Teaching Assistant & Bus Supervisor

Role Overview

Teaching Assistant & Bus Supervisor at International Schools Partnership (Aspen Heights British School), located on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.

Company Overview

Aspen Heights British School (AHBS) is an inclusive school committed to providing all children with personalized learning experiences and appropriate support to enable progress across all areas of learning.

Role Purpose

Provide comprehensive support to students and class teachers within and beyond the classroom environment, and ensure the safety, security, and well-being of students during school transport by supervising bus operations and maintaining discipline.

Key Responsibilities

Classroom Support

• Contribute appropriately to lesson planning and assessment processes, including organization and management of books and files for individual children.
• Prepare materials and equipment for class lessons, group work, and individual student tasks.
• Lead and assist groups of children or individuals with their tasks.
• Read stories to groups of children.
• Prepare ICT equipment, including computers, iPads, digital cameras, DVDs, and Bee Bots.
• Accompany children on visits.
• Comfort young, distressed, and vulnerable children in accordance with safeguarding procedures.
• Prepare Art and Craft materials and tidy them away.
• Mount and display children's work appropriately.
• Label and store equipment appropriately.
• Laminate and photocopy materials and resources.

Supervision and Safeguarding

• Supervise children using the cloakroom, toilets, playtimes, and at transition times, especially at start time and home time.
• Take part daily in the playground supervision rota at playtimes and supervise at transition times, especially at start time and home time.
• Maintain confidentiality about personal details revealed by children.
• Report incidents to the Teacher and Head of Early Years in accordance with the Safeguarding Policy.
• Safeguard students and take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities.
• Assist in implementing all policies and rules governing student life and conduct.
• Ensure that all necessary health and safety rules and procedures are being followed.
• Maintain awareness of all health and safety measures to be taken when in school.
• Emphasize the importance of safety in all areas of the curriculum, communicating to pupils the importance of a responsible attitude towards personal safety, the safety of others, and respect for school property and equipment.

Bus Operations and Transport

• Transport children to school by picking up children at assigned stops; instruct children when it is safe to board the vehicle; establish loading and unloading procedures.
• Maintain safe conditions while traveling by enforcing safety and discipline rules and following all vehicle and driving laws as outlined by the School and Department of Transport.
• Complete daily all pre- and post-trip inspections for safety and security by inspecting and documenting vehicle logs prior to completing daily shift.
• Implement emergency plan in the event of an accident; appropriately administer to the needs of members on board, administer first aid, and complete accident reports and documentation for all accidents or incidents that occur on the bus.
• Take daily attendance of students.
• Physically check the bus after every trip to ensure that no child is left behind.
• Provide assistance to students in fastening their seatbelts and ensure that they are properly strapped in throughout the journey; ensure all students are seated at all times on the bus.
• Oversee student behavior within the bus and intervene during untoward incidents such as bullying.
• Report any delays in pickup or drop-off to parents.
• Prepare reports such as attendance, schedules, and student information.

Professional Conduct and Representation

• Maintain and promote the School's professional reputation.
• Treat students with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observe proper boundaries appropriate to a professional position.
• Show tolerance of and respect for the rights of others.
• Ensure that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit students' vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.
• Maintain proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies, and practices of the school.
• Maintain high standards in attendance and punctuality.
• Demonstrate an understanding of, and always act within, the cultural expectations of the UAE and the policies and expectations of the school.
• Be courteous to colleagues and provide a welcoming environment to visitors and telephone callers.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum diploma or equivalent.
• At least 2 years' school experience as a bus or teacher assistant.

Skills & Competencies

• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent communication skills and command of the English language in spoken and written form.
• Behavior management.
• Strong sense of professionalism.
• Safeguarding and welfare of children.
• Collaborative team player with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Empathetic listener.
• Integrity and confidentiality.
• Emotional intelligence.
• Intercultural awareness and creativity.
• Flexible and can-do attitude.
• Internationally minded.
• Willing attitude to be part of the school team.

Additional Information

Health and Safety

All staff are expected to uphold the School's health and safety standards and safeguarding and child protection policies at all times.

Vetting and Background Checks

All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references, and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years' employment history.

ISP Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. ISP operates on principles of placing children and students at the heart of what it does; treating everyone with care and respect; operating effectively; being financially responsible; and learning continuously.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening its inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background, or other demographic characteristics.

Flexibility

Employees will be expected to comply with any reasonable request from a manager to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description.