What is an LSO in schools?

Here at Valley Education, we are looking for a qualified Learning Support Officers (LSO) for a school based in the Bridgend area.

The LSO will be qualified to Level 3 and will work for the school on a day-to-day basis to support the children both in groups and one-to-one. You will be expected to work with children ranging in ability from mainstream to special educational needs (SEN).

The successful candidate will provide support for pupils, the teacher and the school with the aim of maintaining and even raising school standards.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Attending to the pupils’ personal needs with a hands on approach
• Supervising and supporting pupils, ensuring their safety and access to learning
• Establishing good relationships with pupils, acting as a role model and being aware of and responding appropriately to individual needs
• Promoting the inclusion and acceptance of all pupils
• Encouraging pupils to interact with others and engage in activities led by the teacher
• Encouraging children to foster an attitude of respect and tolerance of all

In order to apply, the candidate must possess:

• The relevant qualifications (CACHE level 3 or equivalent)
• Recent experience of working with pupils within a school setting
• Prior experience of working constructively as part of a team, understanding classroom roles and responsibilities and your own position within these

What can you expect from us?

- A highly competitive rate of pay
- A dedicated Account Manager to assist you through your role
- Regular day to day & long term work in local Schools
- Recommend a friend scheme
- Excellent and established reputation within the industry
- Training during the school holidays

Candidates are required to have a DBS (disclosure barring service formerly CRB) carried out (payment met by candidate) unless registered with the update service.

For more information on the role or if you are interested in registering, please contact Emily Phillips, Bridgend Account Manager

The school learning and support team plays a key role in ensuring that the specific needs of students with disability and additional learning and support needs are met.

The team:

• supports teachers in identifying and responding to the additional learning needs of students
• facilitates and coordinates a whole school approach to improving the learning outcomes of every student
• coordinates planning processes and resourcing for students with disability and additional learning and support needs
• designs and implements the supports required to build teacher capacity so that all students access quality learning
• develops collaborative partnerships with the school, parents and carers, other professionals and the wider school community.

Every school has a learning and support team. The composition of teams may vary as they are made up of members according to the needs of the school and community in which they work.

Learning and support teacher

The learning and support teacher (PDF 47.68KB) provides direct and timely specialist assistance to students in mainstream classes with disability and additional learning and support needs and their teachers. Their work emphasises:

• the needs of individual students
• school priorities, and
• evidence-based programs to assist students with additional learning and support needs.

Learning and support teachers use a collaborative and consultative approach so that students themselves and their parents and carers are actively involved in decision-making.

Assistant principal learning and support

Assistant principals learning and support (PDF 51.4KB) work collaboratively with schools to support students with disability and additional learning and support needs and their teachers. Their work emphasises:

• individual school priorities
• regional/area priorities, and
• evidence-based programs to assist students with additional learning and support needs.

They also provide professional support for learning and support teachers through:

• professional learning activities
• network meetings, and
• individual advice and support.

Transition Support Teacher, Early Intervention

Transition Support Teachers, Early Intervention work throughout the year prior to an eligible child starting school and continue to provide support into a child's first year of school. Transition Support Teachers, Early Intervention help by:

• supporting the staff of early childhood classes to provide personalised learning and support
• developing individual, coordinated transition plans to support children moving from early education into school
• establishing and maintaining links with a range of local services in the community.

Itinerant support teacher (hearing or vision)

Itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision) work with students who have a confirmed hearing and/or vision disability prior to school and in NSW public schools.

These specialist teachers support students, their teachers and families from diagnosis through to Year 12.

Itinerant support teachers (conductive hearing loss)

Itinerant support teachers (conductive hearing loss) provide support and advice to schools for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who have a conductive hearing loss.

Assistant principals (hearing or vision)

Assistant principal (hearing or vision) support schools to meet the personalised learning and support of students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

This includes:

• participating in assessments by working collaboratively with parents and carers, the school learning and support team, and other professionals as required
• liaising with government departments and other agencies
• providing professional learning to school and itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision)
• coordinating a team of itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision).

Support teacher transition

Support teachers transition assist teachers and high school students in mainstream and Schools for Specific Purposes (SSP) and their parents and carers, with the transition from school to adult life.

Support teachers transition undertake a range of activities that may include:

• providing advice on curriculum options and subject selection
• providing advice on vocational preparation, work experience and entry to HSC Vocational Education and Training courses
• assisting with transition planning to post school destinations which may include employment and further education, transport and mobility issues, recreation and leisure pursuits
• liaising with a range of government and non-government providers
• assisting students and their families to access specialist programs and support provided by other government agencies.

School learning support officer

School learning support officers works under the direction and supervision of the classroom teacher. They provide assistance to students with disability and additional learning and support needs enrolled in Schools for Specific Purposes (SSP), support classes in mainstream schools and mainstream classes. They can provide assistance with:

• school routines
• classroom activities, and
• the care and management of students with disability and additional learning and support needs.

School counsellor

School counsellors are qualified teachers who have a degree in psychology and post graduate qualifications in school counselling.

They complement and enhance the work of teachers by:

• strengthening schools' student welfare provisions, and
• providing psychological assessments of students with specific needs.

Senior Psychologist, Education coordinate and professionally supervises a team of school counsellors and psychologists. They work closely with local School Services teams and school counselling teams to assist schools to improve student learning and welfare outcomes and implement departmental priorities. What does LSO stand for in education?

What is an LSO teacher?

What does a learning support team do?

What is an itinerant support teacher?