Blog Home

Exciting New SEND Jobs Available Now for September

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 11:04:00 +0100

Are you ready to take your career in education to the next level? Look no further! Axcis offers a wealth of opportunities for the upcoming academic year. Whether you’re an experienced SEND professional or someone eager to break into this rewarding sector, we’ve got something special just for you.

Why choose Axcis?

1. Diverse Roles: From teaching assistants to school leadership positions, we offer a wide range of vacancies. Whether you’re interested in being a lunchtime supervisor, an exam invigilator, or a specialised teacher, we’ve got options that suit your personal situation.

2. Local Connections: Our dedicated teams operate across various regions, ensuring that you find local opportunities. We understand the importance of community connections and will guide you toward the perfect teaching or teaching assistant position right in your neighbourhood.

3. Passion Over Qualifications: At Axcis, we value passion, dedication, and compassion. Our schools are more interested in individuals who genuinely want to make a positive difference in students’ lives. Don’t let qualifications hold you back—your commitment matters most.

4. Free CPD Opportunities: As an added bonus, we offer loads of free Continuing Professional Development (CPD) options. These resources provide valuable insights, tools, and techniques to help you stay ahead in your career.

5. Your Perfect Match Awaits: Even if you haven’t found your dream role on our website today, don’t worry! New positions arrive daily, some filling up so quickly that they don’t even make it to our listings. Register online, create your profile, and we’ll notify you when the perfect match comes along.

6. Refer and Earn: Did you spot a job that would be ideal for a friend or family member? Recommend them to Axcis, and you could earn a £50 Amazon shopping voucher! Learn more about our referral program here and spread the word.

Let’s make a positive impact together as we support not just vulnerable children and young people, but our future generation overall!

Remember, taking action today is the key to unlocking the full potential of your career! So, don't wait! Click here to find your local Axcis team to get hired now.

Spooky Sensory Fun for SEND Classrooms this Halloween!

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 13:54:42 +0100

Halloween can be a fun and engaging time for students, but it’s important to consider how different activities might affect students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). At Axcis, we understand the importance of making these celebrations inclusive and supportive. Here are some sensory-friendly ideas to help make Halloween fun for everyone!

1. Spooky Sensory Bins

Create themed sensory bins using safe and tactile items like dried pasta "brains," rubber spiders, or kinetic sand. These bins allow students to explore textures in a controlled, low-stress environment.

2. Calming Halloween Corners

Set up a “calming corner” with Halloween-themed stress balls, fidget toys, and noise-cancelling headphones. It gives students a safe space to step away if the excitement becomes overwhelming.

3. Pumpkin Decorating (Without the Carving!)

Instead of traditional pumpkin carving, let students decorate pumpkins with paint, stickers, or soft materials. This reduces mess and allows for more sensory-friendly creativity.

4. Sensory-Friendly Costumes

For schools allowing costumes, suggest sensory-friendly options like soft fabric costumes without scratchy tags or props. This makes dressing up more comfortable for students who may be sensitive to textures.

5. Halloween Stories with Visuals

Use Halloween-themed stories with plenty of visuals and interactive elements. Adapt the story for different learning styles by incorporating sound effects or using visual aids like puppets or illustrations.

6. Glow Stick Dance Party!

Organize a low-light, glow stick dance party. The soft lighting and colourful glow sticks can create a visually stimulating yet calming environment. Plus, it’s a great way to burn off some energy!

Keeping it Safe and Fun!

While Halloween is a time for fun and excitement, it's essential to ensure the safety and comfort of all students, especially those with SEND. Always be mindful of sensory triggers and individual needs, and create a safe space for students who may feel overwhelmed. With a little extra planning, you can make this spooky season enjoyable and inclusive for everyone.

At Axcis, we’re committed to supporting SEND educators with fun, practical resources like these. Keep an eye on our social media channels for more seasonal ideas and tips to help you in the classroom!

Not signed up with Axcis yet? We’re always looking for talented SEND teaching and support staff. Register with us today or refer a friend to explore the rewarding opportunities we offer.

The Importance of Mental Health Support in SEND Education

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 11:59:43 +0100

In the provision of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) education, the focus often lies on academic support and physical accommodations. However, an equally critical aspect that deserves attention is mental health support. Ensuring the mental well-being of both students and staff in SEND settings is paramount for fostering a nurturing and effective learning environment.

Understanding the Mental Health Needs of SEND Students

Students with SEND often face unique challenges that can impact their mental health. These may include social isolation, anxiety, and difficulties with communication. Recognising these challenges is the first step in providing appropriate support. Schools and educators should be equipped with the knowledge and resources to identify signs of mental distress to be able to intervene effectively.

Strategies for Supporting Student Mental Health

Creating a Safe and Inclusive Environment: Establishing a classroom atmosphere where students feel safe, respected, and included can significantly reduce anxiety and stress. This includes promoting positive interactions and celebrating diversity.

Implementing Individualised Support Plans: Tailoring mental health support to the individual needs of each student is crucial. This might involve working with mental health professionals to develop personalised strategies and interventions.

Encouraging Open Communication: Providing students with opportunities to express their feelings and concerns can help them feel heard and understood. Regular check-ins and the use of communication aids can facilitate this process.

Incorporating Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Teaching students mindfulness practices and relaxation techniques can help them manage stress and improve their emotional regulation.

Utilising Team Teach and Positive Behaviour Management: For students exhibiting challenging behaviour, employing strategies like Team Teach and positive behaviour management can be highly effective. These approaches focus on de-escalation techniques and creating a supportive environment that encourages positive behaviour.

Supporting the Mental Health of SEND Educators

The well-being of educators is just as important as that of students. Teaching in SEND settings can be demanding, and educators may experience burnout or compassion fatigue. Here are some strategies to support their mental health:

Professional Development: The Axcis Academy offers registered Axcis Candidates a range of courses and webinars through the National College for free to aid with their tools and techniques for stress management, self-care, and mental health awareness to empower educators to take care of their own well-being. Additionally, training in Team Teach and positive behaviour management can equip staff with the skills needed to handle challenging situations effectively.

