Gardening Teaching Assistant

The Methodist Church in Britain; Doncaster; On-site; GBP 6,100 - 9,600; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent professional learning

Well-resourced school

Supportive staff and parents

Inclusive ethos

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Warmsworth Primary School is seeking a part-time Gardening Coordinator to lead practical sessions for children aged 3–11. The role involves maintaining and developing the school grounds and running gardening activities across a wildlife garden, polytunnel, and fruit orchard.

Hours: 15 per week in term time, with flexible scheduling around weather and season. An enhanced DBS with children’s barred list check is required.

Qualifications

• Gardening knowledge essential.
• Ability to plan and lead practical sessions for groups or individuals.
• Ability to support social and emotional development of vulnerable children.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills with children, parents and staff.
• Ability to work on own initiative and with colleagues.
• High personal standards and passion to make a difference.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead practical gardening sessions for small groups or individuals that complement the curriculum.
• Provide experiences that develop social and emotional skills for vulnerable children.
• Support pupil engagement and wellbeing in an outdoor environment.
• Maintain the school grounds, including raised beds, greenhouse, fruit orchard and polytunnel.
• Undertake day-to-day hands-on maintenance and development of the garden areas.
• Maintain and develop the school gardens as a source of pride and enjoyment for the whole school community.
• Work on own initiative and alongside colleagues.

Skills

Gardening knowledge

Lead sessions

Social-emotional development

Communication skills

Initiative

Teamwork

Job description

This permanent post at Warmsworth Primary School, a two-form entry maintained school for children aged 3 to 11, starts in January 2027. The work centres on planning and leading practical gardening sessions for small groups and individual children, alongside hands-on upkeep and development of the school grounds. Hours are 15 a week in term time, worked flexibly around weather and season, across a wildlife garden, polytunnel, vegetable plots and fruit orchard. Gardening knowledge is essential, and the post needs an enhanced DBS with a children's barred list check.

What the job involves

• Plan and lead practical gardening sessions for small groups or individuals that complement the curriculum for children aged 3 to 11
• Provide experiences that develop social and emotional skills for vulnerable children
• Support pupil engagement and wellbeing in an outdoor environment
• Maintain the school grounds, including raised beds, greenhouse, fruit orchard and polytunnel
• Undertake day-to-day hands-on maintenance and development of the garden areas
• Maintain and develop the school gardens as a source of pride and enjoyment for the whole school community
• Work on own initiative and alongside colleagues

Skills & knowledge

• Gardening knowledge
• Ability to plan and lead practical sessions for small groups
• Ability to support social and emotional development of vulnerable children
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, forming relationships quickly with children, parents and staff
• Ability to work on own initiative and alongside colleagues
• High personal standards and passion to make a difference

Checks & eligibility

• Enhanced DBS certificate
• Children's barred list check
• Child protection screening, including checks with past employers
• Self-disclosure form for shortlisted applicants

Nice to have

• Use of general gardening equipment

What’s offered

• Welcoming, caring school ethos focused on each child's development
• Supportive team of staff, governors and parents
• Inclusive ethos with motivated children and supportive parents
• Excellent professional learning opportunities and career development
• Well-resourced school with a quality learning environment inside and out