Our Values

It’s great to know that you are interested in working with us at Coventry City Council. As a prospective employee, it is important that everyone who works for us is committed to our One Coventry values and shares our commitment to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation. 

Our Values are:

About the team we are recruiting to

The Coventry Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) Support Service exists to deliver the aspirational challenge set to us by young people with SEND and their families: ‘To Lift the Cloud of Limitation and enable them to enjoy an ordinary life’. 

We are a creative, connected and forward-thinking service.  Together with our families and partners in schools, settings, the NHS and third sector, we have driven change that has pushed us to the cutting edge of SEND.  This includes embedding co-production across all areas of service delivery, investing in our SEND workforce, and pioneering new initiatives such as the award-nominated 'Together We Can' partnership group to engage Early Years children and their families and 'My Support Plan', a family-centred approach to understanding children's strengths and needs and tailoring their support. 

When Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) completed a Local Area inspection of Coventry in October 2019, they commended our “genuine passion and commitment to get things right for children and young people with SEND and their families”; our respect for the “lived experiences of children and young people with SEND and their parents” and the “strong partnership between school settings and education service providers, with a high level of buy-back of specialist services”.

The Sensory Team are specialist (hearing and vision) teachers and support staff providing highly specialist support and advice for children and young people with hearing or vision difficulties in Coventry aged from 0-25. 

The team, which is highly regarded by families and schools, provides information, equipment and direct teaching in homes, early years settings and schools across Coventry to promote inclusion, empower families and raise achievement.

What is the job role?

Teaching Assistant for Children with a Visual Impairment

Grade 4

28 hours, term time only, permanent - salary will be pro-rata to the number of hours worked

This is  a unique opportunity to join a well-established team to support children and young people with a visual impairment across Coventry

Under the guidance of a Qualified Teacher of Children with a Visual Impairment

•To prepare for and facilitate the fullest possible inclusion of children with a visual impairment, 0-19, within their educational peer group.

•To support children with visual impairments, implementing touch typing and Braille programmes,  modification of curriculum resources and developing visual skills

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for experienced and highly motivated teaching assistant with excellent communication skills to join our team.

 You will need to be creative, imaginative and sensitive to the individual needs of children with a visual impairment and young people.

You will need:

• Energy and enthusiasm in working with children and young people with a visual impairment
• A proficient and confident use of IT and excellent touch typing skills
• High standard of literacy and numeracy skills
• Practical skills to contribute to the preparation and management and adaptation of educational resources
• An understanding of the implications of visual impairment upon children and their families.
• Recent experience of working in support of children with SEND and / or a Visual Impairment within an educational setting.
• A willingness to learn Braille UEB stage 2 (training will be provided)

To be shortlisted for this post you will need to demonstrate that you have had extensive relevant experience of working supporting children with special educational needs and/or a visual impairment and excellent IT skills.

For an informal discussion about this post, please contact to arrange a call: 

Joanne Appleton Lead Sensory Team and Lead for the Visual Impairment Team

Sensory Team

Email: joanne.appleton@coventry.gov.uk  

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'

Interview date(s): week beginning 12th July

About Coventry

Coventry is a lively, multicultural city, which embraces old and new. Around the modern city centre there are traces of history everywhere – in the old city walls, the timber-framed buildings and the reconstructed medieval Spon Street. But Coventry has always had an eye on the future, and is now firmly focused on regenerating and re-inventing itself to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. With major developments and new projects taking place right across the city, Coventry City Council is the place to be!
There's a huge buzz about the city – Coventry ranks as the 8th best city to live, work and do business in the UK, and is the UK City of Culture 2021 ! We believe this will help put Coventry on the map for all the right reasons. You can feel the sense of local pride throughout the city as we build towards this momentous year. It also offers a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to those joining us to play their part in it.
We genuinely believe that Coventry City Council is a special place. You will be joining Coventry City Council during an exciting time to become part of a team that contribute to achieving our visions for the city. We have made our council a place where we look after our people, making sure you're happy in your work and given everything you need to succeed. We've created friendly, welcoming workplaces where everyone is working towards the same cause, providing the best possible services for the city of Coventry.
As a council with improvement at its heart, we’re committed to making life better for the people who live and work in Coventry. We’re equally concerned with the quality of life enjoyed by our people, so by joining us, you won’t just be helping the community, you’ll be helping yourself too.
Not only do you get to work alongside great people that are helping to improve services for our community we offer great benefits too! For your valued contribution we will provide a fantastic benefits package including;

• Flexible working arrangements
• Generous annual leave allowance starting at 27 days and rising to 32 days
• Pay progression through multiple increments
• Outstanding local government pension scheme
• Learning & Development with access to certified courses.
• Access to an award winning Occupational Health Team
• Vibrant employee networks 

Coventry City Council