The Axcis Academy also offers a plethora of courses and webinars to help you in your roles as educators.

Mental Health Resources: A lot of schools usually offer, great, supportive cultures. Remember to get in touch with your consultant if you are unsure about something or need some advice reading whatever you are experiencing in your ad-hoc role as an Axcis candidate that could potentially be affecting your mental health or well-being. If you are a permanent member of staff at a school seek support from your team leaders. There are also charities like Education Support which specialise in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and education staff in schools, colleges and universities. Call their freephone number to see if they can assist you in any way - 08000 562 561

Work-Life Balance: Work-life balance is important for any job. You can only help others when you are in a good state of mental health and wellbeing so take some time to take care of yourself. Set realistic expectations for yourself, and participate in practices that help you from burning out, whether that's nature, running, mindfulness, motivational content, reading etc. By empowering your mental health and well-being you're able to empower and inspire others, creating happier students and communities overall.

Mental health support is a vital component of SEND education. By prioritising the mental well-being of both students and educators, we can create a more supportive and effective learning environment. Schools must take proactive steps to integrate mental health strategies into their daily practices, ensuring that everyone in the SEND community can thrive. For students exhibiting challenging behaviour, employing strategies like Team Teach and positive behaviour management can make a significant difference, fostering a safe and supportive atmosphere for all.

Let's work together to make the differences that impact and empower.

Don't forget to update your availability using the Axcis App or get in touch with your consultant if you're looking for another booking. Most of all, don't forget to check out the Axcis Academy and enrol for your next CPD to boost your career prospects.

Kickstart Your Career in Special Needs Education

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 12:00:00 Z

Are you a recent graduate or school leaver looking to make a difference in the world? Do you have a passion for helping others, but aren’t sure where to start?

Look no further! At Axcis Education, we believe that everyone has the potential to contribute positively to the lives of children and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

No Qualifications? No Problem!

While qualifications can be beneficial, they aren’t everything. We value passion, dedication, and a willingness to learn above all else. If you’re eager to start a career in special needs education but don’t have any qualifications yet, don’t worry. Axcis Education is here to guide you every step of the way.

Why Choose a Career in Special Needs Education?

Working with children and young adults with SEND is a rewarding and fulfilling career choice. Every day, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s life. You’ll help students overcome challenges, develop new skills, and reach their full potential. Plus, you’ll grow both personally and professionally as you learn more about SEND and how to support these amazing individuals.

Why Axcis Education?

At Axcis Education, we’re committed to providing the best possible support for children and young adults with SEND. We offer comprehensive training and continuous professional development opportunities to ensure that our teaching assistants are well-equipped to meet the unique needs of our students.

How to Get Started

Getting started with Axcis Education is easy! Simply contact your local Axcis office to express your interest. We’ll guide you through the process, provide you with the necessary training, and match you with a role that suits your skills and interests.

Remember, everyone has to start somewhere. Even if you don’t have any qualifications yet, your passion and dedication can make a huge difference in the lives of children and young adults with SEND. So why wait? Kickstart your career in special needs education with Axcis Education today!

Calling all unqualified Teaching Assistants!

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0100

Do you want to be a Teaching Assistant but not sure where to start? Are you looking for a career that is rewarding, challenging and flexible?

Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) education is the ideal place to start. It's a great way to gain experience and qualifications while working with children who need your support.

SEND Teaching Assistants are an essential part of any SEND school. They play a vital role in supporting the class teacher in delivering lessons, and they help to ensure that each child's needs are met.

You don't necessarily need any formal qualifications to start off your career as a SEND Teaching Assistant, but it's essential that you have a caring and supportive attitude towards the children and young adults you will be supporting. Having the right attitude and willingness to learn are more important, but Axcis offer numerous continued professional development (CPD) courses that can help support you and enhance your experience and knowledge further. What’s more, the majority of our CPD courses are completely free to fully registered candidates. Check out our Training and Career Development page for more info.

The benefits of being a Teaching Assistant include:

Flexibility – Whether you want to work full time, part time, or just a few hours per week, we have a variety of different roles to fit around your schedule; within reason of course – we obviously can’t change school hours across the country!

Exposure - Working in special needs education will give you valuable experience which can help you decide if this is the right career path for you.

Support - Qualified teachers and more experienced teaching assistants will always be around to provide guidance and support if needed, as well as your Axcis consultant, of course.

Variety - The role is extremely varied. No two days are ever the same.

Rewarding - Working in special needs education offers great rewards such as seeing the progress made by students, knowing that they are receiving the best possible care and learning new skills.

Sounds Interesting – what’s next?

If you’re ready to get started or if you are interested in finding out more about SEND Teaching Assistant work with Axcis, you can either call your local branch for a chat, or you can register online – it takes just 5 minutes and one of our consultants will be in touch. You’ll have a no-pressure chat about what you are looking for and what skills you can offer. Then after a quick registration and compliance process, from there you could be out working as quickly as the next day! There is no charge for our service, so what do you have to lose?

While you’re going through the registration and compliance process, why not check out our “Top tips to becoming a great SEND Teaching Assistant” blog to start getting yourself prepared for your first day!

And before you go, did you know Axcis have an app?

Click on a link below to download the Axcis app today to take you seamlessly from registration through to your first timesheet submission!

Top tips to becoming a great SEND Teaching Assistant

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 12:00:00 Z

Teaching Assistants are an essential part of any SEND school. They play a vital role in supporting the class teacher in delivering lessons, and they help to ensure that each child's needs are met. Teaching Assistants provide opportunities for pupils to progress, whilst making sure that their individual goals and aspirations are met.

