Teaching Assistant

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Teaching Assistant to join our thriving and vibrant community at an exciting time in our development.

The role of a Teaching Assistant involves setting appropriate boundaries for children, supporting their education and care and liaising with families to get the best possible outcomes. You will have the attributes to work across the whole school, including supporting children with complex health and medical needs and students who may demonstrate physically challenging behaviour.

About the role

All aspects of the role and responsibilities are focused on having an impact on the children at our school. This involves setting appropriate boundaries for children, supporting their education and care and liaising with families to get the best possible outcomes.

You will have, or be willing to quickly develop, a good understanding of our school curriculum, how to create a climate for success and how to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities to learn and develop. You will also demonstrate a resilient and instinctive approach in meeting our pupils’ needs.

Some examples of our expectations include:

• Support Teachers with teaching and learning in our classes as timetabled (this will include small group and one-to-one sessions)
• Produce/reproduce materials and resources to support teaching and learning
• Positively support pupils in informal sessions such as break-times and lunch-times
• Support with a child’s individual needs, following specific training and advice (for example movement and positioning programmes, managing epilepsy, managing challenging behaviour, supporting with eating and swallowing skills)
• Work within our ethos to positively manage behaviour, recognising that praise and reward are the most effective behaviour management tools
• Support the physical management of challenging behaviour. This role will involve restrictive physical interventions, including with young adults following Team Teach training.
• Support class teachers in photocopying, proofreading and other administrative tasks in order to support teaching

About You

• Have a Level 2 qualification (GCSE or equivalent) in Maths and English or suitable equivalent experience
• Have an understanding of child development and learning
• Ability to self-evaluate learning needs and actively seek learning opportunities
• Ability to work flexibly, throughout the whole school, meeting the needs of pupils in a range of contexts
• Ability to take an active role in the support of PE lessons and swimming sessions
• Can effectively use ICT to support learning
• Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with pupils, colleagues and parents
• Good organisational skills
• Good communication skills

If you share our passion for making a real difference to the lives of children and young people with special needs, this could be the opportunity you are looking for.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should complete the online application via the My New Term portal,

In compliance with Safer Recruitment guidelines, CV’s cannot be accepted and you will need to complete an online application form to be considered for this position

• Closing Date: 14 September at midday

For more information about this role can be found in our candidate information pack.

At The Gallery Trust, inclusion is paramount. We are committed to ensuring that everyone feels welcome, respected, and supported throughout our recruitment process. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or have any additional needs that may require adjustments at any stage of your application or interview, please let us know. We are very happy to talk with you about what would help you feel comfortable and able to perform at your best. This might include providing information in alternative formats, allowing extra time, or making practical adjustments to the process. You can contact our recruitment team in confidence at Jobs@bardwellschool.co.uk or by calling 01865 557004. We are here to help and would love to hear from you.

The Gallery Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Any offer of employment with The Gallery Trust is subject to verification of ID and qualifications, satisfactory evidence of the right to work in the UK, health clearance, NCTL and Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check. The Gallery Trust is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from candidates from all ethnic and community backgrounds.