The Orchard School is a Maintained Special School for children with severe, profound, and complex learning difficulties and medical needs. There are currently 174 pupils on roll. Our children range from 4 – 11 years. We have a purpose-built premises with excellent facilities which include a music and drama studio, white and dark room studios, soft play room, sensory room, swimming and hydrotherapy pools and defined outdoor play areas for differing ages and abilities. Along with teaching and classroom support staff, the school is supported by a multi-agency team of nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy colleagues, and a teacher of the visually impaired. These staff are based in the school part of the week and have dedicated on-site facilities. There are nursing staff on-site most of the week. Medical out-patient clinics run by consultant paediatricians take place regularly and there are also specialist ophthalmology and occupational therapy clinics in school. Multi-agency teamwork is an essential and highly valued aspect of the school. We endeavour to provide the very best learning opportunities for all. Our bespoke curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum and every child has a personalised learning journey to enable them to achieve their best potential. Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children with complex and profound learning difficulties? Do you have experience working with these exceptional individuals? If so, we have the perfect role for you! The Orchard School is currently seeking a dedicated and compassionate Learning Support Practitioner to join our team. As a Learning Support Practitioner, you will play a vital role in supporting our students with their educational and personal development. This is an exciting time to join The Orchard school as we look to expand our provision to support additional pupils with profound and complex needs We are looking for: Experience: We require candidates with previous experience working with children with complex and profound learning difficulties. Your experience in this area will help us provide the best possible support to our students. Adaptability: Our ideal candidate is someone who can adapt to different situations and be flexible in their approach. We value individuals who can think on their feet and find creative solutions to challenges. Reliability: We need someone we can count on. Our students rely on us to be there for them, so we are looking for individuals who are reliable and committed to their role. Team Player: Collaboration is key at The Orchard School. We believe in the power of teamwork and the positive impact it can have on our students. We are looking for candidates who can work well within a team and contribute to our supportive and inclusive environment. We are currently seeking candidates who are available to work 32.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday during term time. However, we understand that some candidates may only be available for part-time hours. If you are interested in part-time work, please indicate this on your application. The applicant will need to possess: High standards of written and spoken English. Appropriate qualifications, as detailed on job specification. If you are passionate about supporting children with complex and profound learning difficulties and are ready to make a positive impact, we would love to hear from you. Join our dedicated team at The Orchard School and help us create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment. The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS check. Any offer of appointment will be subject to successful DBS clearance and 2 satisfactory references and a clear Disqualification by association return. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and is eligible for an enhanced DBS check including a Children's Barring List Check. If you are barred from working with children you are breaking the law if you apply for this post This post is covered by Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) and therefore the ability to speak fluent and spoken English is an essential requirement for the role. If you have the experience and passion to join our school, application forms are available below and should be returned to: SIPS Education Ltd, 2nd Floor Guardian House, Cronehills Linkway, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 8GS or emailed to hr.recruitment@sips.co.uk If you require more information about how to apply for the post, please call 0121 296 3000. Please ensure application forms are signed if sending via email. If you provided an email address, correspondence will be sent via e-mail. If you are successful in being short-listed for interview, you will be contacted via email within 28 working days of the closing date. Please ensure you check your junk/spam boxes as well as your inbox in case any correspondence has been delivered there. Please note only successful applicants will be notified. Online Search An online search will be undertaken on all shortlisted candidates. This search does not form part of the shortlisting process and you will have the opportunity to discuss any issues of concern that may arise from this search at the interview. Further information relating to our school, including our policies can be found on our website - https://www.orchard.sandwell.sch.uk Hours: 13hrs per week, Term Time plus 5 INSET Days Salary: Grade D, SCP 9 – 17 (£27,254 - £31,022 p.a.) Pro-Rata salary is £8,545 p.a. - £9,977 p .a. Location: The Orchard School, Causeway Green Road, Oldbury, West Midlands, B68 8LD Closing date: Friday 5th December 2025 at 12 noon Shortlisting: Monday 8th December 2025 Interviews: Wednesday 17th December 2025