Job title: HLTA – Literacy & EAL
Location: Fir Vale Academy, Owler Lane, Sheffield, S4 8GB
Salary: FTE £36,500 gross per annum pro rata (actual £31,495)
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00, 39 working weeks per annum
Start date: As soon as possible / 1st September 2026
Fir Vale Academy is seeking to appoint a HLTA – Literacy and EAL to join its established team. The academy is part of United Learning, a national group of schools and academies. Fir Vale Academy is an 11–16 secondary school located in the north of Sheffield. As part of United Learning, our aim is to bring out the Best in Everyone, and we continuously strive to ensure that students and staff have every opportunity to succeed, with their potential developed to the fullest extent.
The post-holder will work closely with identified students, providing targeted literacy and English as an Additional Language (EAL) support through a range of tailored interventions and strategies. The successful candidate will support students in overcoming barriers to learning by developing reading, writing, vocabulary acquisition and language skills, enabling them to access the curriculum successfully and achieve positive academic outcomes.
The role will involve delivering individual and small-group interventions, supporting students with identified literacy and EAL needs, and working collaboratively with teaching staff, pastoral teams, families and external agencies to ensure coordinated support. The HLTA – Literacy and EAL will play a key role in strengthening communication between home and school, developing positive relationships and helping students make sustained progress throughout their educational journey.
The successful candidate will also contribute to the wider literacy and inclusion strategy of the Academy, promoting a culture where language development, reading and academic success are central to ensuring every student can thrive.
The academy is part of United Learning, a national group of schools and academies. United Learning is one of the largest and most successful Trusts in the country and offers unrivalled Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and training opportunities, including access to nationwide collaboration and networking.
The city of Sheffield itself is a vibrant place to live and work with two universities and a range of entertainment opportunities alongside the access to the beautiful Peak District within a 20-minute commute. Quality of life is routinely ranked highly, and it is one of the greenest cities in Europe: Welcome to Sheffield
We are looking for someone who:
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Is reliable, highly motivated and self-driven
- Shares our moral purpose of ensuring that all our young people receive the best education possible in a supportive environment from people who care about them
- Someone who is resilient, dynamic, and passionate about improving the life chances of all children in our community but also displays humility and a reflective approach to improvement
- A team player with strong communication skills
We will offer you:
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Highly competitive salary
- Excellent facilities and resources
- Access to an outstanding professional development programme
- Polite, respectful and dedicated students who want to learn and fulfil their potential
- A respectful working environment
- Colleagues who are supportive, friendly and who are committed to each other’s professional development
- A chance to become part of one of the largest groups of academies in the country
- Opportunities to work collaboratively with colleagues in other schools within the Yorkshire cluster and across United Learning
- Excellent employee benefits which include a highly sought-after pension scheme with high employer contributions
- Access to training through the Apprenticeship Levy
- Westfield benefits platform
- We are open to requests for flexible or part-time working; and we encourage open and regular conversations about work-life balance
If you possess these qualities and share the academy’s vision, then we will be delighted to hear from you. Please refer to the job description and person specification for further details.
To apply, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button at the top of the advert on our website using the following link to our vacancies page: https://www.firvale.com/our-school/vacancies/ and complete our online application form. Please note that CVs are not accepted.
The closing date for this post is midnight Sunday 21st June2026. Interviews will take place soon after.
If you would like to discuss this exciting opportunity, please contact [email protected]
United Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Employees will, in accordance with statutory guidance, be subject to a comprehensive checking process including references from current and previous employers, health, right to work in the UK, an Enhanced DBS check and a further check against the appropriate barred list.
