Walking her dog, Donna, who is now Deputy Lead Student Support Assistant at Treloar’s, saw Treloar's recruitment poster which caught her attention. After she got home, Donna went online to find out more about Treloar's, and the rest is history! Read on to find out about Donna's career journey at Treloar School and College.
Being Student Support Assistant
"My main purpose as a Deputy Lead Student Support Assistant is to support our wonderful students—whether it's with accessing their education or with their care needs. I act as a facilitator, get involved in the therapeutic side of the students' timetable as well as their education: maths, English, science and all of the usual subjects that you would expect at school. We provide support with maneuvering our students into different positions and providing different experiences throughout the day, caring for them (providing personal care if needed) and helping them with their eating and drinking needs. So a bit of everything—it's a very varied role. We are very lucky—we've also been on some lovely school trips, including regular power boat trips with Wet Wheels, visiting Riding for the Disabled stables and visits to local places like churches and shops where students learn new life skills."
Training available for student support assistants
"There's so much training on offer at Treloar's. I came in as a complete novice, and the support and the training package provided when you are a new starter give you a very clear programme to follow. You are guided through every step—from the moment you step foot in the building, before you even reach the classroom, there is a lot of background knowledge that you need to know, such as policies. There are lots of practical courses that are really useful and the longer you are here, the more you understand how to implement all those new skills and that it all just fits together like a big jigsaw. But the training is just ongoing—we have regular professional training days to upskill and maintain the high standards."
Working in the classroom setting
"At Treloar's, some student support assistants work in both residential and classroom setting, however, I am purely in the classroom, so I stay with the students from the moment they come to the building and I leave with them at the end of the school day once they're on their transport or are collected."
What do you most enjoy about your role?
"I just enjoy being part of students' life: seeing them daily, seeing them achieve their targets and progress; watching their confidence grow in all sorts of areas—academically, socially, with their communication. It is the most rewarding job I have ever done.
Benefits of working at Treloar's
"I have just completed Level 3 in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools. It has taught me so much, but I have learnt lots of other skills along the way, including learning Makaton. In term of employee benefits, we get quite a few: we have Perkbox which gives us access to discount vouchers for travel and retail. We also have access to HSF health plan."
Donna's message for anyone considering becoming a student support assistant
"To anyone who is thinking of applying, I would say 'do it'. When I was considering this role and this job and entering the world of Treloar's, I didn't know quite what to expect and I didn't know if I had the skills needed, but during my interview, it was really apparent that the support that is offered, the encouragement, the training that Treloar's provides, I just knew I had to take the opportunity and I never looked back. It's the best job I've ever done."