JOB TITLE:  Learning Support Assistant 

BASED AT:  Samuel Whitbread Academy

SALARY/GRADE RANGE:   NJC Scale 2A Points 3-4 (FTE £24,796 - £25,185 pro rata; actual £17,505 - £17,780)

RESPONSIBLE TO: Head of ASC Provision & Learning Support / SENCO

HOURS:  30.00 hours per week, term-time only including 5 pro rata designated staff training days.  

The Bedfordshire Schools Trust (BEST) is a multi-academy trust providing exceptional education across our community of 11 schools and five nurseries. Since forming in 2016, we have grown significantly into one of the largest single employers in Central Bedfordshire. We now educate 8,000 children across the area, from nursery age to advanced level study and have over 1,000 members of staff.  It is our aim to grow the BEST in everyone, and everything we do is driven by our values, but our aims can only be achieved if we recruit, retain and develop the highest quality workforce – and we want those we employ to be valued in the workplace.  The formative years of BEST has been a real success story – and we are looking forward to an exciting future, too.

Do you enjoy supporting young people to achieve? Are you enthusiastic, proactive and positive about education? If so, Samuel Whitbread Academy is looking to appoint to this vital and fulfilling role. You will join a large, welcoming team, who are integral members of our school community.  

We expect our Learning Support Assistants to have excellent communication skills and be confident in a classroom setting. The successful candidate will have Grade 4/C or above in Maths and English at GCSE level. The main focus of the role is to support students with SEN in mainstream lessons. Personality, charisma and resilience are as valued as experience!

We encourage applications from all communities as we want to have a workforce that reflects the social, cultural and ethnic diversity of our students.

CLOSING DATE: Midnight, Sunday 12th April 2026

INTERVIEW DATE:  week commencing 20th April 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

This role will involve working closely with the pupils at Samuel Whitbread Academy and you will be engaging in regulated activity with children.

For general enquiries about this role, please contact Emma Saunders on 01462 629900 or esaunders@bestacademies.org.uk

Information about Samuel Whitbread Academy can be found on the school website https://www.samuelwhitbread.org.uk/  

Applications may be made online via the MyNewTerm website, If you would prefer a Word Application Form, one may be obtained by directly emailing Samuel Whitbread Academy via the contact details provided below. 

We are committed to the safeguarding and promotion of children's welfare and offers of employment are subject to DBS clearance and two satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

Strictly no agencies.