Teaching Assistant

Salary: Support Staff Pay Scale D: £20,862 to £21,193 pro-rata per annum (Actual) (£25,583 - £25,989 full time/full year equivalent)

Part Time: 34.5 hours per week over 5 days

Working Weeks: 39 Weeks

A September start is preferred, subject to completed onboarding checks.

This role will be based at Hethersett Academy, Queen's Road, Hethersett, Norwich, NR9 3DB.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Teaching Assistant to join our committed and hardworking team at Hethersett Academy, supporting our students to achieve their full potential. This is an opportunity to be part of a collaborative community who are dedicated to ensuring pupils develop the knowledge and character needed to lead great lives.

You will be an inspirational practitioner who is passionate about raising achievement through motivating and inspiring pupils, who will also contribute to the vision and values of the school.

The ideal candidate will have British Sign Language Level 1 or above or is willing to be trained for this qualification.

What You’ll Be Doing

• To undertake care and learning programmes and activities to support individuals or groups of pupils, including more specialised support for those with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) or EAL (English as an Additional Language).
• To enable access to learning for pupils and assist the teacher in the management of pupils and the classroom.
• To promote good pupil behaviour, dealing promptly with conflict and incidents in line with established policy and encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour.
• To assist with the supervision of pupils out of lesson times as required.
• To prepare, maintain and use equipment/resources required to meet the lesson plans/relevant learning activity and assist pupils in their use, including supporting the use of ICT learning activities and developing pupils’ competence in its use.
• To support pupils during routine tests and external examinations as required

About You:

You will be an enthusiastic and inspiring practitioner with recent experience of working in a secondary education setting. You will be passionate about raising achievement through motivating and inspiring pupils, and keen to contribute to the school’s visions and values. You will be motivated to enable access to learning for pupils, including specialised support for those with special education needs. You will be responsible for supporting effective pastoral care to support pupils' social and emotional progress as well as their learning.

Essential:

• Good numeracy/literacy skills
• Experience of working with or caring for children of relevant age
• Knowledge of relevant policies/codes of practice and awareness of legislation
• Basic understanding of child development and learning
• Ability to evaluate learning needs and actively seek learning opportunities

Desirable:

• Experience of working with pupils with SEND
• First aid training
• British Sign Language Level 1 or above or is willing to be trained for this qualification

Why Join Inspiration Trust

At Inspiration Trust, we believe in the power of education to transform lives. You’ll be joining a supportive, forward-thinking organisation that values professional development, collaboration, and innovation. We provide opportunities for growth and empower you to make a real impact in schools across Norfolk and north Suffolk. As part of our thriving network of talented teachers, leaders, and support staff, you’ll receive a varied professional development programme designed to help you be the best you can be.

We offer:

• Generous annual leave, and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with excellent employer contributions
• Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme, including 24/7 virtual GP access, mental health support and claim-back options for healthcare costs *
• Cycle-to-work scheme, retail and theatre discounts (including discounted shopping vouchers, dentist and gym memberships), and salary sacrifice options (including home technology). *
• Free parking at most sites
• Personalised CPD and development programmes
• A structured and specific induction programme.

*Terms and conditions apply. Some benefits are only available following successfully passing probation.

Hethersett Academy is one of East Anglia’s top-performing schools, rated Outstanding by Ofsted in all areas. Inspectors have highlighted how much pupils value their education at the academy - "Pupils flourish at this school. They attend regularly, arrive on time and present themselves impeccably. Pupils respect each other and their surroundings. Bullying is rare. Pupils know that if bullying does happen, staff deal with it effectively and promptly. Pupils have very high expectations of their own and others’ behaviour. They value every minute of learning time."

A growing village school with a strong history in the local community, Hethersett Academy is conveniently located just off the A11, making it a popular choice for families in Wymondham, south Norwich, and the surrounding areas.

We are part of the Inspiration Trust; a thriving family of schools across Norfolk and North Suffolk, recognised nationally for pupil progress and excellence in teaching and leadership. We believe every young person deserves the best education, regardless of background. Inspiration Trust specialises in transforming schools in disadvantaged areas and taking academies from failing to outstanding.

The Trust offers extensive networks and opportunities to collaborate with a diverse range of schools and partners. We are committed to delivering outstanding professional and learning opportunities for all staff, supported by a rich programme of continuing professional development led by some of the country’s leading educational thinkers and practitioners.

For information on what it is like to live and work in Hethersett, click here. Hethersett Academy is rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The academy inspected in January 2016 when it was ranked as Outstanding in every area assessed. Since then, the school has doubled in size and a Section 8 inspection in September 2022 resulted in another Outstanding rating.

Next Steps

Before applying, please read the attached Recruitment Pack and Job Description, for more details about the role. We ask that you read this pack carefully, especially the “Planning your application” section from page 11. This will support your application ensuring you have the opportunity to tell us about your relevant skills, experience and qualifications that relate to the job description and person specification in addition to details of your references covering the last 5 years.

To apply for this role please click the Apply button to complete the online application form.

When you start your application, you will receive several emails from our application provider, Vacancy Filler. Please be aware that some email providers may mistakenly mark these messages as spam. To avoid missing important updates, we recommend checking your spam or junk folders regularly throughout the application process and marking these emails as safe.

Closing date for applications: 9am on Monday 3rd August 2026

Interview date: Thursday 20th August 2026

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities

Inspiration Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All staff appointments are subject to satisfactory references and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. We are an equal opportunities employer.