Higher Level Teaching Assistant: Literacy and Numeracy

Dorset Council; Wareham; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

The Purbeck School is seeking an exceptional Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) or experienced TA to lead targeted literacy and numeracy intervention for pupils entering secondary school below age-related expectations.

Working with the SENDCo and English and mathematics teams, you will deliver structured individual and small-group sessions, assess progress, and provide evidence of impact. Closing date: 23 November 2026; pro rata salary £26,990-£30,612.

Qualifications

• Hold HLTA status or equivalent relevant experience.
• GCSE English and Mathematics at Grade C/4 or above, or equivalent.
• Experience delivering individual and small-group intervention.
• Experience supporting pupils with SEND and/or low prior attainment.
• Demonstrate excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Be confident in assessing, monitoring and recording pupil progress.
• Committed to improving outcomes for pupils who face barriers to learning.

Responsibilities

• Lead targeted literacy and numeracy intervention for pupils entering secondary school below age-related expectations.
• Deliver structured individual and small-group intervention sessions.
• Collaborate with SENDCo and English/Maths teams to monitor progress and adapt programmes.
• Record pupil progress with clear evidence of impact for stakeholders.

Skills

Literacy intervention

Numeracy intervention

Communication skills

Assessment & progress tracking

Relationship-building

Education

HLTA status or equivalent experience

GCSE English & Maths (C/4 or above)

Job description

About the role

HLTA: Literacy and Numeracy

Grade 9, SCP 19 onwards

35 hours per week, Term Time Only

Grade 9 SCP 19 - 25, £26,990 - £30,612 pro rated per annum

We are seeking an exceptional Higher Level Teaching Assistant or someone with the relevant skills and experience willing to work towards the qualification; primarily to lead targeted literacy and numeracy intervention for pupils who enter secondary school below age-related expectations.

Working closely with our SENDCo and English and mathematics teams, the successful candidate will deliver structured individual and small-group intervention, helping pupils develop the fundamental literacy and numeracy skills required to access the secondary curriculum.

This is a specialist intervention role requiring considerably more than conventional classroom support. The successful candidate will help assess pupils' needs, deliver and adapt intervention programmes, monitor progress and provide clear evidence of impact.

We are particularly interested in applicants who have experience of working with pupils with low prior attainment and/or SEND and who can demonstrate strong literacy and numeracy skills.

• hold HLTA status or have equivalent relevant experience
• have GCSE English and Mathematics at Grade C/4 or above, or equivalent
• have experience of delivering individual and small-group intervention
• have experience supporting pupils with SEND and/or low prior attainment
• demonstrate excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• be confident in assessing, monitoring and recording pupil progress
• be committed to improving outcomes for pupils who face barriers to learning

The role provides an excellent opportunity for an experienced TA or HLTA to take significant responsibility for an important area of the school's SEND and inclusion provision.

Closing date: Midnight, 23rd November 2026

Email: [e-mail]

Further Information

The Purbeck School values the diversity of our workforce and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community.

The Purbeck School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; this is a commitment which we expect all staff and volunteers to share. The successful candidate will be required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service check in line with the Governments safer recruitment guidelines.

The pro rata salary shown is based on the number of hours and weeks worked and includes appropriate paid annual leave and bank holiday entitlements.

The salary quoted is the annual salary for the position at the time of advert. The salary will be paid in equal monthly instalments and will be adjusted at the start of employment and again if leaving part way through the school year to ensure the correct salary is received for the work completed in an academic year.

This role is UK based and your Right to Work will need to be established as part of the appointment process.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (2013 and 2020)) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

The Purbeck School will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. All aspects of social media and internet searches will be conducted. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination, a person who is not on the appointment panel will conduct the searches and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.