Post: SEN Teaching Assistant

Location: ACE Tiverton School, Orchard Way, Tiverton, EX16 5HB

FTE Salary Range: NJC Grade C.5 - D.8

Actual Salary Range:  £22,583 - £26,824

Contract Type: Permanent  term time only (39 weeks per year)

Contract Hours: 32.5 per week, Monday to Friday

For this role we are open to discussing the possibility of reduced hours, job share, compressed hours, or staggered hours. Please wait until the job offer stage before asking us about flexibility, and we will explore what’s possible for the role.

About the role

About the successful candidate

About the School

ACE Tiverton is an 11-16 special school which opened in September 2019 with 35 students across Years 7-11; this year we have expanded to 116 students into two purpose-refurbished buildings. We are a Free School Academy with a designation focused on education and supporting students with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Condition and related Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. We are part of the Reach South Academy Trust and our admissions come through the Statutory SEND Team in Devon.

All of our students have an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) and are supported in their learning families by teachers and teaching assistants. We aim to keep our groups small, allowing us to deliver the personalised, differentiated learning that enables our students to succeed.

Our school is a welcoming, inclusive, and safe learning environment in which vulnerable pupils are valued, cherished, and nurtured. Our priority is engagement and strong relationships. Our students are all bright, humorous, and interesting young people with their own backgrounds, stories, and contexts. Many have been out of full-time education for significant periods before coming to us. They thrive in an environment built on mutual respect, genuine interest, and transparency. ‘Unconditional positive regard’ is our mantra, and we firmly believe that every day is a new start.

Our talented, experienced team of staff take pride in working relentlessly to ensure that every individual leaves us as a confident young adult who is well-prepared for their life after Year 11, whether they go into employment or take up further education opportunities. At times, such as when meeting new staff for the first time, our students can be challenging and seek to test out boundaries and expectations. If you are motivated to create excellent educational experiences, have inspirational interactions and rewarding relationships with students who deserve amazing adults who care, are curious and driven by a desire to enable them to be the very best they can be, then we are the school family for you. 

About the Trust

We are a family of schools working in partnership for the benefit of all our pupils and students. We believe our charitable aim, to advance education, is best achieved through collaboration, both within the Trust and beyond.

We operate 21 academies across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, serving learners aged 3 to 19. Alongside our primary, all-through and technical provision, we are proud to include a strong and integral network of seven special schools and one alternative provision setting.

These settings are a vital part of our community, providing inclusive, high-quality education for pupils with a wide range of needs, including complex learning profiles, autism, and social, emotional and mental health needs, as well as those who benefit from a more personalised approach. Together, we are committed to helping every young person thrive.

Those we recruit are able to demonstrate that they share our values, are highly motivated to work with colleagues, within and beyond their school, to continuously develop their skills and pursue professional excellence.

Next Steps

If you think this role may be for you and want to be involved at this exciting time in our development and have any questions about the position, please get in touch by calling the Recruitment team on 07759365064 or emailing us at recruitment@reachsouth.org.

Closing date: for applications is 12.07.26

Interview Date:  Interviews are provisionally booked for 17.07.26

To apply for this opportunity, please complete our online application form by clicking ‘apply now’ on the advert.

We reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date. Therefore, an early application is strongly advised.

Opportunities and Benefits 

We offer a competitive salary plus LGPS pension, great career progression and development opportunities, access to our Employee Assistance Programme with many other benefits. 

We’re proud of how we support our staff in order that you have high levels of job satisfaction, are aware of the difference you are making for the children and families you work with and can see your contribution towards our community. There are regular opportunities for professional development and training, and a wider community of staff to network with within Reach South Multi Academy Trust. You will have the chance to visit other local schools, work alongside a range of outside professionals and take part in a variety of e-learning and face-to-face training.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Each post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Reach South Academy Trust has an Equal Opportunities Policy for selection and recruitment. Applicants are requested to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring section of the application form before submitting.