Teaching Assistant

Job Title Teaching Assistant 📍 Location: Thornhill Academy 💰 Salary: Grade 4 (NJC Scale Points 6 to 8) £21,719.96 - £22,417.35 ⏳ Contract: FTC until 31/08/27 - 32.5 hours per week, Term Time plus 5 days 📅 Start Date: October 2026 Join Our Mission to Inspire, Support and Empower Every Learner Thank you for considering a role with Consilium Academies and Thornhill Academy. We are a trust and school community driven by values, purpose, and a shared belief that every young person deserves an excellent education—and we would love you to join us on that journey. A Welcome from Consilium Academies At Consilium, we are committed to being an excellent trust with excellent schools, guided by our core values: Excellence, Equity, and Integrity. We celebrate the unique strengths of every pupil and colleague, and we work collaboratively to ensure everyone reaches their full potential. Our Centre for Professional Learning provides colleagues with tailored training, career development opportunities, and the support needed to flourish. We believe in fairness, inclusion, and giving everyone the opportunity to thrive—regardless of background. We aim to create vibrant, diverse, and supportive communities across all our academies, where lifelong learning and ambition are encouraged. Thank you for your interest in joining the Consilium family. A Welcome from Thornhill Academy Thank you for your interest in joining Thornhill Academy. We are extremely proud of our school and the progress we have made. Our May 2024 Ofsted inspection, which graded us ‘Good’, reflects the rapid improvement journey we are on. With a brand-new school building due to begin construction in April 2026, this is an exciting time to become part of our team. Thornhill Academy is a warm, inclusive, and diverse community. Our students represent 14 ethnicities and 35 languages, and we celebrate this richness in our culture, curriculum, and day-to-day school life. Our mission is simple: to enable every child to access the best possible future, whether that is university or a fulfilling alternative pathway. We have high expectations, a strong commitment to kindness, fairness, and hard work, and a genuine focus on supporting every student to succeed. We look forward to receiving your application. About Thornhill Academy Thornhill Academy is an 11-16 secondary school located near Sunderland City Centre. We pride ourselves on developing confident, resilient, and responsible young people in a nurturing environment. Our staff and governors are proud of our achievements and the wide range of extra-curricular activities we offer. We aim to: Promote a culture where students take responsibility for their actions and learning Create a safe, supportive and happy environment where diversity is celebrated Inspire a lifelong passion for learning through high-quality teaching Support every pupil’s physical, emotional, social, and academic development About the Role As a Teaching Assistant, you will play a vital role in supporting students’ learning, wellbeing, and development. Working under the guidance of the class teacher, you will help to provide engaging activities, assist with planning and assessment, and ensure pupils can access learning effectively—both in and beyond the classroom. Key Responsibilities Support for Pupils Provide tailored support to pupils, including those with SEND Promote independence, positive behaviour, and engagement Assist with Education/Behaviour Plans and personal care needs Establish positive relationships, promoting inclusion and acceptance Give feedback to pupils to support their progress Support for Teachers Assist in preparing resources and maintaining a purposeful learning environment Support with planning and delivering structured learning activities Monitor, record, and report pupils’ progress Carry out routine marking and behaviour support Help with display work and supervision Support for the Curriculum Deliver agreed interventions and learning programmes (e.g. literacy, numeracy) Support the use of ICT and develop pupil independence Prepare and maintain equipment and resources General Responsibilities Ensure safeguarding, health & safety, confidentiality, and data protection procedures are followed Attend relevant meetings and training Contribute to the wider life and ethos of the school Person Specification Essential NVQ Level 3 in Teaching Assistance (or equivalent experience) Good numeracy and literacy skills (NVQ Level 2 or equivalent) Experience working with children of secondary age Understanding of child development and learning processes Ability to support pupils with autism (1:1 and small group) Knowledge of the national curriculum and learning programmes Ability to build positive relationships with pupils, staff, and parents Strong team player with good communication skills Commitment to safeguarding and equality Desirable Experience working with pupils with additional needs Full understanding of support services and multi‑agen