Know your role

The first step to becoming a great SEND Teaching Assistant is knowing your role. Knowing what you can do and what is beyond your role will help you to better serve your students.

It's important to know the limits of your role, as well as school policies and procedures surrounding those limits. It's also helpful if you have direct contact with parents or guardians so they can understand how best they can support their children at home.

Keep up to date with available training opportunities

Keeping up to date with training opportunities is crucial if you want to be a great SEND Teaching Assistant. Axcis offer a whole host of training opportunities for free. For a list of upcoming training, check out our events page on our website.

Communication is key

Communication is key
Speak to your class teacher
Talk to the parents
Let pupils know what you are doing

Develop a relationship of trust and respect with the class teacher, pupils and parents

Develop a relationship of trust and respect with the class teacher. It's important to get this right from the outset, as it can be a key factor in building your reputation within the school and with parents. Be respectful towards pupils and parents. In order for both parties to feel comfortable around you, it is vital that you are open about your role, expectations and behaviour in relation to them. Be honest, transparent and trustworthy: If something goes wrong or if there are problems then don't hide anything from anyone; talk openly about what has happened so that everyone involved understands how they can help rectify any issues.

Always be positive

Be a role model and smile genuinely all the time — even when you're feeling tired or fed up — and show that it can be done by being happy yourself!

Conclusion

Taking on the role of a Teaching Assistant (TA) in a Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) setting can, at times, be challenging. But as a TA in a SEND school you will make a huge difference to the children whose lives you touch.

You will have to be flexible and adaptable; learning new skills, ways of working and interacting with others is essential for your success as an effective TA. It’s important that you keep in mind that each child has their own individual needs which need to be addressed through your intervention plan. Don't expect all pupils with SEND to respond in the same way or at the same pace - what works for one may not work for another!

Are you ready to take on the challenge?

If you're looking for a SEND teaching assistant or support job in England or Wales, why not register with Axcis, the SEND recruitment specialists? Or perhaps you need to recruit staff for your school or provision? If so, why not take a look at the Axcis Website, or get in touch today to find out how we can help?

Testimonials

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 12:00:00 Z

We’re proud of the service we provide. Read some of our reviews below.

“They could not have been more helpful, attentive, supportive or professional” (Axcis Candidate)

I was impressed by the thoroughness of the vetting/clearing process (essential when working with vulnerable clients), also by the depth of Kirsty and Tamsin’s knowledge and understanding of SEND issues. They could not have been more helpful, attentive, supportive or professional.

Cathy

“…I couldn’t of asked for a better agent” (Axcis Candidate)

Just wanted to say a Maaaaoooosssive thank you for looking after me whilst on my placement at xxxxxx xxxxxx in Wokingham

I really do enjoy it there its fab and anything I ask you to do is no problem.

I hope you are appreciated by everyone that you look after, as you have been a superstar and I couldn’t of asked for a better agent.

Have a good xmas and here’s to a better year next year for all of us!

Kelly

“The calibre of staff are always to the criteria that’s required for our school” (Axcis Client)

I have worked with Axcis and Carys specifically for a period of time and during this period I have found them to be professional in the service they offer and the calibre of staff are always to the criteria that’s required for our school.

I will most definitely recommend Axcis agency (Axcis Candidate)

I moved from Wales to Bristol 18 months ago and I’ve been working for Axcis agency since November 2020. I have worked in schools for 30 years and have always been directly employed by the council. At first I was a little apprehensive about joining an agency because I was afraid I wouldn’t get enough work, but it has been quite the opposite. I have had the most helpful and reassuring consultant, Dan.

Although I have much experience in my role I am rather rusty when it comes to technology.

Since joining Axcis I have polished up in this area with the encouragement and support from Dan. At first I was nervous about filling in timesheets and all other interactions involving technology, including zoom meetings and so on. My first interview was a virtual one, which caused me to feel a little anxious. Dan kindly helped me by setting up the interview at his office so he could be at hand if anything went wrong. He has encouraged my confidence tremendously and has talked me through anything I don’t understand. Dan really has been amazing! He is always professional and honest whilst being passionate about his role at Axcis. I will most definitely recommend Axcis agency and Dan to all support staff that I meet in the future.

Thank you Axcis and thank you Dan!

Much appreciated

Gail

I have nothing but praise for the Axcis Recruitment team in Bristol (Axcis Candidate)

I have nothing but praise for the Axcis Recruitment team in Bristol.

I have been employed as a teaching assistant agency – supply worker for over 3 years. During this time I have gained several qualifications and some super assignments which have been provided because of the work that the recruitment staff do to enable people like myself to be allowed to enter the many educational establishments – in order to primarily support the staff and the students they care for. Every assignment I have been introduced to has been because of the dedication of people at Axcis. They have discussed and negotiated all the terms and conditions required to allow an agency worker into an appropriate educational setting.

I am sure there is numerous paperwork and checks that each candidate must have in place which the recruitment people do every day in order to keep up with the legislation.

A huge thank you for sourcing the many placements I have had to date. I have always found you cheerful, pleasant and nothing is too much trouble. Paperwork has always been sent on time by email with the school address etc.

I have always found when answering the phones they come across with a ‘bubbly warm ‘personality.

Thanks a million,

Sarah

“I enjoy working for Axcis and have had some great long-term placements…” (Axcis Candidate)

I have worked for the London branch of Axcis Education for nearly 7 years and always found them to be professional, knowledeable and supportive. Communication is excellent!

I enjoy working for Axcis and have had some great long term placements in a variety of lovely schools in South London and Surrey and this has enabled me to work with some wonderful talented colleagues.

I have recommended Axcis to others and been able to take advantage of their generous referral scheme!

My present Consultant is always available and so positive. She listens and takes on board any concerns I may have; she knows what I am looking for and has found me some interesting positions -she makes me feel valued as have previous Axcis consultants I have had the pleasure of working with over the years.

