- Animal Care Coach (SEN)
Salary: £27,936 - £33,358 (35.5hours per week – 25 hours contact time)
This is a maternity cover post, but may lead to long term/permanent employment within the school.
To start: May 2025
Bridge School Malvern is an independent Special Needs School supporting 11-19’s. We are in a beautiful rural location overlooking the Malvern Hills. The main school is set up with a five-acre care farm on site. We are a small school established as a charity 14 years ago. We have a creative, practical curriculum, and strive to create a working environment where our caring staff are given the time to care. Our 16-19 provision is based a mile away in Barnard’s Green. Here we have three micro businesses and a team of mentors/careers coaches who support the young people’s wider needs.
The main purpose of the role is to support the education, welfare and care of young people, working with small groups and in one to one sessions. This will be based at the main school site in Hanley Swan for 11-16’s. You will be providing a range of practical sessions that include animal care, and could include horticulture, conservation, woodland school type sessions, bushcraft and creative projects that will help to develop young people’s social skills and provide a therapeutic experience. Animals on site include pigs, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs and reptiles. There will be some flexibility as the balance of areas and the role will be working alongside our existing land-based coaches in these areas. You will be innovative in providing therapeutic learning opportunities through outdoor activities and projects.
You should have significant experience of working with a range of different animals in order to deliver animal care to City and Guilds level 1 standards. Experience in other vocational areas, or national curriculum subjects, would also be an advantage when looking at longer term employment.
It would be desirable to be a qualified teacher and have experience of working with young people with special educational needs including social, emotional and mental health difficulties. You must be able to build rapport quickly, be reliable, resilient, and adaptable and have a genuine willingness to make a difference. You will be creative and have a positive approach using a variety of methods, including the use of IT to support learning. You must be familiar with dealing with difficult situations. A good sense of humour is essential. You will need to be experienced in record keeping and report writing.
Flexibility and reliability are essential qualities. You need to be a team player, encouraging and supporting the wider team and facilitating the sharing of best practice. Teaching and land based experience are essential, as is a commitment to health and safety and safe working practices.
Total contracted hours is 35.5 per week, made up of 33.75 plus 1.75 hours (flexi) per week for purchasing animal feed etc, and including staff meetings until 4.45pm once per week. Contact hours with pupils is 25 hours per week. Usual school holidays apply. Candidates will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS Check.
Applications are to be made by submitting your CV with a covering letter stating your suitability for the role. The recruitment process will include an informal visit to the school. Advertisement may close early on receipt of suitable applications.
Bridge School Malvern is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, therefore all workers and employees within Bridge School Malvern are expected to share this commitment.
We are an equal opportunities employer.