If you would like to apply for this post you must complete the school's application form and email it to the school using the email details below. CVs sent via Indeed alone will not be accepted.
The pay advertised is for the full time post which will be pro-rata'd to approx. £20,072 - £20,848.
We are looking for an experienced Level 3 Teaching Assistant for our school to work in KS2.
The working hours are 34 hours per week, working Monday to Friday 8.30am to between 3.15pm and 4.45pm, 38 weeks, term time plus 1 training day each September.
The successful candidate must have experience of working with children in KS2. They will be able to work effectively as a member of the team, have excellent interpersonal skills and consistently support the school values and approaches to a high standard.
Previous applicants, need not apply.
About us
Located on the Eastern district of Northampton, Blackthorn is a one-form entry primary school with a nursery. In addition, Blackthorn Primary is very proud to run a Specialist Unit for children with an EHCP identifying a need for support with SEMH. Our school is driven by a passion to provide educational excellence for the children in our community.
We have been award 'Good' from Ofsted inspection in September 2022.
The children at Blackthorn are polite, respectful and keen to learn. Our team of dedicated staff believe that children achieve their best in a safe, secure and happy school community and we work hard to make sure this is the case for our learners every day. We strongly believe that good relationships between people in our school community are essential in securing success for your child, as such, an effective partnership between home and school will benefit your child’s learning.
At Blackthorn, we strongly believe in supporting every individual, children and staff, to develop and be supported in their aspirations. Our staff culture is of enabling everyone to have opportunities to grow through support and we have a proven track record of developing both early career teachers and leaders at all levels to achieve their goals. We are proud to be a member of Northampton Primary Academy Trust (NPAT) with whom we work closely to provide opportunities for our children to broaden and enrich their time at primary school through the arts, sport and wider curriculum.
The ideal candidate will embody the NPAT values and will:
- Be passionate about supporting children to achieve their best in everything that they do.
- Be committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Establish positive and supportive relationships with children.
- Be patient, calm and resilient with a positive attitude and a sense of humour.
Our work environment includes:
- Modern office setting
- Flexible working hours
- On-the-job training
- Safe work environment
- Nursery provision from 3 years old, between 8.30am and 3.30pm, term time only
Areas of Responsibility and Key Tasks
Purpose of job:
- To support children’s learning and to share in the care and wellbeing of the children throughout the school.
- To support the emotional, behavioural and pastoral needs of all children, including children with SEN.
- To be involved in the planning, development and delivery of intervention strategies.
- To observe and monitor pupils progress and adapt agreed approaches to their particular needs.
- To provide support and assistance for children’s pastoral needs (e.g. dressing, going to the toilet, the changing of nappies or the administration of an Epipen)
- To assist in the maintenance of children’s records.
- To carry out specific administrative/ procedural tasks to support the class teacher.
- To promote the school’s values and ethos.
To undertake all of the following:
- Work proactively as part of a team and assist the class teacher to ensure quality education for the children.
- Assist in the personal, social and emotional development of children through the promotion of the school’s values and for individuals through the implementation of learning plans, behaviour plans and/or personal care plans to ensure all children are well cared for in accordance with the school’s policies and high expectations.
- To promote the development of reading, writing and maths, including providing additional support to children with special needs or to bilingual learners, by working alongside the class teacher.
- Be aware of and support school policies and procedures.
- Set high expectations for pupils’ behaviour.
- Establish a safe, supportive and stimulating learning environment.
- Use a wide range of teaching methods to sustain the momentum of pupils’ work and engage all pupils, ensuring delivery of a differentiated learning experience related to the pupils’ individual needs.
- Where necessary, cover the teaching of small group lessons.
- Under the guidance of the Inclusion Lead and class teacher, run interventions as set out by professional or specialist support staff involved in the children’s education. These may involve social workers, health visitors, language support staff, speech therapists, educational psychologists and physiotherapists.
- Build and maintain positive and constructive working relationships with pupils, parents, carers and colleagues to maximise pupils’ development and maintain the overall ethos of the school.
- Report any concerns regarding children’s welfare or education, to the Class Teacher.
- Be aware of safeguarding responsibilities, referring such matters to the appropriate designated person for further action.
- Monitor, feedback, record and report on pupil progress, including feedback to pupils, and participate in the completion of pupil profiles and records of attainment to maximise pupil development.
- Assist with the preparation of resources e.g. photocopying, repairing books, filing of work, making games and the creation and mounting of displays for children’s work.
- Assist and attend with enrichment activities e.g. trips, visits, parents’ evenings, concerts and festivals
- Attend appropriate staff meetings and training days/events as requested.
Level 3 Teaching Assistant - Person Specification
Qualifications & Experience
Essential
- Good basic education to GCSE level in maths and English or equivalent.
- Experience of working in KS2
- Experience of working with children who have a wide variety of educational needs.
- A willingness to undertake further training relevant to the role.
- Level 3 teaching assistant qualification
- Experience of supporting children with regulating their behaviour.
Desirable
- Training undertaken on a variety of learning and behaviour-management strategies. Experience of working with children with significant language and communication difficulties. Certificate or Diploma in Childcare and Education.
- First Aid training
- RWI trained, delivered or supported the delivery of RWI
- Any relevant qualifications specialising in SEND, i.e. sign language, ASD, Nurture
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential
Awareness of
- How children develop; behaviour-management strategies.
- How to support children in literacy and numeracy
- The different ways in which children learn and how to motivate them.
- Knowledge and experience of completing intervention records and involvement in the evaluation process and setting new targets.
Desirable
- Experience of observing children to assess their learning.
- Experience of working with children with SEND either as a class teacher or as a one-to-one TA.
Skills
Essential
Able to
- Contribute to a range of teaching, learning and pastoral activities.
- Work with an individual or group of children, also work as a member of a team.
- Explain tasks simply and clearly.
- Reinforce teaching points during teacher input;
- Teach new concepts as agreed with the class teacher.
- Supervise children and be a positive role model.
- Encourage good social skills. Work with guidance, but under limited supervision.
- Liaise and communicate effectively with others and maintain confidentiality at all times.
- Demonstrate good organisational skills.
- Get involved in professional development and attend courses; Display work effectively and make and maintain basic teaching resources.
Essential
- Able to use Office 365.
- Up-to-date Physical Intervention training – Training and experience of physical intervention philosophy for de-escalation and how to support children.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Sense of humour and works well as part of a team.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and organisational skills;
- Proactive in areas of responsibility with an awareness of whole school issues;
- A willingness to take on appropriate delegated tasks relevant to the post;
- Demonstration of a growth mindset;
- Ability to show a committed, professional and loyal attitude to the school, openly modelling its aims and values;
- An ability to use and understand discretion, confidentiality and professionalism;
- An ability to learn from mistakes and take advice.
Desirable
- A positive and energetic approach to work.
- Ability to self-evaluate and seek learning opportunities.
This job description is a broad overview of the post. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, this is not a contractual document and the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job.
Closing date: 12noon, Friday 10th July 2026.
Interview date: WC 13th July 2026
Start Date: 1 September 2026
Visits to the school:
We warmly welcome and recommend visits to the school.
Pay: £25,989.00-£26,403.00 per year
Benefits:
- Childcare
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Education:
- GCSE or equivalent (required)
Experience:
- working with KS2 children: 1 year (required)
Licence/Certification:
- First Aid Certification (preferred)
Work Location: In person
