Salary: Support Staff Pay Scale D: £19,652 to £19,964 pro-rata per annum (Actual) (£25,583 - £25,989 full time/full year equivalent)
Part Time: 32.5 hours per week over 5 days from Monday to Friday
Working Weeks: 39 weeks
Start Date: October 2026
This role will be based at Wayland Academy, Merton Rd, Watton, Thetford, IP25 6BA.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Teaching Assistant with personal care to join our committed and hardworking team at Wayland Academy, supporting our pupils to achieve their full potential. This is an opportunity to be part of a collaborative community who are dedicated to ensuring pupils develop the knowledge and character needed to lead great lives.
You will be an inspirational practitioner who is passionate about raising achievement through motivating and inspiring pupils, who will also contribute to the vision and values of the school.
What You’ll Be Doing
- To undertake care and learning programmes and activities to support individuals or groups of pupils, including more specialised support for those with special education needs and Disabilities (SEND) or EAL (English as an Additional Language).
- To enable access to learning for pupils and assist the teacher in the management of pupils and the classroom.
- To provide personal care where required which may involve assistance with; Continence requirements; Health and Medication requirements; Manual Handling; Handling personal possessions.
- To promote good pupil behaviour, dealing promptly with conflict and incidents in line with established policy and encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour.
- To assist with the supervision of pupils out of lesson times as required.
- To prepare, maintain and use equipment/resources required to meet the lesson plans/relevant learning activity and assist pupils in their use, including supporting the use of ICT learning activities and developing pupils’ competence in its use.
- To support pupils during routine tests and external examinations as required
About You:
You will be an enthusiastic and inspiring practitioner with experience of working in a school setting. You will be passionate about raising achievement through motivating and inspiring pupils, and keen to contribute to the school’s visions and values. You will be motivated to enable access to learning for pupils, including specialised support for those with special education needs. You will be responsible for supporting effective pastoral care to support pupils' social and emotional progress as well as their learning.
Essential:
- Good numeracy/literacy skills
- Experience of working with or caring for children of relevant age
- Knowledge of relevant policies/codes of practice and awareness of legislation
- Basic understanding of child development and learning
- Ability to evaluate learning needs and actively seek learning opportunities
Desirable:
- Experience of working with pupils with SEND
- First aid training
Why Join Inspiration Trust
At Inspiration Trust, we believe in the power of education to transform lives. You’ll be joining a supportive, forward-thinking organisation that values professional development, collaboration, and innovation. We provide opportunities for growth and empower you to make a real impact in schools across Norfolk and north Suffolk. As part of our thriving network of talented teachers, leaders, and support staff, you’ll receive a varied professional development programme designed to help you be the best you can be.
We offer:
- Generous annual leave, and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with excellent employer contributions
- Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme, including 24/7 virtual GP access, mental health support and claim-back options for healthcare costs *
- Cycle-to-work scheme, retail and theatre discounts (including discounted shopping vouchers, dentist and gym memberships), and salary sacrifice options (including home technology). *
- Free parking at most sites
- Personalised CPD and development programmes
- A structured and specific induction programme.
- Terms and conditions apply. Some benefits are only available following successfully passing probation.
About Us
Wayland Academy is an oversubscribed, high-performing secondary school at the heart of Norfolk, known for its positive atmosphere and low staff turnover. In 2025, 64% of students achieved grades 9-5 in English and Mathematics, and the school achieved a Progress 8 score of +0.61 in 2024, positioning it among the highest-performing secondary schools in Norfolk and Suffolk.
At Wayland Academy, staff believe that every student is entitled to the highest-quality education, unlocking their potential for excellent grades and a future of their choice. Our curriculum vision reflects the Academy’s role in the community, promotes understanding and enrichment, and prioritises students’ reading, vocabulary, and fluency in both spoken and written language. We take both learning and pastoral care seriously, ensuring that our students leave confident, capable, and ready to thrive in the wider world.
We are part of the Inspiration Trust, twice ranked as the country’s top family of comprehensive schools for pupil progress, and strongly believe in the importance of giving the widest educational opportunities to all young people, regardless of their background. We have strong networks across the Trust, with opportunities to work with a diverse range of schools and partners. We are committed to offering excellent professional and learning opportunities for our staff, with a busy programme of continuing professional development courses delivered by some of the country’s best educational thinkers and practitioners.
The Inspiration Trust is a Multi Academy Trust, committed to delivering the very best educational experience for the young people of Norfolk and Suffolk, across 17 schools. We are ambitious for our schools and communities and want to create Britain’s highest performing federation of 3-19 schools and transform education in the East. Inspiration Trust specialises in transforming schools in disadvantaged areas and taking academies from failing to outstanding.
Next Steps
Before applying, please read the attached Recruitment Pack and Job Description, for more details about the role. We ask that you read this pack carefully, especially the “Planning your application” section from page 11. This will support your application ensuring you have the opportunity to tell us about your relevant skills, experience and qualifications that relate to the job description and person specification in addition to details of your references covering the last 5 years.
If you would like to know more about this exciting opportunity, then please contact Julie Amys, PA to Principal ([email protected]).
When you start your application, you will receive several emails from our application provider, Vacancy Filler. Please be aware that some email providers may mistakenly mark these messages as spam. To avoid missing important updates, we recommend checking your spam or junk folders regularly throughout the application process and marking these emails as safe.
Closing date for applications: 12pm on Friday 4th September 2026
Interview date: Week Commencing Monday 14th September 2026
Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities
Inspiration Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
All staff appointments are subject to satisfactory references and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. We are an equal opportunities employer.