Thank you Axcis

Frances

“..staff from Axcis have been really helpful and friendly” (Axcis Candidate)

I have had a positive registration process all members of staff from axcis have been really helpful and friendly I’m looking forward to starting work with axcis in the near future.

Kali

“..I am bowled over by the calibre of the TA’s you send to me” (Axcis Client)

Yet again I am bowled over by the calibre of the TA’s you send to me. With that in mind I’d please like you to find me another outstanding candidate for a temporary full time position!

Many thanks

Helen (Headteacher)

“..my heartfelt thanks..” (Axcis Client)

I would like to take the opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to both you and your fantastic team for delivering such a high quality professional service and I have enjoyed the positive working relationship we have shared over the years that I know will continue with the Short Breaks team in the New Year.

Musical instruments to make with your class

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 16:12:40 +0100

With World Music Day around the corner, what better project to do with your children than create some instruments with them? Even better if you can bring a discussion about reusing or recycling into it, too! Here are our top ideas.

1. Easter Egg Maracas

The intention with this project is not to go out and buy a load of plastic eggs – the idea is to use what you have, so if (like me) you can’t stand to throw away the little pods that come in Kinder Eggs and you happen to have a drawer full of them at home, why not bring them in and let your class create some fun shakers or maracas with them? If the school canteen uses plastic spoons, collect and wash some and use these to create handles. With the addition of a few beans or a small handful of rice, you have the start of your DIY orchestra!

2. Tin Can/Crisp Tube Drums

Back to that “junk modelling” box to see what else I couldn’t stand to see go to landfill… and what do I find but some old crisp tubes and tin cans. Simply re-use the plastic lid, or stretch a balloon over the top and you have some instant drums.

3. Lolly Stick Harmonica

When browsing for ideas online, I came across this lovely idea to make simple harmonicas using some wax paper and lolly sticks. Most craft cupboards have these basic items, so why not give them a try?

4. Straw Pipes

By simply cutting straws to different lengths and taping them together, you can create this simple version of pan pipes. As this instrument is a bit less noisy than many, parents are sure to appreciate this one!

5. Gong!

If you have a couple of old foil catering trays, you can create this fun instrument by simply taping them together and using a cardboard tube to strike them – GONG! Kids love this one!

6. Castanets

Another chance to look through that junk modelling box for inspiration. If you have some bottle caps or something else that will suffice, you can have a go at making these simple castanets.

7. Mini Banjo

With some elastic bands, a lolly stick and a lid from an old jar, you can make these fun little mini banjos. Adjust the tension of the bands to create different notes and away you play!

8. Ankle/Wrist Bells

Take (or make) a bracelet and attach some bells to create some music while you move. Alternatively, attach them to paper plates for a home-made tambourine.

Do you like to craft with kids?

If you like the idea of crafting with kids, why not consider a classroom based role as a teaching assistant? At Axcis, we are always on the lookout for people with a passion for inspiring the next generation, so why not register on our website and see what jobs we can find for you?

Deciphering the Language of Behaviour

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:04:43 +0100

Guest blogger Graham Chatterely, regularly shares tips as educations resources in our Axcis blog. As a former senior leader of a specialist SEMH provision, Author, Director of "Changing Perceptions Limited" and regular presenter on Teacher Hug radio, Graham has extensive knowledge in the sector. He is also a dedicated father and two of his children have additional SEND needs. His experience in school settings and understanding of challenges at home offer profound insight.

Deciphering the Language of Behaviour

During Christmas 2019 I left my job as Assistant Head at a school I love, with staff I loved and kids I loved, but a Headteacher I didn’t love. I think we can call it creative differences and there were many reasons I had to go but the day I decided for definite was when I was asked to accept that systems were more important than relationships. There isn’t a fiber of my being that believes that and despite my best efforts I wasn’t going to change any minds so I decided that it had become time for something new.

I have been providing outreach support for some time and have developed my own training. I therefore decided to set up my own company, rather than seek another leadership role. With the pressures of home and the school workload I had dropped out of the NPQH so I couldn’t progress in that respect.

The first thing I needed was a name…

What is it I wanted to achieve? I went through the different parts of the course and which were the most relevant. The whole premise of the training is the idea that if we can increase staff understanding of children’s challenging behaviour then we can change the way staff react in times of crisis. More empathy for the “why” of behaviour creates a different response to the “what”. Therefore, what I’m actually trying to do is change the way staff perceive behaviour. For example – a realisation that a child is being disruptive because they are scared of failing at the work – rather than because they fancy giving a personal attack that day – means a different reaction from the staff – which in turn helps to reduce conflict. This also has a positive knock-on effect for staff wellbeing.

Challenging Perceptions Limited was born.

Now I needed a name for my main course; it used to be called ‘Reworking the Conflict Spiral’. Based on the Team Teach conflict spiral, it looked at how experiences like trauma, failure etc impact on feelings like low self esteem, frustration and anger. This drives avoidant and aggressive behaviour and how we as staff react depends on whether we end up with conflict. We often use punitive measures due to the policies in place at most schools.

If we rework this so that the reactions are less punitive and more empathetic then we can change experiences. Instead of failure, negativity and believing that adults are scary and can’t be trusted, they can become; I can do this, I can be more positive, adults can be trusted and that I might be different but that’s OK. These children then feel safer, like they belong and have more self-worth. This leads to a child who is calmer and who can access strategies because they are regulated and can remember them. We end up with no conflict because they can self-regulate.

Unfortunately, as I designed this course while in post at school, it officially “belongs” to them and as such I have been unable to bring it with me to my new venture and I was advised to design a new course. So that’s what I did – it was following an incident at school and a LinkedIn post that resulted. The post read;

“I had a pupil make quite a significant disclosure today. Something that had been weighing on him for weeks.”
“How did he tell me he wanted to disclose this?”
“He tried to abscond, damaged displays, stabbed me with a screw, messed with my phone and stole my keys. When I didn’t hold him, send him home, fight with him for the equipment or threaten him with a consequence he came into another room and explained everything.”

