Job Title: Forest School Assistant
Location: New Barn School, Newbury
Hours: 40 hours per week
Salary: £18,505 per annum
Contract: Full Time, Permanent, Term Time Only
Part Time Applicants Welcome
Are you a Forest School Assistant looking to make a difference? New Barn School in Newbury are looking for a Forest School Assistant to join their team.
About us
New Barn School offers a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum to boys and girls, aged 6 – 19 years who have Social, Emotional and Mental Health complexities.
New Barn School takes full advantage of its beautiful settings and fosters a love for using the outdoor curriculum including forest school, farm experiences and horse riding. The School is within a commutable distance of Swindon, Oxford, Andover, Basingstoke and Reading and other surrounding towns and villages.
Our services offer a stable, secure and supportive environment, in which the children and young people we care for can develop the skills and confidence necessary to help them fulfil their potential.
Acorn Care and Education is the UK’s leading independent provider of specialist education, foster care and residential care for vulnerable children and young people. As part of Outcomes First Group we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.
Job Summary and Duties
The aim of a Forest School Assistant is to increase children's confidence and engagement with nature and the outdoors, social and emotional development and physical knowledge and skills.
You will maximise the children's development through tailored activities to the needs of our students. You will assist the Forest School leaders to create and maintain an engaging, fun and supportive environment which demonstrates flexibility in supporting sessions in response to the varying needs of the children.
You will ideally have:
- Excellent communication skills with children and adults
- An enthusiasm and knowledge for the outdoors and outdoor learning
- An understanding of the benefits and aims of forest school
- Ability to work as part of a collaborative team
- Flexible and proactive with a positive outlook
- Experience of working with students with Social and Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) and other complex needs (desirable)
If you think this role is for you please apply now.
Why join Acorn Education & Care?
Benefits
Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:
- Life Assurance
- Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
- “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
- A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
- 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
- Cycle to Work Schemes
- Electric Car Purchase Scheme
- Critical illness cover
And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the children and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.
We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be subject to a fully enhanced DBS.