Learning Support Assistant

Orchard Hill College - Beaconsfield; Greater London; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

A specialist education institution in Kingston is seeking a Learning Support Assistant to help students with special educational needs. This role involves engaging with learners, promoting their independence, and ensuring their health and wellbeing. Candidates should have experience working with diverse learners and hold specific qualifications in Maths and English. The institution offers competitive benefits including a pension scheme, wellbeing support, and opportunities for progression within the organization.

Benefits

Pathways for progression

Pension Scheme

Employee Wellbeing support

Employee Discounts

Season Ticket Loan

Qualifications

• Experience of caring for children or adults with barriers to learning.
• Able to support individual and small groups of students.
• Willingness to enroll in a functional skills course within two years.

Responsibilities

• Engage with students during lessons and break times.
• Promote independence and communication skills.
• Support health and wellbeing of learners per guidelines.

Skills

Experience of working within a team

Experience with special educational needs

Commitment to safeguarding

Education

Level 1 Maths and Level 2 English qualifications

Job description

Salary: Grade 1C / 3, spine points 9 – 17, For Kingston = Outer London £22,306 - £23,598 (FTE £28,218 - £29,852)] = Inner London £23,559 - £24,921 (FTE £29,802 - £31,526)] inclusive of London Weighting Allowance

Location: Kingston

Working Pattern: 36 hours per week, Term Time only (36 working weeks), 8.45 am – 4.30 pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45 am to 4.15 pm on Friday

Orchard Hill College is an Outstanding Specialist College (Ofsted, April 2025) offering life-changing learning opportunities to young people and adults with a range of special education needs and / or disabilities. We operate vibrant community-based College Centres across London and Surrey, where committed specialist teams deliver a variety of programmes designed to meet the diverse needs of our students.

Students who study with us have a wide range of needs including profound and multiple learning disabilities, communication and behavioural difficulties and specific medical needs. All students are individual, and their learning programme is designed to support and empower them to achieve their aspirations and goals, whilst developing skills to become more independent members of their community.

We are looking for Learning Support Assistants (LSA) to support learners through their educational, personal care and therapy programmes, ensuring student's health and wellbeing is maintained.

As an LSA you will engage with students during lesson and break times, promoting their independence and communication as directed by the class Lecturer. You will support our students to gain self-confidence and independence through encouragement and reassurance, by supporting the students in accessing a range of home, community, work related and basic skills learning programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Demonstrate the mentality that students can and do achieve.
• Follow instructions and guidance from the Classroom Lecturer to provide support for students reinforcing their learning and constant promotion of independence. As well as a complete understanding of destinations and targets.
• To encourage students in all areas of the curriculum, to progress to their chosen career destination, gain greater independence in the home and promote community-based learning.
• To positively support the health and wellbeing of learners by follow the guidelines for individual support, care needs and medical interventions (including basic first aid and administration of PRN medications (EpiPen, etc.).
• Follow the Health and Safety policy and procedures to ensure the safety of learners and staff at all times.

Key Requirements

• Experience of working within a team.
• Experience of working with or caring for children or adults who have barriers to learning and / or special educational needs.
• Must hold level 1 Maths and Level 2 English qualifications or be willing to enrol on a functional skills course within your first year of employment and complete the course within 2 years.
• Able to demonstrate a commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.Able to take responsibility for individual and small groups of students, with a range of needs, including behaviours of concern, in different settings.

Orchard Hill College is an exciting, forward‑thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees :

Rewards & Benefits

• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme, Home Electronics Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)

Our Trust

The College is an Academy sponsor and established Orchard Hill College Academy Trust in 2013 which is home to 13 special schools. Together Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust provide for over 1500 pupils and students with SEN across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit our vacancies page.

Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.

As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.

It is an exciting time to be part of OHC and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.

We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.

If you wish to discuss this opportunity before or after submitting an application form, please get in touch with the college directly. Visits to the College in advance of applications are encouraged.

Your application form will be scored according to each of the requirements laid out in the person specification for this role. Please demonstrate in your statement how your experience, skills and knowledge match the criteria that are required for the role.

To apply for this role, please click ‘Fast Apply’, you will then be directed to a ‘Login’ page, once signed in, please complete and submit the Application Form.

Please note that CV applications cannot be considered.

Closing Date : 19th January 2026

Interviews will take place on : w / c 22nd January 2026

Safeguarding Statement

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Appointments made will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace for all.