Job Description
Job Title: Teaching Assistant – Level 1 Actual Annual Salary: £19,691 - £21,461 (Based on hours and week worked) Full Time Equivalent Salary: £26,798 - £29,208 (CLF Grade B) Based on full time hours, all year round. Contract Type: Permanent Hours: 31.75 hours per week - Part Time, Term Time Only plus Inset days Additional Information: This role is 31.75 hours per week, worked across five days. The weekly hours are Monday 6.25, Tuesday 6.25, Wednesday 6.75, Thursday 6.25, and Friday 6.25 hours. Potential Start Date: January 2027 (Subject to completion of pre-employment checks) Make a difference by helping students overcome barriers to learning and achieve their full potential through personalised support, encouragement, and care. We are seeking a dedicated Teaching Assistant Level 1 to join the team at Kingsmead Academy. Working as part of a small, supportive team under the guidance of the SENDCO, you will play a vital role in supporting students with a wide range of learning, communication, and social needs. In this role, you will provide care and supervision for students both within the classroom and across the wider school environment. You will work closely with teaching staff to prepare learning resources, maintain a safe and engaging learning environment, and support the delivery of learning activities that enable all students to access the curriculum. You will adapt your approach to meet the needs of students with significantly varying abilities, ensuring appropriate differentiation and inclusion at all times. You will promote positive behaviour, independence, self-esteem, and resilience, helping students to develop the confidence and skills needed to succeed both academically and personally. Working collaboratively with colleagues, you will contribute to creating a supportive and nurturing environment where every student is encouraged to thrive and reach their full potential. About you: You will: Have a keen interest in working with children and a genuine commitment to inclusion, ensuring every student feels valued, supported and able to succeed. Understand the role of a Teaching Assistant and how effective support enables students to access learning, make progress and achieve their potential. Be able to build positive relationships with students, demonstrating patience, empathy and active listening. Be confident supporting students on a one-to-one basis and in small groups, using appropriate strategies to engage learners and promote positive behaviour. Have strong communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues, parents/carers and other professionals. Be adaptable and responsive to the varying needs of students, including those with SEND and additional learning needs. Have good organisational skills and be able to assist in the preparation of learning activities, resources and support materials. Work collaboratively as part of a team, contributing positively to student outcomes and the wider school community. Demonstrate good literacy and numeracy skills and be confident using IT to support learning and administrative tasks. Be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare, safety and well-being of children and young people. Maintain professionalism, discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive information. Be committed to continuous professional development, including undertaking relevant training and qualifications where appropriate. Be flexible, resilient and able to remain calm under pressure while supporting students with a wide range of needs. Applicants are advised to refer to the full requirements of the role in the attached job description and person specification, prior to submitting an application. About Kingsmead Academy: Kingsmead School is a rural mixed ability Academy with a fully comprehensive intake situated near the Devon/Somerset border, close to the Brendon Hills and Exmoor. It is a magnificent area in which to live and work. Not only is there the tranquillity and beauty of the countryside but there is the rapidly growing county town of Taunton nearby and easy access (20 minutes) to the M5 for connections to the rest of the country. The school lies in the small town of Wiveliscombe. It caters for the age range 11-16 and has 884 students and just over 100 staff. Our latest Ofsted Report, in June 2022, gave an overall judgement that Kingsmead “requires improvement”. Mr J Eddy, Headteacher, joined Kingsmead in January 2023. He is determined to improve education at Kingsmead for our superb body of students. The core values of Kingsmead are Care, Aspiration, Respect and Determination which drive our strong positive ethos and offering amenities for the whole school community. We have high expectations and expect staff to support our caring, student-centred ethos to set high standards for our students. We hope staff will contribute to and lead some of the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities we offer. Why work at CLF? We are a diverse an