Apprentice Teaching Assistant Level 3

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College; Bristol; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity to become a Teaching Assistant at a special school, working with children who have severe and profound learning difficulties. Apprentices will gain hands-on experience while developing essential skills under the guidance of experienced staff, preparing for further career progression in education.

Qualifications

• Must pass an enhanced DBS check.
• Ability to work individually and in a team.
• Positive attitude and reliability are essential.

Responsibilities

• Support activities following planning under guidance of teaching staff.
• Monitor and review children's learning progress.
• Provide personal care and behaviour support as needed.

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Rapport-building

Listening

Knowledge of educational role

Child protection awareness

Teamwork

Reliability

Job description

We are seeking to appoint Teaching Assistants at our fantastic special school. You will be required to work with pupils who have severe and profound learning difficulties. Many pupils exhibit challenging behaviours and are within the Autistic Spectrum.

Salary will be discussed further at interview.

Training course

Teaching assistant (Level 3)

Hours

Exact hours to be agreed, but you will attend college one day a week.
30 hours a week

Start date: Monday, 01 September

Duration

1 Year 6 Months

Work

As an apprentice, you'll gain hands-on experience working at a company, developing new skills alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Under the guidance of teaching staff, provide direct support for individual children or groups to achieve progress and targets by:

• Supporting activities following planning
• Reporting behaviour observations to teachers
• Facilitating children’s physical, emotional, and educational development through activities and play
• Supervising and encouraging safe behaviour
• Reinforcing structured learning routines defined by teachers
• Preparing, storing, retrieving, and displaying learning materials
• Supporting achievement standards and providing feedback
• Monitoring and reviewing children's learning progress
• Gathering and making resources as directed
• Attending to children’s daily needs inside and outside the classroom
• Providing personal, social, hygiene, welfare, and behaviour support
• Tracking individual children’s progress towards goals
• Promoting effective pastoral care and liaising with colleagues
• Reporting concerns about progress
• Assisting educational and therapeutic professionals with support programmes
• Carrying out medical procedures following training
• Contributing to assessments through observation and record keeping
• Delivering food according to personal meal plans
• Carrying out personal care routines, including manual handling
• Promoting safe working practices to ensure a safe environment

Roles are based at various locations.

Where you’ll work

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training at a college or training organisation. At least 20% of working hours will be dedicated to training or studying.

College or training organisation

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Skills required

• Empathy, listening, communication, and rapport-building skills
• Knowledge of the role within an educational environment
• Ability to work with pupils individually and in small groups under supervision
• Awareness of child protection and safeguarding
• Ability to communicate effectively in English
• Positive attitude towards education
• Energy, enthusiasm, perseverance
• Reliability and integrity
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Suitability to work with children
• Must pass an enhanced DBS check

More information about background checks: https://www.gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role

About Briarwood

Briarwood is a Bristol-based school providing education, care, and life experiences for children aged 3-19 with severe and profound learning difficulties, complex needs, autism, and sensory impairments. The school operates across three sites in East-Central Bristol, including Briarwood Infants, Juniors, Secondary, Sixth Form, and The Nexus, a centre for pupils with challenging behaviours. Briarwood values that all pupils should enjoy their time, engage, and learn to their full potential.

After this apprenticeship

This apprenticeship not only ensures competency as a Teaching Assistant but also provides a foundation for career progression in education, including roles such as Higher Level Teaching Assistant, Assistant Teacher, and Teacher.