Classroom Support Assistant

We are seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Classroom Support Assistant to join our supportive and welcoming school. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is passionate about helping young people achieve their potential and thrive in a positive learning environment. You will work in partnership with teachers to support students in accessing high-quality teaching, participating fully in school life and achieving their academic and personal potential. The postholder will provide classroom, academic and pastoral support that promotes inclusion, develops student independence and helps all students, particularly those with additional needs, to engage successfully with learning. The Classroom Support Assistant will work under the direction of teachers, who retain overall responsibility for the learning, progress and assessment of all students.

Contract & hours: Term-time plus 5 INSET days, 39 weeks per year. Monday to Friday, 8.40 am–3.40 pm, with a 30-minute break each day.

You will:

• Work alongside teachers to support students’ access to learning across a range of curriculum areas.

• Support students in understanding lesson objectives, instructions and activities while promoting independence.

• Use questioning, prompting and scaffolding techniques to help students think for themselves.

• Encourage students to develop confidence, resilience, perseverance, organisational skills and effective learning habits.

• Assist with the preparation and organisation of classroom resources and learning materials.

• Support students in the effective use of technology and specialist resources where appropriate.

• Help maintain a safe, inclusive and positive classroom environment.

• Maintain high expectations of all students.

• Support students with SEND, disadvantaged students and others who require additional support to access learning.

• Contribute to the wider life of the school community.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Is patient, flexible and able to build positive and professional relationships with students and staff.

• Has good literacy, numeracy and IT skills.

• Is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

• Can work effectively as part of a team while also using their own initiative.

Why join The Ecclesbourne School:

• The opportunity to gain invaluable experience in a school setting, ideal for aspiring teachers.

• Make a real difference: See the tangible impact of your work on the school and its students.

• Supportive environment: Join a welcoming team in a school that values and invests in its staff.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training and career development within our supportive academy.

• Local Government Pension Scheme: Immediate membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme with a high percentage of employer contributions.

• Wellbeing: We value our staff and recognise the ongoing contributions they make to the continued success of the whole school.

• The school motto: ‘Integrity. Tenacity. Service.’ is at the core of school life.

• School admissions: Children of members of staff, with a minimum of two years’ service at the school at the time of application, are included in our admissions criteria.

The reward for working at The Ecclesbourne School is more than financial. To learn more about the school, please click here.

If you are interested in contributing to the future of one of the East Midlands’ leading schools, we look forward to hearing from you.

How to apply:

You should apply using the school application form, which can be downloaded from the school website here.

When applying, please outline how your previous experience has prepared you for this role and what skills you will bring to it. For further information, to visit the school, or to submit your application, please contact Tina Spencer-Keyse, Director of Human Resources, at tspencer-keyse@ecclesbourne.derbyshire.sch.uk

Please note that we do not accept applications by CV.

The closing date for applications is 8am on Monday, 2 November 2026.

We encourage applicants to apply early as we reserve the right to close applications on an earlier date should there be a high number of candidates.

Our commitment to safeguarding: Our school is committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our students, and we expect all our staff to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process which is in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates. All offers of employment will be conditional on a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, references, health check and, where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions are considered “protected”. This means that they do not need to be disclosed to employers and, if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice Website and on the websites of charities NACRO and UNLOCK.

Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a school, we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics, which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not discriminating on any grounds.