Specialist Learning Support Assistant (Autism)

Salary FTE: Grade 5 £31,015 to £33,673

Actual salary: For 26 hours per week, 39 weeks, £18,746 to £20,352 (with under five years' service) and for 32.5 hours per week, 39 weeks, £23,432 to £25,440 (with under five years' service)

Contract term: Multiple vacancies/various working patterns, permanent

Start date: As soon as possible

Closing date: Midnight Sunday 15 November 2026

Mercia Learning Trust

Mercia Learning Trust is a successful partnership of four primary and four secondary schools located in Sheffield. Established in 2012, with one secondary school, our trust has grown to serving over 6100 pupils, with over 800 staff.

Why do we exist?

• To empower everyone in our communities, especially the most disadvantaged, to succeed.

How do we behave?

• We are kind - showing care and supporting each other.
• We have integrity - doing the right thing and always putting children first.

• We work with diligence - overcoming obstacles and having no excuses.

What do we do?

• We run schools that focus on academic excellence, cultural capital and the development of character.

How will we succeed?

• A culture of excellence – high standards shaped by clarity, not control.
• Academic focus – empowering all children through an exceptional curriculum.
• Purposeful collaboration – relationships built on trust, reducing sub-optimisation and driving collective success.

Our staff are a crucial part of our trust, just like our pupils. We are devoted to recruiting, training, retaining and taking good care of our highly skilled and dedicated team. 

The school

King Ecgbert School is a highly successful school at the heart of Mercia Learning Trust. We pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional quality of education to learners from all backgrounds aged 11-18.

Our school is exceptionally strong - rated outstanding by Ofsted and has academic results that are consistently ‘well above average’.

This is a truly comprehensive school and are committed to providing outstanding education for all in a safe, happy and positive learning environment.

The role

King Ecgbert School is seeking to appoint highly skilled and talented specialist learning support assistants (autism) to join our integrated resource team.  

Working within an agreed framework of supervision and direction, the successful candidates will deliver high quality, personalised interventions both in and out of the classroom setting, maximising the progress of pupils within the integrated resource. 

There are multiple vacancies available with various working patterns. 

Working patterns are:

• 26 hours per week over 4 days (working days negotiable), 39 weeks.
• 32.5 hours per week over 5 days, 39 weeks.

The candidate

Ambitious for learning and a team player, you will have the vision, enthusiasm and drive to build on the strong foundations that already exist in the school. Innovative and resilient, you will have an unwavering commitment to student progress.

We are looking for staff who are enthusiastic and keen to make a difference. You'll be eager to learn and work well with others, and you'll bring vision, enthusiasm, and determination. You'll also be inventive and flexible. We are seeking candidates who are dedicated to serving a diverse community and bring with them experiences and viewpoints that will enhance our efforts.

The successful candidate will:

• have experience of working with students with autism and related conditions
• confidently use their knowledge and understanding of autism curriculum to support pupils through individual, small group and larger group interventions
• be able to work with parents, carers and families, and establish productive working relationships with students, acting as a role model and setting high expectations
• work successfully with colleagues from all subject areas
• be well organised and flexible
• be able to use own initiative and work independently