The role and the team
The post of Higher Level Teaching Assistant is being advertised because we are developing and expanding our team.
The SEN team, led by our SENCO and supported by an Assistant SENCO, includes a number of Teaching Assistants and Higher Level Teaching Assistants. They provide additional support and intervention for students in all areas of the curriculum. This support also includes our newly developed specialist provision for students who are struggling to access mainstream education.
Job Title: Higher Level Teaching Assistant
Responsible to: Associate Headteacher (SENCO)
Purpose of the role:
- To complement the professional work of teachers by taking responsibility for agreed learning activities under an agreed system of supervision. This will involve planning, preparing and delivering learning activities, for individuals, for groups and for whole classes. It will involve monitoring students and assessing, recording and reporting on students achievement, progress and development.
- Responsible for the management and development of specialist provision within an area of the school and may include the management of other teaching assistants including the allocation and monitoring of work, appraisal and training.
Please note: All staff are required to complete a 6 month probationary period during which time suitability for the post will be assessed.
Duties and responsibilities
Support for students
- Assess the needs of students and use detailed knowledge and specialist skills to support students’ learning;
- Establish productive working relationships with students, acting as a role model and setting high expectations;
- Participate in the development and implementation of IEPs;
- Promote the inclusion and acceptance of all students within the classroom and assist with personal care tasks if required;
- Support students consistently whilst recognising and responding to their individual needs;
- Encourage students to interact and work co-operatively with others and engage all students in activities;
- Promote independence and employ strategies to recognise and reward students’ achievement of self-reliance;
- Provide feedback to students in relation to progress and achievement.
Support for teachers
- Organise and manage appropriate learning environments and resources;
- Within an agreed system of supervision, plan challenging teaching and learning objectives;
- Evaluate and adjust lessons/work plans as appropriate;
- Monitor and evaluate students’ responses to learning activities through a range of assessment and monitoring strategies against pre-determined learning objectives;
- Deliver pre-planned activities to classes during short-term cover for teachers, successfully managing the children’s learning and behaviour in accordance with school policies;
- Provide objective and accurate feedback and reports as required on student achievement, progress and other matters, ensuring the availability of appropriate evidence;
- Record progress and achievement in lessons/activities systematically and providing evidence of range and level of progress and attainment;
- Work within an established discipline policy to anticipate and manage behaviour constructively, promoting self-control and independence;
- Support the role of parents in students’ learning and contribute to/lead meetings with parents to provide constructive feedback on student progress/achievement etc.
- Administer and assess/mark tests and invigilate exams/tests;
- Production of lesson plans, worksheets, plans etc.
- Support for the curriculum
- Within an agreed system of supervision, plan and prepare stimulating and varied learning activities and lessons for delivery to individuals, groups and classes, demonstrating an awareness that students have a range of individual learning needs and approaches;
- Deliver learning activities to students within an agreed system of supervision, adjusting activities according to student responses/needs;
- Deliver local and national learning strategies (e.g. literacy, numeracy, Key Stage 3, early years) and make effective use of opportunities provided by other learning activities to support the development of students’ skills;
- Use ICT effectively to support learning activities and develop students’ competence and independence in its use;
- Select and prepare resources necessary to lead learning activities, taking account of students’ interests and language and cultural backgrounds;
- Advise on appropriate deployment and use of specialist aid/resources/equipment.
- Support for the school
- Comply with and assist with the development of policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting concerns to an appropriate colleague;
- Be aware of and support difference and ensure all students have equal access to opportunities to learn and develop;
- Contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the school;
- Establish constructive relationships and communicate with other agencies/professionals, in liaison with the teacher, to support achievement and progress of students;
- Take the initiative as appropriate to develop appropriate multi-agency approaches to supporting students;
- Recognise and continue to develop own strengths and areas of specialist expertise and use these to lead, advise and support others;
- Deliver out-of-school learning activities within guidelines established by the school;
- Contribute to the identification and execution of appropriate out-of-school learning activities, which consolidate and extend work carried out in class.
- Advice, guidance and support for other teaching assistants
- To liaise between managers/teaching staff and teaching assistants, if required;
- To hold regular team/briefing meetings with other teaching assistants, if required;
- To represent teaching assistants at teaching staff/management/other appropriate meetings;
- Assist with the recruitment, appraisal, training and mentoring of other teaching assistants;
- To provide ongoing advice to other teaching assistants.
- The post holder may also be required to perform duties other than those given above. These may vary from time to time without changing the general level of responsibility. Such variations would not justify the re-evaluation of a post.
Safeguarding Statement
- Whitecross is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of every child. The advertised post involves contact with children and therefore involves regulated activity with children. All such posts will be subject to enhanced safeguarding checks.
- The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.
- The school will undertake online checks of shortlisted candidates in accordance with our Privacy Notice for Applicants which is include in our recruitment pack.
- Successful candidates will be required to follow our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and will also be required to sign a self-disclosure statement. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy can be found on our website.
What we offer as an employer
- We want to ensure we attract the very best candidates to work here at Whitecross so that we can continue to offer our students a first class education. We seek to be an exemplary employer with the highest regard for our staff and have a comprehensive package of support in place.
- All new staff are warmly welcomed into our school community and are supported by an appraisal process which allows staff to identify their training and development needs. The school has a proud record of developing and promoting staff within the organisation.
- The school promotes a culture of openness and transparency and all staff are encouraged to try new things and share ideas in an atmosphere of low risk, high challenge.
Appointment process
Please apply via Eteach:
https://www.eteach.com/job/higher-learning-teaching-assistant-1563234
Alternatively you can email the Headteacher’s PA, Mrs McDougall, [email protected]
Timeline
Application deadline: Wednesday 8 July 2026 @ 3.00pm
Start date: September 2026
Pay: From £24,120.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
