Teaching Assistant

Location: Aspire Academy

Are you looking for a fulfilling job supporting local children with social, emotional and mental health needs? Do you want to join a dedicated team of skilled and compassionate staff? Apply to join Aspire Academy Academy as a Teaching Assistant now.

Aspire Academy is a unique and rewarding school to work in where no two days are ever the same! We celebrate the fact that each child is unique and we harness that individuality, to help them become ‘the best they can be’.

Previous classroom experience is not essential, but we are looking for teaching assistants who are creative, resilient and enjoy a challenge.

A caring and positive approach to working with young people from a range of backgrounds and diagnoses which include SEMH, ASD and ADHD is a must!

Location:            Aspire Academy, Welling, Kent

Start:                  ASAP

Closing Date:   Friday 29th March 2024

Salary:                LSEAT H18 £22,779 (pro rata)

Hours:                8.30am-4:00 pm – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday Friday

8.30am-4.30pm –Tuesday

39 weeks per annum (term time only)

Your main responsibilities will include:

●       Supporting pupils within a class of 8 - 10 pupils to access the curriculum

●        working one to one or small groups with pupils delivering intervention programmes such as phonics

●        offering emotional support to pupils

●        supporting the creation of a calm and productive working environment

We are looking for a committed candidate with these qualifications:

●       GCSE Grade 4 or equivalent in English and Maths (desirable)

●       Good numeracy and literacy skills

●       Experience working in a SEN / SLD / SEMH environment (desirable)

●       NVQ2 for Teaching Assistants or equivalent qualifications or experience (desirable)

●       Ability to motivate and inspire

●       Ability to adopt a patient, nurturing and resilient approach

●        Ability to work flexibly and to adapt to the changing needs of the pupils

●       Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing

●        Sufficient command of spoken English as defined under the Code of Practice on English language requirements for public sector workers

Please see the attached Job Description for further details.

What benefits can you expect?

The development of our employees at Aspire Academy is paramount. To support this, we offer these benefits:

●       Local Government Pension Scheme

●       Full induction programme

●       Team Teach positive behaviour training: Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviour ©

●       Weekly CPD training

●       Employee Assistant Programme with 24 hour counselling and support available

●       Free parking on site

●       Advantages of belonging to a multi-academy Trust (e.g. best practice sharing, Tusker car leasing scheme etc.)

 For further information and an informal conversation about the roles please contact co-headteachers Heather Hopkins or Julie Arkwright, on 02083041320.

Visits to the school encouraged.

Please email completed applications to:

heather.hopkins@aspire.lseat.org.uk  or Julie.arkwright@aspire.lseat.org.uk

About the school

 Aspire Academy is a SEMH primary school located in Welling. It caters for up to 64 pupils with an EHCP for social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Aspire Academy provides holistic education for our pupils incorporating high quality therapeutic and academic support. We pride ourselves in ensuring our pupils get not only a high quality academic experience but also opportunities to participate in a range of extra curricular opportunities including school trips, school residential, sports matches and tournaments. Trips this year have included: London theatre trip, cinemas, nature reserves and Duxford air museum. We have school sports teams who participate in many matches and tournaments against local schools and a school choir who participate in the Young Voices concert at the O2.

 We are therefore seeking an enthusiastic and creative practitioner with a background in supporting children within classroom settings either in mainstream or special schools.

You may be already working in a special school or in a mainstream setting but keen to work in specialist provision. You would be joining a skilled team of teaching and support staff in providing high quality learning for our students. This is an opportunity to make a real difference to children’s lives. 

If you have enthusiasm, commitment and a desire to work with some of the most vulnerable and complex young people in our community, we would welcome your application. 

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Offers of employment are subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS disclosure and other employment checks.

The school is committed to equality and diversity in employment practice and service delivery.