Be the Person One Child Trusts Every Day KS1 SEND Teaching Assistant and Wraparound Support
Location: Primary school in Ellesmere Port
Start date: September 2026
Days: Monday to Friday
Hours: 8.00am to 4.00pm
Contract: 37.5 paid hours per week, with a 30 minute unpaid break each day
You are patient when progress takes time.
You notice the small victories that other people might miss.
You understand that behaviour is often communication and that trust, consistency and encouragement can completely change a child’s experience of school.
This is more than a Teaching Assistant position.
It is an opportunity to become the familiar adult one child feels safe with every day.
A Consistent Role in One School
Vara Sports and Education is looking for a caring, dependable and experienced Teaching Assistant to support a child with SEND in Key Stage 1.
You will work consistently in one welcoming Ellesmere Port primary school from Monday to Friday.
Your day will begin by supporting the school breakfast club.
During the school day, your main responsibility will be providing dedicated one to one support for a child in Key Stage 1.
You will then support the after school provision until 4.00pm.
This creates a varied and rewarding full day role where you can become a valued part of the child’s routine and the wider school community.
Join a Team Where You Are Known
Vara Sports and Education works with more than 35 primary schools across Cheshire, Wirral and North Wales.
Our growing team of more than 75 staff supports around 14,000 children every week.
You will not be moved between unfamiliar schools or left wondering where you are working next.
You will have a consistent role, a familiar routine and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with the child and the school team.
We know our staff by name.
We answer the phone when they need us.
We invest in their development and make sure good work is recognised.
Our staff stay with us because they feel supported, valued and part of a genuine team.
What Your Day Will Look Like
Your day will begin at 8.00am, helping to create a calm, positive and welcoming breakfast club.
You will encourage children to settle, socialise and prepare for the school day.
During classroom hours, you will provide dedicated support for a child with SEND in Key Stage 2.
You will help the child access learning, understand instructions, manage transitions and develop confidence and independence.
You may adapt activities, use visual resources, provide emotional reassurance or help the child regulate when they feel overwhelmed.
You will work closely with the class teacher, SENDCO and wider school team to follow agreed strategies and provide consistent support.
At the end of the school day, you will support children within the after school provision until 4.00pm.
Six months into the role, we want you to feel fully settled and trusted.
You will understand the child’s communication, strengths and support needs.
The child will recognise you as a safe and dependable person.
The school will value your contribution.
You will be able to see the difference your patience, consistency and encouragement have made.
What We Give You
We believe outstanding Teaching Assistants deserve more than an assignment and a timesheet.
You will receive:
- A consistent full time position in one primary school
- Regular Monday to Friday hours
- A varied role across breakfast club, classroom support and after school provision
- Competitive pay
- Paid holidays to support a healthy work life balance
- Full support from an experienced and approachable management team
- Free training and qualifications worth hundreds of pounds
- SEND focused professional development
- Clear opportunities to progress within Vara
- Regular pay reviews
- Wellbeing support from people who genuinely care
- A management team that answers the phone and supports its staff
Opportunity to Increase Your Annual Earnings
This is primarily a term time school position, but your earning opportunity does not have to stop when the school closes.
For anyone looking to maximise their annual earnings, additional paid work may be available at our holiday camps during half terms and school holidays.
You can choose whether you would prefer to keep the school holidays free or continue working and increase your overall yearly income.
This gives you the stability of a consistent school role with the opportunity to work and earn throughout the year.
What You Will Be Doing
You will:
- Support the school breakfast club from 8.00am
- Provide dedicated one to one support for a child with SEND in Key Stage 2
- Help the child access lessons, activities and classroom routines
- Adapt communication and resources to meet individual needs
- Support emotional regulation and positive behaviour
- Help the child manage transitions throughout the day
- Encourage confidence, independence and participation
- Follow individual support plans and agreed strategies
- Work closely with the class teacher, SENDCO and wider school team
- Record and share relevant observations and progress
- Support the after school provision until 4.00pm
- Create safe, positive and inclusive experiences for children
- Report concerns promptly and professionally
- Maintain high safeguarding standards at all times
Who We Are Looking For
Character matters at Vara.
We are looking for someone who turns up, works hard and genuinely cares about helping children succeed.
You will be:
- Warm and approachable
- Reliable and punctual
- Patient and emotionally resilient
- Calm and consistent
- Kind while maintaining clear boundaries
- Confident supporting a child with additional needs
- Able to build trust gradually
- Comfortable following support plans and professional guidance
- Able to communicate clearly with children and adults
- Observant and responsive to changes in behaviour
- Positive, professional and willing to learn
- Passionate about inclusion and child development
Previous experience supporting children with SEND is essential.
Experience providing one to one support within a primary school would be particularly valuable.
Experience within Key Stage 1, childcare, breakfast clubs or after school provision would also be welcomed.
A relevant Teaching Assistant qualification would be beneficial, although your experience, attitude and ability to connect with children are equally important.
Safeguarding and High Standards
Keeping children safe comes before everything else.
We are proud of our safeguarding culture and expect every member of our team to maintain the highest standards of professionalism, awareness and care.
The successful candidate must have:
- The right to work in the UK
- Suitable professional references
- A satisfactory employment history
- An enhanced DBS registered on the Update Service or a willingness to obtain one
- A genuine commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
All appointments are subject to safer recruitment procedures.
These may include identity checks, right to work checks, professional references, qualification checks, employment history checks, discussion of employment gaps and relevant DBS and barred list checks.
Ready to Make a Difference?
This is a rare opportunity to secure a consistent full time position in one welcoming Ellesmere Port primary school.
Only one person will become the trusted adult this child sees every morning.
Applying is simple.
Click apply and send us your CV.
A member of our team will arrange a friendly conversation, answer your questions and tell you more about the role, the school and the support available.
No complicated process.
Just an honest conversation about whether you could be the right person to make a lasting difference.
The support you provide each day could become the confidence a child carries for life.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £1,500.00-£2,065.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Ellesmere Port CH65 8DH: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- Do you have a DBS on the update service, a paper copy or need a new one?
- Can you start the first week of September?
- How much notice do you have to give to your current employer?
Experience:
- working with children: 1 year (required)
- Teaching Assistant: 1 year (required)
Work Location: In person
