Education Authority Northern Ireland
Cognition and Learning Specialist Team Member: Moderate Learning Difficulties
Belfast
Posted about 17 hours ago
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Job Purpose
Responsible to: Cognition and Learning Specialist Lead / ASEO
The specialist Team member for Cognition and Learning (Moderate Learning Difficulties) will work as part of a regional, multi-disciplinary, specialist team within the Local Impact Team model to support the delivery of a Local Impact Teams for pupils and schools. The specialist team member will play a leading role in the development of the cognition and learning specialist as well as the supervision and co-ordination of staff and key functional areas of service delivery.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Management, Development and Coordination
- Provide coordination of agreed functional areas of service delivery.
- Contribute to planning, target setting and meeting the objectives of service in line with the Specialist Team and wide Local Impact Team service delivery plan and action plan.
- Work within the broader corporate objectives of the EA and the operational objectives of SEND and Youth Services.
- Assist in the development of procedures and protocols regarding the delivery of the service. Disseminate information regarding this to staff within the specialist teams, Local Impact Teams, other relevant EA staff, and to all stakeholders.
- Facilitate reporting protocols that are required by the EA.
- Coordinate requests for involvement and requests to the specialist team.
- Plan, allocate, support and evaluate work undertaken by team members ensuring clear delegation of tasks and responsibilities as required.
- Develop systems for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the specialist teams.
- Contribute to monitoring reports, including statistical evidence regarding the outcomes of the service delivered.
- Contribute to the development of a specialism within which all staff acknowledge that they are accountable for the success of the service.
- Contribute to the efficient collation and analysis of all related regional data to ensure capacity to meet projected need.
- Ensure resourcing is rigorously and effectively monitored, reviewed, evaluated and deployed when required.
- Be compliant with all aspects of DE guidance and statutory frameworks as they apply to this area.
- Be aware of existing relevant legislation and of legislative change.
- Provide reports that can inform policy and strategic direction using formative and summative information which will guide the future work of the service.
- Deputise for the Specialist Lead in instances where senior representation is required.
- Provide supervision and management for LIT team members including field and administrative staff as required.
Training, Advice and Support for Service Users
Pupils
- Facilitate the delivery of a range of interventions deemed to be appropriate to meet the identified needs of the individual child or young person.
- Work directly with selected pupils.
- Maintain reports of involvement, assessment and progress for each child receiving support.
- Monitor, assess and review pupils’ progress and the appropriateness of provision, maintain records and provide reports at regular intervals.
Educational Professionals
- Facilitate advice to schools on policy and practice in relation to meeting the needs of pupils with Moderate Learning Difficulties and the wider area of cognition and learning as required.
- Identify the training needs of schools and teachers in relation to meeting the needs of pupils with Moderate Learning Difficulties.
- In consultation with the Specialist Lead devise, coordinate and contribute to the delivery of the TPL Programme for educational professionals.
- Provide advice to schools regarding the educational implications of a pupil’s learning difficulties and the use of appropriate teaching strategies, materials, including assistive technology.
- Advise schools on reasonable and appropriate adjustments that could be made to promote the effective inclusion of pupils with special educational needs in accordance with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Order (2005).
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Families
- Promote parental/guardian involvement in supporting the learning needs of the child/young person.
- Promote and develop effective partnerships with parents/guardians to support children’s/young person’s learning and achievement by facilitating training/information sessions for parents/guardians.
Collaboration and Inter-agency Work
- Encourage a coordinated approach in addressing the special educational needs of a child or young person with moderate learning difficulties.
- Develop links with other EA officers in relation to the coordination of work related to the specialist team.
- Engage in meetings and working groups with other EA officers as deemed appropriate to provide a consistent model of service delivery.
- Participate in inter-agency initiatives and priorities which are consistent with the needs of children with SEN.
- Contribute to meetings both internally and with external stakeholders, in accordance with corporate goals, service targets, multi-agency action plans and EA and DE requirements.
- Ensure effective systems are in place for communication and consultation both internally and externally for service related issues.
- Liaise and work cooperatively with a range of bodies including DE, schools, HSCTs, other statutory and voluntary agencies on policy matters.
- Liaise and work cooperatively with colleagues in other sections of the EA to ensure consistent and coherent approaches.
- Plan and coordinate courses in consultation and collaboration with other specialist team members, Local Impact Team members, EA officers, and external agencies as required.
Information Technology
- Promote the use of assistive technology as a learning tool.
- Responsibility for supporting the MIS system regionally in relation pupils with Cognition and Learning Needs.
Continuing Professional Development
- Read, investigate and evaluate the development of special educational initiatives, as part of ongoing professional development.
- Attend courses and conferences in the areas of need associated with the work of the service, as deemed appropriate by the specialist lead for cognition and Learning.
Other Duties
- Comply with EA policies and procedures in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the post.
- Maintain at all times confidentiality of information received in line with GDPR regulations.
- Any such other duties that the EA may from time to time require.
This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.
In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.
To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, click here.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS
- You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria, where relevant.
- You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.
- The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.
- Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.
- Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.
- In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form on how you meet any desirable criteria.
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Section 1 - Essential Criteria
The following are essential criteria which will initially be measured at the shortlisting stage and which may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.
| Factor | Essential Criteria | Method of Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifications | Hold a teaching qualification as approved by the Department of Education (NI); OR Hold a Bachelor’s Degree (UK Qualification and Credit Framework Level 6) an equivalent or higher examination qualification in Speech and Language Therapy, Psychology, Education, Special Educational Needs or relevant discipline. | Shortlisting by Application Form |
| Experience | Have five years’ experience supporting children with special educational needs, three of which must include supporting children with Moderate Learning Difficulties in a school setting. Have experience of providing advisory support/training to educational staff, parents, colleagues, or other professionals in relation to pupils with special educational needs. Have three years’ experience of coordinating an area of development within an educational setting or an education related service. Have experience of line management of staff. | Shortlisting by Application Form |
| Other | The successful candidate will be required: to have access to a suitable vehicle (appropriately maintained and insured for Education Authority business) that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion; OR be able to provide sufficient information on the application form that will satisfy the employer that he/she has access to an appropriate alternative form of transport that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion. | Shortlisting by Application Form |
Section 2 - Essential Criteria
The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage in line with EA’s Game Changing People Model.
| Factor | Essential Criteria | Method of Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge | Knowledge and understanding of the current policy and legislation context as it applies within the area of Special Education and also within the wider educational context. Knowledge of the SEN framework including the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Children with Special Educational Needs. Knowledge of appropriate teaching strategies and approaches to meet the learning needs of children with SEN including pupils with MLD. Knowledge of a range of Management Information Systems. | Interview |
| Skills/Abilities | In line with EA’s Game |
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