Behaviour & Pastoral Support Assistant

Barton Court Academy Trust; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

The Charles Dickens School, part of Barton Court Academy Trust, is seeking a Behaviour and Pastoral Support Assistant to provide pastoral support for students. The role supports overcoming barriers to learning, improving attendance and behaviour, with induction and training to aid career development.

The candidate should be proactive, approachable and a good listener, with Level 3 education and GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent); 2 years’ experience with secondary students is desirable.

Qualifications

• Level 3 education is required.
• Good numeracy and literacy skills (GCSE English and Maths or equivalent).
• Proactive, approachable and a good listener with a positive role model.

Responsibilities

• Provide pastoral support for students at The Charles Dickens School, helping them overcome barriers to learning and raising standards of achievement, attendance and behaviour.
• Join a successful pastoral and behaviour team and participate in induction and training for career development.

Skills

Numeracy

Literacy

Education

Level 3 education

Job description

THE TRUST

Barton Court Academy Trust (BCAT) is a multi-academy Trust which was established in 2017.

Barton Court Academy Trust (BCAT) is a multi-academy Trust which was established in 2017. It currently consists of three secondary schools: Barton Court Grammar School, an 11-18 years, mixed selective school in the heart of Canterbury, rated “Good” with many outstanding features by Ofsted in February 2020 and November 2024; The Charles Dickens School, an 11-16 years mixed non-selective school in Broadstairs, rated “Good” by Ofsted in March 2023 and Barton Manor Free School, an 11–18 years non-selective mixed school in the heart of Canterbury which opened to Year 7 in September 2022 and as the school grows will have students in Y7 to Y11 from September 2026, rated as “Good” with many outstanding features by Ofsted in May 2025.

OUR SCHOOL

The Charles Dickens School is an Ofsted rated “Good” school (March 2023). We are a non-selective 11-16, highly popular, oversubscribed school located in Broadstairs, Kent. We have a vision and a determination to provide our community with an excellent school and we are making great strides towards this. Our results in 2022 identified us as the most improved school in Kent (out of 101 secondary schools) and one of the most improved schools in the country, and our results in 2023, 2024 and 2025 are strong and have continued to improve. Schools Week identified us as the 8th most improved school in the country between 2019 and 2023, for a school with an above average proportion of Pupil Premium pupils. Our progress 8 score in 2024 was +0.22. We are heavily oversubscribed and have an excellent reputation for our culture of high expectation. Our Ofsted Inspection in March 2023 graded the School “Good” in every category.

To work here is to embrace the challenges of an economically-diverse community and understand the influence education has in addressing social immobility. There are few schools in the country where a teacher’s ability to change lives is so evident. Without hyperbole, this is a career-defining mission. We’re looking for brilliant people to join us on our journey.

The School has excellent facilities. All rooms are equipped with state-of-the art electronic interactive whiteboards. There are excellent specialist facilities for sport, hospitality, engineering, dance, drama, music and art. We have a Specialist Resource Provision for visually-impaired children. We offer and value a broad curriculum aimed at promoting talent beyond traditional academic subjects. Our significant investment in professional development drives colleagues’ continuous improvement. This is a place where everyone improves regardless of their career stage.

THE ROLE

Seeking an immediate start, the Trustees are seeking to appoint a Behaviour and Pastoral Support Assistant to provide pastoral support for students at The Charles Dickens School. The successful candidate will be joining a team of highly experienced and well-qualified colleagues and will be supported with induction and training for career development. The post will address the needs of children, supporting them in overcoming barriers to learning and enabling them to achieve their full potential, thereby supporting the School to raise standards of achievement, improvement, attendance and raise standards of behaviour.

The successful candidate needs to be proactive, approachable and a good listener and act as a positive role model to students. A good standard of Education (Level 3) together with good numeracy and literacy skills (GCSE English and Maths or equivalent) are required and at least 2 years’ experience of working with secondary school students is desirable. You will be a joining a successful pastoral and behaviour team which will expand further as the school grows.

Deadline: Friday 2 October 2026 at 9am

Interview date: tbc

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early and proceed to interview upon receipt of a number of suitably qualified applications. All candidates are advised to refer to the job description and person specification before making an application.

In line with the latest KCSIE guidance, as part of the shortlisting process, the Trust reserves the right to conduct an online search on shortlisted candidates as part of our due diligence and any relevant information found concerning a candidate's suitability to work with children will be discussed at interview stage.

Our safeguarding practices prevent us from accepting CV’s.

Barton Court Academy Trust embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

Further details and information about the Trust can be found on our website page.

A commitment to staff welfare and promoting BCAT core values is at the heart of this role.