Teaching Assistant
Higford School
Shropshire
- Expiring soon
- Salary:
- £23,638 per annum
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Apply by:
- 3 November 2026
Job overview
At OFG Education we allow for greater work life balance and extra time to do the things you love outside work
Job Title: Teaching Assistant
Location: Higford School, Near Shifnal, Shropshire TF11 9ET
Hours: 40 hours per week | Monday to Friday | 8am - 4pm
Salary: £23,638 per annum (not pro rata)
Contract: Permanent | Term Time
Start: November 2026
UK applicants only – no sponsorship available
About the Role
At Higford School, no two days are the same, and every small step forward is worth celebrating.
We're looking for a dedicated and compassionate Teaching Assistant to join our specialist education team, supporting students with Autism and additional needs. This is more than just a classroom support role. It's an opportunity to help young people develop confidence, independence, communication skills, and achieve outcomes that can genuinely change their future.
Whether you're already working in education, care, support work, youth work, or childcare, if you're passionate about helping young people reach their potential, we'd love to hear from you.
As a Teaching Assistant, you'll work closely with teachers and therapists to provide personalised support that helps students engage with learning, build confidence and develop important life skills.
You'll play a vital role in creating a positive, nurturing environment where students feel safe, supported and able to thrive
What you’ll do:
Supporting students with Autism and additional needs in lessons and throughout the school day
Encouraging engagement, confidence and independence
Helping deliver tailored learning activities and interventions
Providing emotional support and positive behaviour guidance
Building strong, trusting relationships with students
Supporting learning both inside and outside the classroom
Working collaboratively with teachers, families and other professionals
Who we’re looking for:
Caring, patient and resilient
Passionate about supporting young people with additional needs
A positive role model who can build strong relationships
Comfortable working as part of a team
Confident supporting students through challenges and celebrating their successes
You'll ideally have experience in education, childcare, care, youth work or SEN settings, although full training will be provided for the right person.
A full UK driving licence is required.
About Us
At OFG Education, we believe every student deserves an education designed around who they are. Through high expectations, deep expertise and truly personalised education, we help students realise their potential and prepare for successful futures.
Building on more than 20 years of experience, we are bringing our approach to more students and communities around the world. Across the UK, Iberia and the Gulf, our schools combine the strength, expertise and high standards of an international education group with the individuality of each school and the communities they serve.
Whatever your role, joining OFG Education means contributing to our shared ambition: empowering every student to success through truly personalised education.
About Our School
Options Higford is a specialist school set in 28 acres of beautiful Shropshire countryside. We provide a high quality, holistic education for up to 60 autistic students who also have associated behavioural needs. Class groups have five students in with at least 1:1 staffing. We provide personalised curriculums for each student based on their individual needs and aim to support them to make progress academically, socially, with skills for life, regulating their emotions and accessing the community.
We are proud to be a part of OFG Education who in 2025 were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.
Why Join Us?
We place students and vulnerable young adults at the heart of everything we do, so every day brings the satisfaction of making a real difference. We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.
Life Assurance
Pension scheme with options to increase contributions
“Your Wellbeing Matters” – mental health support and physical health checks
Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista), including:
Health, wellbeing and insurance benefits
Hundreds of UK and international discounts
Cycle to Work Scheme & Electric Car Purchase Scheme
Critical illness cover
Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity/paternity leave and paid fertility treatment support
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
OFG Education is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, OFG Education does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.
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Attached documents
About Higford School
Higford is a DfE registered School, offering day and residential placements and has achieved Autism Accreditation with the National Autistic Society for Quality Autism provision. We offer adapted and differentiated access to the National Curriculum for students at key stage 2-4, supplemented by ASDAN programmes ‘New Horizons’ and ‘Transition Challenge’. For students at key stage 5 we offer a vocational and life-skills curriculum, based around the ASDAN ‘Personal Progress’ award, supplemented by additional units of work or accredited programmes as appropriate, including community
We offer an exceptional range of activities and amenities designed to promote the development of life skills and apply learning across a range of contexts. These include:
- Classrooms designed specifically for young people with autism and complex needs
- A ‘Sensory Hub’ made up of a range of different sensory rooms in which students can explore new sensory experiences and take control of their environments, including a water play room, wellbeing room, sensory room, health hub (incorporating sauna and gym) and soft play room
- A sports hall and ball-court for PE and sporting activities
- A bistro area for shared dining
- Outdoor facilities including a sunken trampoline, playground, climbing-frame, swings and extensive grounds where students can engage in adventurous physical activity
Our multi-disciplinary team approach offers a holistic service based on sound knowledge and understanding of autism and what works in supporting learning for people with Autism and additional needs. Our clinical team is based on-site and includes speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, psychology and nursing services. We offer a high ratio of staff to students, generally 1:1 support provided with a class of up to 5 students. All staff have comprehensive training, focusing on the specialist knowledge necessary to support the complex needs of our students.
We aim to ensure we support the development of young people who are: happy and confident with a positive self-esteem, able to learn independently and cooperatively, independent and sociable, able to communicate their feelings, wishes and needs and are able to make choices, manage their own behaviour and enjoy life.
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