Teaching Assistant

Saffron Valley Collegiate

Croydon’s Secondary Pupil Referral Unit         

Teaching Assistant (LSA)

Salary: SC3 Spine Points 5-6, £29,436 - £29,856 (FTE) pro-rata salary £25,399 - £25,762

36 hours per week, permanent, term-time plus INSET days

Job Overview

To support teachers to enable students to access the curriculum and improve attendance, behaviour and progress, and to supervise whole classes during the short-term absence of a teacher for illness, training and case meetings. To promote the core values of SVC of Be Ready, Be Respectful, Be Safe.

What we’re Looking For:

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate;

• Providing support to individual pupils, and groups of pupils, to encourage improvements in behaviour for learning.

• Ability to work effectively and supportively as a member of Saffron Valley Collegiate;

• Ability to identify work priorities, whilst ensuring that lower priority work is kept up to date;

• Ability to act on own initiative, dealing with any unexpected problems that arise;

• High motivation, enthusiasm and professional standards.

• Ability to communicate effectively, use of ICT and have a ‘can-do’-attitude.

Location

Due to the staff development, we are looking for 1 new TA at KS4 North provision. Please note that all SVC staff may be deployed across the collegiate to meet the needs of our pupils.

Why join us?

·   This is an opportunity to join a team committed to working with some of the most vulnerable school children in Croydon. You could make a life-changing difference to a young person.

·   The staff at Saffron Valley are dedicated to removing the barriers to learning for our vulnerable children. This is an opportunity to join our team.

·    If you are ready to translate high expectations and quality support for learning for some of the most vulnerable schoolchildren in Croydon into daily practice, this could be your next career move.

Benefits

The School and Trust can offer you:

·        An organisation with a clear moral purpose to change young people’s lives.

·        A commitment to support you, in developing new skills through a wide range of professional development opportunities and experiences.

·        The opportunity to work with a dedicated passionate team of professionals.

·        Access to our 24/7 employee assistance scheme.

·        Generous pension scheme.

·        Term-time hours and flexible working.

·        Additional paid week leave in October for wellbeing purposes.

·        Five Year Service award for Support Staff.

·        Teachers’ Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme.

·        Eye care reimbursement.

·        Eligibility to discount schemes such as Blue Light.

·        Ongoing professional development opportunities through the apprenticeship programs.

Please complete your application in direct reference to the person specification.

Applications must be received no later than the closing date on the advert. Applications received after this date will not be considered. To help manage applications efficiently, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a strong response therefore, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. We may also interview shortlisted candidates before the official closing date.

Closing date for applications:  Sunday 7 June 2026 at midnight

Interviews to be held: Monday, 15 June 2026

Saffron Valley collegiate is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We particularly welcome applications from underrepresented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a Declaration of Offences form to confirm their criminal record or other information that may make them unsuitable to work with children. It is an offence for an individual with certain criminal convictions to attempt to engage in regulated activity (working with children).

This appointment is subject to pre-employment checks including an enhanced DBS check, teaching prohibited checks (if applicable), Section 128 check (if applicable), ID and right to work check, medical screening and confirmation of qualifications and references. We will conduct online searches on shortlisted candidates for information that is publicly available.

Copies of Saffron Valley Collegiate/ Alternative Learning Trust’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy can be found on the

All who work within are committed to the celebration of diversity, and the challenging of disadvantage and discrimination, in all its forms.