Pupil Support Assistant - Portobello High School

Pupil Support Assistants • Fixed term to 29 June 2027 Portobello High School (2 posts) Salary: £26,806 - £27,032 (pro rata for part time and sessional) Hours: 27.50 per week, 39 weeks sessional The City of Edinburgh Council would like to invite applications from candidates who wish to apply for a Pupil Support Assistant post.  More information about our school is available on our website: https://portobellohighschool.org.uk/  We are looking for conscientious, committed candidates with excellent inter-personal and communication skills. You will be working as part of a team and there will be many training opportunities to support you in working with our children and young people. Previous experience of working in a school would be desirable. Please note that these posts have a mobility clause meaning there is a chance successful candidates could be moved to a different school in the future. • Note • Please read the sessional working information attached to this advert. This explains how salaries are calculated for sessional (term time) and part time posts. Example: A PSA on Grade 3 with less than 5 years' service working 27.5 hours per week for 39 weeks, would be paid: At lowest scale point: £26,806 x 45.6/52.18 weeks x 27.5/36 hours = £17,895 per year (£1,491 per month before tax/NI) At highest scale point: £27,032 x 45.6/52.18 weeks x 27.5/36 hours = £18,046 per year (£1,504 per month before tax/NI) PSAs do not work during the 12 weeks of school holidays, however total salary is paid in 12 equal monthly payments, over the year. There are also opportunities to work in a holiday hub provision during the school holidays for successful candidates looking to work during the school holidays. This post is regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 20 07. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check.  Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. An unconditional offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued and able to be their best. We particularly encourage applications from women for senior roles, as well as people from minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities or neurodivergent people, care experienced people, carers and LGBT+ people across all levels of the organisation, all of whom are currently underrepresented. All applicants will be considered fairly based on skills and experience. Disabled and care-experienced applicants who meet the minimum job criteria will be guaranteed an interview. Find out more about our commitment to equalities  https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/work-us/inclusive-edinburgh/4 [https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/work-us/inclusive-edinburgh/4] As part of our goal to improve organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure we're recruiting the best people. We’re interested not only in your skills and experience but also in your approach to work. Therefore, part of our interview process will be an assessment of how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working. You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page Our Behaviours – The City of Edinburgh Council [https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/work-us/behaviours] Our salary range typically reflects the initial starting salary and annually increases until it reaches the top of the range. Happy to talk flexible working. Follow us on X at @edincounciljobs   View Pupil Support Assistant Job Description  [https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/36701/pupil-support-assistant-pups01-jd] View Pupil Support Assistant Person Specification  [https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/36933/pupil-support-assistant-job-specification-pups01] View Sessional Working Information  [https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/36683/sessional-working-information-for-candidates-agen01] RESPONSIBILITIES Some of the main responsibilities are: • Working as part of the school team to ensure the ongoing health, safety and welfare of pupils, bringing any child protection matters to the attention of teaching staff, in line with relevant procedures. • Work 1-1 and assist pupils with additional support needs to organise their day and follow instructions. • Provide personal care to children with additional support needs e.g. feeding, toileting, changing, dressing whilst encouraging independence and ensuring their safety and comfort. • Assist teachers and pupils in all aspects of learning and development by: supporting creativity and skills for life and learning: supporting planned group and individual programmes e.g. reading interventions, one-to-one learning activities and learning opportunities in the local community. • Support pupil and child mobility as defined by moving and handling training. • Support the development of positive relationships and emotional wellbeing of children and young people using evidence-based interventions with individual learners and groups e.g. Circle, SCERTS & Trauma informed practice • Participating in professional development opportunities, in-service- and refresher training, as deemed appropriate.   THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL About Us: Are you keen to shape the future of Scotland’s capital city? The City of Edinburgh Council is looking for dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to work with us and deliver key services across our capital city. We’re the second largest local authority in Scotland with a workforce of over 19,000 who all play a crucial role in maintaining and supporting vital services to over 500,000 residents. We offer an incredible variety of career opportunities across a broad range of sectors. Join us and you’ll find a role where you can make a difference and grow your career. Our Culture: Our Behaviours, respect, integrity, and flexibility guide everything that we do, and we strive to make sure all colleagues feel valued and have a sense of belonging in the workplace. We want to make sure that we bring people into our roles who demonstrate Our Behaviours and are dedicated and committed to our purpose of serving our community. We are focused on delivering excellent customer service to meet citizens needs and make the city a better place. You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page Our Behaviours – The City of Edinburgh Council [https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/work-us/behaviours]. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: We recognise the benefits that diverse perspectives, experiences and backgrounds bring to our organisation, and we’re committed to employing a workforce that represents the population of the city we serve. We particularly encourage applicants from under-represented groups including women, LGBT+ people, racially minoritised groups, people with disabilities and people who are neurodivergent. As part of our commitment to inclusive recruitment, we're delighted to announce that we have extended our guaranteed interview scheme to include all applicants who are or have been care experienced, and who meet the essential criteria for the post. This extends our current arrangements of being a Disability Confident Employer, that guarantee an interview to applicants who meet the criteria for the post and who declare a disability. Happy to talk flexible working. Colleague Support and Wellbeing As outlined in our People Strategy 2024-27, we aim to nurture a healthy workforce where we can all thrive. We offer regular events, initiatives and learning opportunities covering a range of different health and wellbeing topics. We’re committed to supporting employees to achieve a healthy work life balance. There are several policies in place to support this ranging from flexible work options to career breaks. Our full suite of employment policies can be found here. We have a range of support options available including access to counselling, a mental health support service, an occupational health service, speak up supporters and a colleague listening service. Reasonable Adjustments: We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience at work for all our colleagues and we’ll work hard to ensure that we meet the changing needs of colleagues throughout their time with us. We’re also geared up to support all candidates who may require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. Candidates invited for interview, should let the hiring manager know what they need, and they will do everything they can to accommodate your request.