Behaviour is a language and we all speak it if we take the time to decipher it!

Now usually the only time one of my LinkedIn posts is viewed a lot is if it’s a video of Daniel (my disabled genius slash spawn of Satan son) and I’m cool with that, he’s far more interesting than I am. However this one seemed to strike a chord and I had loads of comments and lots of questions about it. When I had put the final sentence on I hadn’t thought much of it. I was doing my job, it’s a position I’ve been in before, something about his body language didn’t make me feel threatened and if it did escalate I knew I had the skills to manage it. That child needed to know I wouldn’t be pushed away and I wouldn’t reject him – and when he felt like he could trust me – he offloaded.

That’s the thing with our most challenging pupils. They are bottling up all sorts of emotions and don’t feel safe enough or trust anyone enough to share them. Eventually it overflows and we often see extreme behaviours as a result. We have to do our best to take a step back and we have to look behind the behaviour.

So I decided to call my course ‘Deciphering the Language of Behaviour’ and that’s what I am trying to help people do. It’s the same principal with a lot of the same content as my previous course and raising understanding and empathy is still the focus. We have to pass some tests to prove we are worthy enough to earn their trust. You may be the only adult in their life who has ever been trusted and that is a very special thing.

If you'd like to learn from Graham and his work then don't hesitate to check out his book Building Positive Behaviour: Returning to learning using a Sequential Approach which is available for purchase on amazon or follow him on twitter @grahamchatterl2 .

5 Gift Ideas for Father's Day

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 15:11:58 +0100

Run out of ideas for Father's Day gifts? These 5 simple, home made gift ideas are sure to make an impression on dad. Perfect for making in the classroom with students or at home.

1. Calendar Blocks

For a simple but effective gift idea, consider making calendar blocks. If you don’t have scrap wood off-cuts, why not raid the kids toy box? Most of us have a set of wooden blocks in there somewhere! To make this awesome gift, you will need:

2 Cubes of wood
One long/oblong block of wood (that the two cubes will fit on top of)
Velcro strips, magnetic tape or flat Lego blocks
Decorating materials – paper/card/paint etc.

To make this lovely gift, start by decorating your blocks (or leave them rustic for a more natural feel). Then add numbers/fixings to each block as follows:

Block 1 (cube) – put numbers on each face of the cube – 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Block 2 (cube) – put these numbers of each face of the cube – 0, 1, 2, 6, 7, 8

Block 3 (oblong) – fix your Velcro/flat Lego block to one face – your months will attach to this.

Using good quality card, or laminated paper, create 12 strips of the appropriate size and put each month of the year on them. On the reverse of these strips, put the “matching” Velcro/Lego so that they will fix to your oblong block. Voila! You have a set of calendar blocks which can be used year after year. You can add another set of blocks for days of the week if you wish, or you can leave this part off – it’s up to you!

2. Make a Mug

You can pick up a plain white mug from most supermarkets for about a pound, and you can get ceramic pens/paints from most good craft stores, or online. Along with a bit of inspiration, that’s all you’ll need to create a lovely personalised mug for your dad this Father’s Day. You’ll need to bake your mug at 170C for about 40 mins to fix the design and prevent it from washing off. Who doesn’t love a new mug? Ideal for use at home or work, your Dad is sure to appreciate this lovely personal gift.

3. Lolly Pop Plant Pot

If you have a nice decorative plant pot, this is an ideal starting point. Alternatively you could use a plain white ceramic pot and decorate it in much the same way you can decorate a mug, then use it for this project.

Into the pot, place some florists oasis foam, or cut up some old polystyrene packaging to fit inside. Add to this a range of colourful lolly pops, and perhaps a cute home-made sign and voila! You have a lovely personal gift for dad!

4. Tin Can Desk Tidy

Cheap tins of tomatoes (without the pull tops) work well for this, because the old-school way of opening tins tends to leave you with a nice smooth top (no cut fingers from jagged tins, please!) and the acid from the tomatoes leaves the inside of the tin stain-free and easy to rinse out and use. Although any tin works, this is what I’ve personally found to be best for this type of project. Simple spray the can with undercoat to give a nice finish to work on, then decorate away for a personalised pen pot. You could even order some personalised pens/pencils to go inside as an added touch.

5. Dad Rocks! Paperweight

Next time you’re in the garden, keep an eye out for a nice big, round stone to use for this project. Again, spraying with undercoat first will give you a smoother surface to start working with. From there, you can decorate your paperweight using paint, sequins – anything really! Ideal for use as a paperweight but this could also be used to make a BBQ napkin weight or door stop – ideal for breezy summer days!

Any More Ideas?

Do you have any simple Father’s Day craft ideas to add to our list? Or perhaps you’ve made one of these and would like to share your efforts – either way, we’d love to hear from you!

Are you seeking SEND staff or Work?

If you’re looking for a SEND teaching or support job in England or Wales, why not register with Axcis, the SEND recruitment specialists? Or perhaps you need to recruit staff for your school or provision? If so, why not take a look at the Axcis Website, or get in touch today to find out how we can help?

Do you have care work experience? Axcis needs you!

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 14:26:23 +0100

Did you know that many of the schools and residential settings we work with at Axcis require staff with care work experience? This is because lots of children with complex needs or disabilities may require care assistance while at school. So, if you have a background in this area and would be interested in working in a school environment, read on to find out how Axcis can help you!

Why should I use my care experience in a school environment?

There is a shortage of staff in this area, so you’re likely to find work quickly
Hours are usually more sociable than traditional care work – most schools (unless residential) will expect you to work school hours, in term time.
This work often pays better than traditional care work – speak to your local Axcis office for further information on this
There are some great opportunities for training and progression within the SEND education sector for those wanting to progress into this career

What does an educational carer do?

