be located within a shared lodging. The British Council will conduct a monitoring visit and risk assessment of the host school facilities and the proposed accommodation prior to the placement to ensure the standards are met. Any health and safety risks and recommendations for improvement highlighted by the British Council must be rectified and implemented prior to the commencement of the placement. The placement may be cancelled without refund if such improvements are not completed in time. Mobile phones The Host school should provide the teaching assistant with access to an Indian SIM card on arrival at the Induction day. The teaching assistant will cover the costs of the SIM card and the expenses they incur and will return the SIM at the end of the placement. 4. What support will I get from the British Council? The British Council will: Sign a hosting agreement with each host school and provide Indian schools with a draft agreement clarifying the roles and responsibilities of hosting a teaching assistant to be signed between the host school and the teaching assistant. Manage the recruitment and selection of Assistants. o All Assistants to be notified of their appointment at their specific Host School by end of May and prior to departure. Undertake monitoring visits of Host School premises, the Assistant accommodation and emergency procedures in advance of allocating an Assistant Provide pre-departure briefings and materials for Assistants. These will include information on: o Roles and Responsibilities o Health and Safety o Cultural Differences Page 6 of 9 Date issued: 27/11/2015

7 o Child protection Provide briefings and guidance materials for Host School. These will include: o Terms and conditions of the programme o Roles and Responsibilities o Cultural Differences Support Assistants with the administrative requirements for the Placement including: o Criminal records checks o Insurance o Visas Organise airport pick up upon arrival into India Arrange a 3 day induction briefing for Assistants upon arrival in India. During this briefing accommodation and meals will be covered. Host Schools will be invited to attend the final two days of the induction. Provide welfare support and pastoral care to Assistants and Host Schools through briefing documents and a dedicated welfare team. Manage withdrawals and replacements where required. Monitor and evaluate the programme. 5. What is the selection process for host organisations? To apply for a teaching assistant you must first check that you meet the following eligibility criteria: Eligibility criteria Host schools must have been established within 3 years of filling this application form Host schools must be affiliated to a recognised educational board. For schools up to primary classes only, it should be registered as a society/trust/company (under Section 25(1)(a) of the Companies Act 1956 or as amended Host schools must have a student teacher ratio lower than 40:1 Host Schools must meet the minimum requirements for health and safety standards in relation to the school itself and the food and accommodation provided for the teaching assistant. The British Council will organise a monitoring visit to undertake a risk assessment of your school and your application will be rejected if you do not meet the requirements. Quality assessment Please take time to complete the application form carefully. Certain sections of the form will be assessed for quality purposes. In these sections we are looking to see that the host school: 1) Provides clear and justified reasons for wishing to host an assistant and sets out clearly the curricular and extra-curricular activities to be carried out by the teaching assistants. 2) Proposes realistic and reasonable activities that are compatible with the targeted students' age group, with the profile of the institution and the expected profile of the assistants. 3) Explains clearly how the assistantship will be monitored and, if applicable, how the assistant's workload will be managed if the assistant is shared with other institutions. We will also take into account your international experience and the support you offer your pupils in terms of academic and co-curricular activities. Page 7 of 9 Date issued: 27/11/2015

8 6. How much will it cost? Host schools must also be able to cover the following costs: GENERATION UK-INDIA 1. Placement fee Schools that hosted Teaching Assistants in will be charged a placement fee of Rs10,000. Schools that are new to the programme in will be charged a placement fee of Rs15,000. Along with your application form, you need to send a cheque of your relevant placement fee favouring British Council Division and payable at the New Delhi office. Please send this to Debosmita Bhowmick, 17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi, The application fee is a one-time payment per application year to be made to British Council and is non-refundable. This placement fee covers the cost of managing your application and monitoring visit as well as contributing to the cost of recruiting, training and supporting suitable candidates from the UK. It also contributes to the cost of the induction at the beginning of the teaching assistants placement. 2. Monthly stipend For the duration of the teaching assistantship, the Host School will be required to pay a consolidated monthly stipend to the teaching assistant as per his/her qualification. The stipend amounts which have been fixed for the teaching assistants are: Experience Stipend Fully qualified teacher (with at least 1 year experience in leading Rs formal education) Newly qualified teachers Rs or post graduate degree holders in any discipline with a minimum of one year teaching experience Holds a Bachelor s degree in any discipline at the start of the Rs placement with a minimum of a year of teaching experience* Or post graduate degree holders in any discipline Holds a Bachelor s degree in any discipline at the start of the Rs placement Current undergraduate student Rs *Teaching must be in a formal education institution with a minimum class size of 10 pupils/class. 3. In addition to the monthly stipend, the school needs to organise accommodation and a minimum of one free afternoon or evening meal per day for the teaching assistants. Any local travel expenses which the assistant might undertake, due to work, should be borne by the school. 4. The host school should also cover the teaching assistants onward travel from the induction meeting to the school at the beginning of their placement. Page 8 of 9 Date issued: 27/11/2015

9 Please note that every successful school will be required to host 2 teaching assistants. Only one placement fee will be required per application. Schools can apply for more than two teaching assistant but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet this request as it will depend on the number of suitable candidates and schools. Recruitment of teaching assistants The teaching assistants will undergo a stringent quality assessment by the British Council including an online application form, face to face interviews and a criminal record check. We will look for candidates who demonstrate an interest in teaching, evidence of having worked with children, experience of having adapted to new environments and a motivation to undertake a teaching assistantship and gain experience in India. 7. How do I apply? To apply for a teaching assistant you need to follow these steps: Step 1: Read this information document Step 2: Fill out the online application form. You can access the form here: The form will take up to an hour to complete as certain sections are quality assessed. You are able to begin completing the form and then save it and come back later. To save and come back later select the link Save Answers and Resume Later as highlighted above. You will then receive a message with a unique link. Please copy the link below and save it in a safe place. You can use this from any computer anytime within the next 30 days to resume answering questions on the form. Without the link, the data you have entered cannot be retrieved and you will have to start filling out the form at the beginning. You can also request for this link to be ed to you. Step 3: Once you have completed the form and are happy with what you have written submit it. Once you have submitted the form you will not be able to change your application. Step 4: Pay your placement fee to the British Council by sending a cheque favouring British Council Division and payable to the New Delhi office. Please send this to Debosmita Bhowmick, 17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi, The application fee is a one-time payment per application year to be made to British Council and is non-refundable. 8. Queries If you have any questions related to applying to host a teaching assistant please contact generationuk.india@britishcouncil.org or phone Debosmita Bhowmick on Page 9 of 9 Date issued: 27/11/2015