Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Willow Vale School; Taunton; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Willow Vale School in Taunton, Bridgwater and West Somerset is seeking experienced Higher Level Teaching Assistants for a permanent post. The role involves planned teaching support across several campuses and working across sites to support learners with interventions and transitions.

The HLTA will lead activities under teacher direction, with focus on pupils who may have significant gaps in education, and will contribute to safeguarding and high-quality learning experiences.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with young people who may have gaps in their education.
• Strong communication skills and safeguarding awareness will be developed further.
• Ability to build positive relationships with students, staff and families.

Responsibilities

• Plan, lead and deliver a subject under the direction of a teacher.
• Work across Willow Vale campuses in Taunton, Bridgwater and West Somerset.
• Support interventions and transitions for learners to re-engage with learning.
• Contribute to ongoing CPD and collaborate with colleagues to support learners.

Skills

Excellent communication

Safeguarding awareness

Building positive relationships

Literacy and numeracy

ICT skills

Job description

Willow Vale School are seeking to appoint permanent Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA)

for our Taunton, Bridgwater, and West Somerset Campuses -Grade 12 actual annual gross salary £25,635 - £28,739 Salary dependent on experience.

37 hours per week for 39 weeks per year - (Term time plus INSET days).

Hours of work: Monday 8.30-5.00, Tuesday to Thursday 8.30-4.30 and Friday 08.30 - 3.30.

Willow Vale School is a newly established and forward‑thinking provision created from the former Bridge School Sedgemoor and Taunton Deane Partnership College (TDPC). Spread across six specialist sites in the Bridgwater and Taunton areas, we provide flexible, personalised education for children and young people with a wide range of needs.

Our work is guided by three core values that shape everything we do:

Be Safe. Be Kind. Belong.

These values underpin our culture and ensure every learner feels supported, respected and part of a community where they can thrive.

Students join Willow Vale through several pathways. Our main remit is to work with and support young people who are not able to access mainstream schools, for a variety of reasons. Whatever the route, our aim is to provide high‑quality, highly personalised programmes that rebuild confidence, re‑engage learners and prepare them for their next steps.

We are looking for experienced HLTAs to join our team and work within our multi-site school. We have positions available across our Taunton, Bridgwater, and West Somerset Campuses. As part of this role, you will be expected to work across the schools sites and in mainstream schools supporting children with interventions and/or transitions.

The post will include planning, leading and delivering a subject under the direction of a teacher. Ideally you should have experience of working with young people who may have significant gaps in their education to help them re‑engage in their learning.

You will be expected to demonstrate:

• Excellent communication skills
• An awareness of safeguarding young people (although full training will be provided)
• An understanding of how children and young people learn
• An ability to build positive relationships with students, staff and families
• Good literacy, numeracy and ICT skills

In return we can offer ongoing CPD opportunities, promotional opportunities and a very supportive and skilled team. Willow Vale works as a part of a wider team within a formal partnership with both Polden Bower and Avalon Schools.

Willow Vale School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All posts require a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure, medical clearance proof of the right to work in the UK and satisfactory references.

Following the acceptance of your interview, an online check will be carried out as detailed in the latest Keeping Children Safe in Education guidelines