Part-Time Learning Assistant (Fixed-Term)

Job Description

Do you have a passion for nature and wildlife? Do you enjoy working with children and young people? Share your love of nature, as a learning assistant with the RSPB by helping to deliver our education programme to visiting schools, where typical activities range from minibeast hunts, pond dipping and guided nature walks.

We are recruiting 2 learning assistant posts to deliver outdoor learning programmes to children and students of all ages from EYFS to university level. Our school visits programme aims to give schoolchildren the chance to experience nature first-hand on our amazing nature reserve just a stone's throw from Newport city.

About Newport Wetlands Nature Reserve

This reserve is a special area for wildlife, lying between the Severn estuary and the river Usk. It is one of the most important areas of wetland habitat in Wales, providing a haven for wildlife on the edge of the city. The site was created as compensation for the Cardiff Bay barrage and the extensive reedbeds and lagoons are important for key breeding species such as bittern and bearded reedlings

What is the role about?

The purpose of the role is to deliver RSPB programmes connecting schoolchildren and young people with nature through curriculum-linked education programmes on the reserve with our learning officer and team of volunteers

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Previous experience or work with groups of young people.
• Confidence and ability to facilitate a day’s programme both in the field and in the classroom with a group of students and their teacher.
• Ability to work with a wide variety of ages and abilities of children.
• Abundant enthusiasm and excellent communication skills.
• Good level of general ecological and natural history knowledge.
• Good understanding of health & safety and safeguarding issues with regards to outdoor education.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Working experience of environmental education.
• Working experience of teaching outdoors.
• Teaching qualification.
• Working knowledge of the National Curriculum
• Previous teaching experience or work with groups of young people.

These are Fixed-Term, Part-Time roles for 4 months, for 22.5 hours per week. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 13th February 2023. For further information please contact emma.reynolds@rspb.org.uk

As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

This role will require completion of a DBS in addition to the standard pre-employment checks.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.