An educational carer will usually provide in-school support for children and young people with complex needs. These needs can vary greatly and may include personal care, moving and handling, assistance feeding and generally completing day to day tasks. As you’ll be in an educational setting, you’ll also be working with the individual(s) during lessons, helping them to participate in activities as directed by the teacher.

What experience do I need for this role?

As with all classroom based work, you must have a good standard of literacy and numeracy. This is because you’ll be communicating regularly with colleagues, parents, medical practitioners and parents as well as the children themselves. You may be asked to write or contribute to progress reports and Education, Health and Care Plans, among other things. You must have a patient and calm attitude and be reliable and punctual. It’s really important for the continuity of learning for there to be as few changes in staff as possible for SEND children. You don’t necessarily need to have any previous experience working with children but this would help your transition to the classroom.

How can I find educational care work with Axcis?

If you think you would be suitable for educational care work, why not register or get in touch with your local Axcis office for a no-pressure chat with one of our friendly consultants? They will discuss your skills, experience and what you’re looking for in your working life, and will be able to advise you on whether they feel this sort of work would be suitable for your situation. So why not give us a call? What do you have to lose?

Top 10 tips for new teaching assistants

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0100

At Axcis, we help many people to find work as teaching assistants in schools. But if you’re new to the role, it may seem a little daunting at first – so what information can help you? Find out our top 10 tips for new teaching assistants here.

What is the role of the teaching assistant?

Our article, “Special Needs Teaching Assistant Job Profile” is a great place to start if you are new to teaching assistant work. It outlines the key roles and responsibilities of the teaching assistant. For example:

"Special needs teaching assistants help children with a range of learning, physical or behavioural difficulties. You may work in a special school that supports children with a range of moderate, severe or complex special educational needs, or with an individual pupil or small group of pupils in a mainstream class."

Top 10 tips for new teaching assistants

Here are our key tips for new teaching assistants – if you follow this guidance, you’re sure to perform like a star TA!

Be friendly and approachable - this might sound obvious, but you need to be friendly, supportive and approachable. This applies to both fellow staff and students. After all, if you turn up to school in a grump, or sit in the corner like a shrinking violet, just think about the impression you are creating… being approachable and proactive is a huge part of being an effective TA.

Find out about the students you’re working with – to be an effective teaching assistant, you’ll need to find out as much as possible about the students you are supporting. This might include reading their EHC Plans, speaking to class teachers and the SENCO to figure out what motivates them, what stresses them and how you might best provide support

Enhance your SEND knowledge – if the students you work with have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND – and it’s likely that they will), then make sure you understand the conditions they are dealing with. There is lots of information out there about types of special needs and how to effectively provide support so read up if you want to do the best job possible. Our SEND resources section of the blog is a great place to start! At Axcis, we also run regular CPD training events which may help you. Check out our social media pages for updates.

Find out about the school behaviour policy – if you are supporting children who exhibit challenging behaviour, you’ll need to be familiar with the school policy on behaviour management. There may be a whole-school approach which you should be using. It is also worth speaking with the classroom teacher about this to find out what their advice is.

Work closely with parents and carers – guidance regarding EHC (Education, Health and Care) Plans tells us that parents, carers and other healthcare professionals should be working closely together to support children with SEND. You should make a point of finding out how your role plays into this and communicate with other professionals and parents as appropriate about the progress and development of the children you are working with.

Be prepared to help with personal care and medical needs when necessary – some teaching assistants will support children who have personal care and medical needs. This might include helping with feeding, going to the toilet or administering medication. Staff members who turn their noses up at providing such support are not likely to be seen in a positive light, so do your best to go into school with the mindset that you’ll tackle any task required with positivity and enthusiasm (even if it’s a part of the role you’re not keen on!)

Attend meetings and training – schools may ask you to sit in on meetings or attend training sessions. Even if you feel that this is outside of your contracted hours/job description, you should try to attend these sessions. Not only could they provide you with useful skills and information to enhance your own career, they could also help you to ultimately provide better, more effective support for the children you work with.

Be flexible – although a school may hire you with a specific child/group of children in mind, you could be asked at any time to alter your remit and help elsewhere in the school. You’ll need to remain positive when faced with changes like this as schools are under constant pressure to deploy staff in the most effective way possible, and this may include moving your around on a moments notice.

Go above and beyond – doing things outside of your contracted hours, such as helping with sports clubs, school plays or musical performances are what will make you stand out from the crowd – so if you want to be seen as a valuable member of staff, you should make a point of getting involved in things which are above and beyond the call of duty.

Stay calm - The last tip I’d like to offer is to remain calm. Schools can be stressful environments at times, and it can be easy to allow yourself to become stressed. This can negatively affect both your own performance and the progress of the children you work with. So do your best to keep calm – you may find articles and videos online which can offer you some useful tips for this if you are a bit of a stress-head!

If you follow the tips above, you should quickly make yourself an invaluable member of staff no matter what school you work in!

Are you looking for SEND staff or work?

If you're looking for a SEND teaching or support job in England or Wales, why not register with Axcis, the SEND recruitment specialists? Or perhaps you need to recruit staff for your school or provision? If so, why not take a look at the Axcis Website, or get in touch today to find out how we can help?

Special Needs Teaching Assistant Job Profile

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0100

What does a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) teaching assistant do? How many hours a week do they work? What do they get paid and what qualifications and experience do you need to find this sort of job?

What does a SEND teaching assistant do?

Special needs teaching assistants help children with a range of learning, physical or behavioural difficulties. You may work in a special school that supports children with a range of moderate, severe or complex special educational needs, or with an individual pupil or small group of pupils in a mainstream class. You could have a different job title, such as special needs classroom assistant, learning support assistant, support worker or special needs assistant.

