Higher Level Teaching Assistant - HLTA

The Trafalgar School at Downton; Kingswood; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

The Trafalgar School at Downton is seeking an empathetic Learning Gateway Support Assistant to help students access our Learning Gateway provision. You will provide day-to-day supervision, check-ins, and emotional support to learners facing EBSA, anxiety, or other barriers, enabling gradual reintegration into mainstream lessons.

Working with safeguarding and wellbeing policies, you will de-escalate distress, scaffold tasks, and promote positive study habits, independence, and confidence for

Responsibilities

• Provide calm, supportive presence in the Learning Gateway throughout the school day
• Welcome students into the provision, complete check-ins, and monitor their emotional wellbeing
• Supervise learning sessions, ensuring students remain engaged and feel safe and supported
• Provide academic support for the Learning Gateway online curriculum
• Adapt tasks and provide scaffolding to access Learning Gateway curriculum materials
• Encourage positive study habits, independence, and confidence
• Build strong, trusting relationships with students, using compassion and relational practice
• Support students experiencing anxiety, distress, or overwhelm using de-escalation and co-regulation strategies
• Provide supportive listening and timely reassurance in line with safeguarding and wellbeing policies.

Job description

Main Purpose

To provide day-to-day support, supervision, and guidance for students accessing our Learning Gateway provision due to EBSA, anxiety, low mood, or other medical barriers to mainstream learning. The role focuses on developing positive relationships, supporting learning activities, promoting wellbeing, and helping students build confidence and readiness for gradual reintegration into mainstream lessons.

• Provide a calm, supportive, and consistent presence in the Learning Gateway throughout the school day
• Welcome students into the provision, complete check-ins, and monitor their emotional wellbeing
• Supervise learning sessions, ensuring students remain engaged and feel safe and supported.
• Provide academic support for the Learning Gateway online curriculum
• Adapt tasks and provide scaffolding to help students access Learning Gateway curriculum materials at an appropriate level
• Encourage positive study habits, independence, and confidence
• Build strong, trusting relationships with students, using compassion, patience, and relational practice
• Support students experiencing anxiety, distress, or overwhelm using de‑escalation and co-regulation strategies
• Provide supportive listening and timely reassurance in line with school safeguarding and wellbeing policies.