Hours of work: 8.45am - 3.15pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. 8.45am - 4.30pm Thursday. 39 weeks a year.

Castle Mead School is a proud member of EQUA Mead Learning Trust. Our family of like-minded schools collaborate to provide mutual support, share best practice and learn from each other, whilst retaining and developing each school’s distinctive character.  We believe all children and young people have the right to a great education and we seek to improve the life chances of all those we serve; it is our mission to give Every Child, Every Chance of success.  

Across our Trust, we want our children and young people to be inspired by their learning, and to instil in them a motivation and aspiration to succeed in all they do. Our schools are highly inclusive and we are proud to have high expectations of our children and young people, encouraging and preparing them to do their very best in their learning both within the curriculum and beyond.  

High quality teaching is a priority, coupled with strong nurturing support, where adults genuinely care about the wellbeing of the children and young people in their care. It’s our aim to meet the needs of each child individually and we provide the resources and staff to achieve this. Our dedicated team is committed to providing a wonderfully creative learning environment to fascinate every child.  Aspirations for excellence underpin all that we do; our schools are highly inclusive and we are proud to have high expectations of our children and young people.  

Children and young people in our schools are happy and safe, motivated to reach their full potential and equipped to become resilient, independent learners. They are prepared to live responsibly and peacefully in the spirit of understanding, and opportunities to develop their creativity, confidence and communication skills are woven into all aspects of school life. 

Inclusion is the beating heart of our organisation, and we cherish it in our staff just like we do in our children. We are committed to creating a workforce that is reflective of our communities and welcome applications from anyone with the skills and experience to do the role they are applying to, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, disability or any other protected characteristic. We recognise the value and contribution every member of our staff makes to our schools, and in return for their dedication and commitment we provide: 

• A clear vision with purpose and values that are supported by all our staff  
• An ambitious and vibrant place to work, with enthusiastic staff and children
• A highly organised and very supportive team
• Dedicated weekly planning time which Teaching Assistants are paid to attend 
• High quality professional development opportunities from Day One, including a National College and National Online Safety training account, where you can access thousands of training courses online for free 
• Unlimited, free access to the Employee Assistance Programme which gives all our staff confidential support and guidance when they need it most 
• A clear, comprehensive induction process 
• Generous employer contributions to the Local Authority Pension Scheme 
  

All about the role: 

We have a vacancy for a Teaching Assistant to work with our most complex children in school, within the Complex Needs Resource Base provision. 

On a typical day our Teaching Assistants: 

• Work with groups and individuals under the direction of a teacher, to develop the physical, intellectual, emotional and social skills of children 
• Assist with learning activities to develop children’s knowledge through support and encouragement 
• Make observations of the children’s progress, attitudes and behaviour 
• Prepare activities, make sure that appropriate equipment is available, and help clear away afterwards 
• Administer First Aid and medication 
• Display children’s work in classrooms and corridors, to celebrate their achievements and contribute to the positive, vibrant atmosphere of the school 
  

To be successful in this role, you will need: 

• The patience, passion, and dedication to work with some of our most vulnerable and challenging children 
• A paediatric First Aid qualification (or willingness to achieve one) 
• A Level 2 qualification in Supporting Teaching and Learning (desirable, but not essential) 
  

This role will involve contact with children and the post holder will be engaged in regulated activity relevant to children and will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check before appointment is confirmed. We will only submit a DBS application to the relevant disclosure service when a position is accepted. 

This Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow Safer Recruitment procedures and all interviews, regardless of role, will include questions about approaches to safeguarding. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is available on our website and follows all guidance in the most recent Keeping Children Safe in Education.  

All posts involving direct contact with children are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. However, amendments to the Exception Order 1975 (2013 & 2020) provide that certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’.  These are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.

Please note that by submitting an application, you acknowledge that we reserve the right to view any publicly available information published online (including social media platforms) as part of our shortlisting process, in line with current KCSIE guidelines.