As a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) teaching assistant, you may work with children who have:

mild to moderate learning difficulties (MLD)
specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia (SPLD)
physical disabilities (PD)
hearing or visual impairment (HI, VI)
social, emotional or mental health issues (SEMH)

Typically, your job will involve:

helping with school work alongside the teacher
preparing learning materials, usually adapted from the teachers plans to suit the pupil(s) you work with
encouraging children to be confident and independent
helping children to understand instructions
contributing to a child’s care plan (education, social, behaviour and personal)
encouraging children to communicate, sometimes using non-verbal means of communication such as Makaton or PECs
supporting children during social activities and outings
helping children during therapy sessions
recognising when children are upset and comforting them
looking after children’s physical needs

Hours and Pay

You would usually work school hours, Monday to Friday, during term-time. However, many teaching assistants work part-time. You may sometimes go to training and meetings outside school hours. Some special schools are residential. If you work as a teaching assistant in this type of school, you may have to work a mixture of shifts covering seven days a week.

Salaries for full-time teaching assistants can be from £12,000 to over £17,000 a year. Salaries for full-time Higher Level Teaching Assistants can be between £16,000 and £22,000 a year. This varies depending on the Local Education Authority (LEA) and the responsibilities of individual jobs. Wage rates are set by each LEA or school. Teaching assistants who work part-time and/or paid term-time only would earn a portion of full-time rates (known as ‘pro rata’ payment).

What qualifications and experience do you need?

LEAs and individual schools decide which qualifications and experience they want applicants to have. You can get an idea of what you are likely to need by looking at jobs advertised locally or by checking your LEA’s vacancies online. You would normally need some experience of working with children or young people with disabilities or learning difficulties for this type of work. A useful way to gain experience is to volunteer to help in a local school for a few hours a week, or by signing up with a supply agency.

Although not all teaching assistants require official qualifications, there are some useful courses available through local colleges, which can help to prepare you for this type of work and are also useful if you have just started in a job, for example as a volunteer. These include:

Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools
Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People’s Workforce
Level 3 Award in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools.

You will also need qualifications in literacy and numeracy at GCSE level or equivalent, especially for paid work. If you want to work with pupils with a hearing impairment you may need a sign language qualification at stage 1 or higher, for instance the Certificate in British Sign Language. Depending on what work you undertake, you may also need to do training courses such as Makaton, PECs, Team Teach, Moving and Handling etc. At Axcis, we offer many of these courses so can point you in the right direction if you’d like to do one.

Are you looking for SEND staff or work?

5 Tips on how to get a job as a teaching assistant

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0100

Have you thought about teaching assistant work, but don’t know how to get into it? These 5 tips can help you on your way.

1 – Make sure you understand what the job involves

Before considering how to get a job as a teaching assistant, you should first make sure that you know what the job involves. The role of a classroom assistant can vary depending on the level of need of the children in the class, and whether you are working one to one with a particular student, or providing general class support. This blog post can help you to understand these aspects if you’ve not looked into teaching assistant work before.

2 – Decide which part of the sector to target

It is a good idea to decide whether you want to work in a specialist school or unit, or a mainstream school. The role (although very similar in principle) will vary quite a lot from one environment to another. If you feel that you are most suited to working in a mainstream primary or secondary school, this is the area you should target when you apply for voluntary or supply jobs. As a rule of thumb, mainstream schools look for staff who can offer targeted curriculum support, like English/Literacy, Maths/Numeracy or Science, so it’s a good idea to demonstrate an understanding of at least one of these areas. In contrast, many special schools look for staff who have some sort of knowledge, understanding or interest in special needs, so the way you forge a route into the profession may vary depending on where you’d most like to end up. If you need a breakdown of the different types of school out there, it could be useful to look at this recent post.

3 – Polish up your CV

These days, there is a wealth of information out there on how to write a good CV – but you want to make sure that you tailor your CV specifically towards working as a teaching assistant. While it’s true that many schools will be looking for previous teaching assistant experience, it’s not necessarily essential. If you have any experience which displays the qualities of a teaching assistant, you should ensure that you make the most of these on your CV. It might include things like volunteer work, coaching work, charity events or simply supporting friends and family who have children who require additional support. Whatever experience you have, you should do your best to make the most of it on your CV. If you’d like help writing your CV, why not check out our blog?

4 – Volunteer or sign up with an agency

At Axcis, we provide a range of useful training courses to help further your education career.
If your CV looks sparse when it comes to experience that lends itself to TA work, you should consider either doing some voluntary work in a local school, or signing up with an agency to do some short-term supply work in order to gain experience in this field. You’d be surprised how much you can learn in just a day, so it’s well worth doing it if school-based work is the way you want to take your career. At Axcis, we often hire people who have limited practical experience, but who we feel fit the profile of an effective TA. After all, we have extensive experience of understanding what schools are looking for. We also provide additional training to those who want to gain personal and professional development relevant to working in schools, so we can help enhance your qualifications as well as experience sections on your CV. If you’d like to know more, why not register online? It takes just a few minutes, is free and will allow you access to a huge range of school-based jobs, which you can start to apply for immediately.

5 – Put in a polished application for permanent jobs

If you’ve been working through an agency, you may find that the schools you do supply work in will offer you longer-term or permanent work. If they don’t, you’ll need to make sure you polish up your application before putting it in for permanent jobs. Don’t make an assumption that because TA jobs are at the lower end of the scale in terms of pay, that they are ten a penny. They are not. In fact, most schools tell us that they have far more applicants for TA positions than they do for teaching roles, so you will have stiff competition. You’ll need to demonstrate the you really want the job, AND have the skills to do it well, so make your application the best that it possibly can be.

Take our quiz and find out if you’d be well suited to TA work

If you’re not sure whether you’d be suited to teaching assistant work or not, why not take our short quiz? Simply answer these 10 questions – it only takes a few minutes!

Are you looking for SEND staff or work?

