Teaching Assistant

Please be aware that this role is based at the Cranbrook campus​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

We are seeking to appoint a committed and enthusiastic Teaching Assistant to join and support our team at Snowfields Academy. This role is ideal for those who genuinely have a passion for helping children, particularly with learning difficulties, and also a fantastic opportunity for those considering a career in teaching to gain valuable first-hand experience.

Candidates who are appointed will receive full support and training from colleagues and teachers. Join a new SEN school and become a part of our exciting journey, starting as soon as possible.

This is a permanent position based on 31.63 hours per week (Monday to Friday, 9.15am - 4pm with 4.45pm finish every other Wednesday)​​​​​​​, Term Time + 1 week of inset. This position offers an actual salary of £15,286 per annum (£20,789 full time equivalent)

What does the role involve? The main aim of this role is to support our teachers to deliver academic excellence, day in, day out, with professionalism and enthusiasm. This will involve providing a comprehensive support service to the academy including:

• Assisting students with their educational and social development, on an individual and group basis
• Providing support for individual students inside and outside the classroom to enable them to fully participate in activities
• Assisting teachers with the maintenance of student records
• Building and maintaining successful relationships with students, whilst treating them with respect and consideration
• Provide expertise to deliver a personalised curriculum for each pupil’s learning
• Work together with families and other agencies to ensure every pupil is valued, challenged and supported
• Have the highest expectation that every pupil will make sustained academic and personal progress
• Ensure that every pupil is ready for the next steps in their learning and is supported to participate in, and contribute to, life in modern Britain

Each and every member of staff, regardless of their position or seniority, is expected to participate in the overall running of the school and to act as a positive role model for our students. In and out of the classroom you will encourage and promote positive behaviour and effectively manage any situation that threatens to impact on the progress of other students.

What are we looking for in you? Applicants will have previous experience of working with young people, either in an academic setting or as a voluntary worker. You will be educated to GCSE level (or equivalent) in literacy and numeracy. You will be committed to personal learning and development, and have a sincere commitment to sharing our long-term aims and drive for continuous improvement. In return, we will offer you a professional and supportive team, a state of the art working environment and a genuine opportunity to develop.

As a Trust we feel it is important to hire for the right attitude which is why we look for support assistants that are enthusiastic, focused and resilient to the day to day pressures that the classroom brings.

Please note that interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. 

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Working with us at Snowfields Academy: ​​​​​​​Snowfields Academy opened in September 2020 as a new secondary provision for students with ASD. When full we will offer 140 places across year groups 7-13 for young people who are working at or close to age-related expectations. Class sizes are small with 12/13  in each class, supported by 2-3 teaching assistants according to need. We offer a range of GCSEs and other qualifications for young people on a blend of academic and vocational pathways.

The academy benefits from being a brand new school with a design tailored to the students it provides for, carefully considered to make the most of both its inside and outside environments in order to enhance the learning of its students. The environment supports specialisms in horticulture and catering with a purpose-designed teaching kitchen, servery and cafe, and internal and external horticulture facilities supporting our students into employment. We will work closely with local businesses to offer an outstanding range of work experience opportunities and supported internships.​​​​​​​

At Snowfields Academy we:

• Inspire and engage our children so they develop a lifelong love of learning, working towards the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme at Key Stage 3
• Deliver a quality, inclusive education so all children are able to achieve to their full potential
• Create a learning environment where barriers to learning are overcome and students feel safe and happy and are ready to learn
• Ensure that all children feel valued and celebrate their individuality and success at every opportunity
• Always work within a multi-disciplinary framework alongside families and other professionals
• Use personalised approaches to manage behaviour and reduce anxieties
• Ensure safeguarding, pastoral support and embedding British Values are at the heart of all we do
• Create a culture where staff work collaboratively as part of the wider team, sharing ideas and good practice and offering support to each other.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Being part of Leigh Academies Trust: As of 1st September 2022, our Trust comprises 30 geographically organised academies (14 secondaries, 14 primaries and 2 special) educating 20,000 students, and employing 3,000 talented staff. The Trust is establishing four ‘clusters’ of academies: North Kent; Central Kent; South East London; Medway. In addition, the Trust is responsible for one of the region’s biggest initial teaching training organisations, a large teaching school hub and is an accredited apprenticeship provider. Our future plans are found in our Vision 2030 document available on our website.​​​​​​​

Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates - you can read more about this in our Recruitment Guidance. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

​​​​​​Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a Trust, 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.