Photo credit: Pexels

Challenges I face while working as a TA and how I overcome them

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0100

We asked our teaching assistants what sort of challenges they face while working in the classroom, and how they overcome them. The answers were so useful and insightful that we felt they would be great for anyone who is currently a TA, or thinking about becoming one.

Behaviour Tips

Managing challenging behaviour can be one of the trickiest parts of the job for many teachers and members of school support staff – so how do our teaching assistants overcome this?

"One of the biggest challenges I have faced during my time in the classroom is working with children with behavioural difficulties and hyperactivity, who find very difficult to follow rules and stick to them. Most of the time they refuse to do the assigned tasks and cause disruption among the class or get involved in any sort of fight or exhibit rude behaviours towards me, teachers and classmates. When these situations happen I try to give them a time out in a different place or environment in order to think over their behaviours. It is important that they understand why their behaviour is being disruptive and its consequences."

"Managing the children’s behaviour and attitude can sometimes be a challenge. I overcame this by reassuring them and advising them to have a positive attitude and respect other children as well as members of staffI worked with some very challenging young people who had experienced some very difficult situations for their ages. I taught some lessons with some very challenging and some times potentially violent behaviours; using past experiences and the training offered to me by the school I was able to manage their behaviours, understand them and help to come to a solution suitable for all involved."

"Working with children who display challenging behaviour – for example children with Autism and ADHD – I had to find new strategies to use that work for each child as an individual, for example, allowing them to listen to music quietly while they work as one child I worked with music helps keep them calm and introduce targets and rewards for achieving those targets."

"One of my biggest challenges has been trying to calm a child down when there’s another child “kicking off” in the class. I overcome this issue by leading them outside the door and having a calm chat. I’ve got to know a lot about the child I work with, and I have found that talking helps to keep them calm while loud or stressful situations in the classroom get resolved."

"Learning how to deal with challenging behaviours. To overcome this challenge, I have worked on changing my views and researching emotional intelligence. Ross Greene’s work and having more empathy helped me improve my practice."

"Being around aggression was a challenge with some of the pupils I’ve worked with. The staff in my teams have been excellent and showed me how to handle situations in the best and safest way. It’s important to seek support from your peers who often know the students better – especially when you’re new to the job."

Getting to know the school/pupils

Being new to a school or provision means you’re often flying blind, but what can you do to overcome this?

"Not understanding the needs of a particular pupil. I overcame this by working with them more and communicating with my team for support and advice."

"Quickly getting to know the school policies and procedures was a challenge. I overcame this by listening carefully, watching what was going on and asking questions when I needed to."

"Working with older students at a secondary school has been a challenge. I’ve always worked with younger children. Initially, the older students were very dismissive towards my support. Techniques I’ve used in the past with younger students didn’t work, so I had to start again from scratch. I didn’t give up, proved to the students they could trust me and over time they became much more accepting of my support."

"I think the most challenging thing about the job is trying to do everything at once. You’ll be juggling at certain times, perhaps a child will be crying, you’ll be doing book bags, nobody’s listening and the class teacher needs you to do something else. But the trick is to stay calm and not lose your temper!"

"My biggest challenge was working every day with the same child. This was a particular challenge because of their inability to focus for long period’s of time. However, I was able to implement a plan throughout my time at the school, which meant that the child had movement and sensory breaks. Once these were introduced with the support of my class teacher, the lesson became a easier for both of us. I had quite a bit of support and encouragement with this."

"Working one-to-one with a student over a long period can be very challenging, as it can be very repetitive and also draining, when you don’t see the progress you hoped for. Learning to be patient and focusing on the needs of the student and what’s best for them, helped me to make new determined efforts to develop and improve the ways in which I can support them."

SEND Challenges

Every special needs child is different, so whether you’re an experienced SEND pratitioner or not, working with children who have special educational needs or disabilities often comes with it’s fair share of difficult situations. Here are some ideas for handling them.

"Working with SEN pupils has been my biggest challenge, but each day I’m learning new ways of improving as well as learning from other TA’s in my organisation."

"Working with a student who has autism, mental health, and gender issues. You don’t actually overcome these, you have to work with them in mind at all times as you are dealing with a very confused child who is struggling with her gender let alone Autism and Mental Health issues, all this has to be kept in mind. I have been working with this student for a long time, and have built up a good working relationship and have put in place things to help her get through her day, and have arranged for outside workers to come in to talk to the student about her gender issues which has helped a lot."

"My biggest challenge has been working with children with special needs. However I have overcome many issues by reading all about different SEND conditions and using appropriate support methods as much as I can."

"Working with a young girl with Down’s Syndrome and possibly autism has been incredibly challenging. Keeping my cool was very important and learning strategies for coping from other TAs."

"Well I had never worked as a TA before so it was a all new to me, but the biggest challenge was adapting to all the different needs that the children have, as they are special needs children they are all so different. I love a challenge and am willing to learn and grow so I threw myself into it and made sure I learnt about every child I worked with."

"My biggest challenges have been working in a PRU, witnessing some of the daily struggles young children face but working with a strong and dedicated team of staff who are so supportive helps you to get through the challenges you face on a daily basis."

"My biggest challenge was to introduce a child to PECS on my own, but today I know that is possible!"

Thank you to all our teaching assistants who took the time to respond to our questionnaire. We think that these responses can offer some fantastic ideas and guidance to other staff who are new to TA work or supporting children with types of SEND which they are perhaps new to working with.

Not sure if TA work is for you? Take our quiz!

If you’re not sure whether you would be suited to working as a teaching assistant, why not take our quiz? It only takes a few minutes, so why not give it a try?

Or check out our jobs pages for TA vacancies

Or if you’re seeking a job as a teaching assistant, why not register with Axcis or check out our jobs pages? We also run a generous refer-a-friend scheme, so if you want to earn up to £250 in shopping vouchers just for helping a friend to find work, why not get in touch with their details today?