Teaching Assistant

WG060 Witherslack Group Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training

Holidays

Progression

Flexible benefits

Wellbeing

Medical cover

Pension

Refer a friend bonus

Job summary

Witherslack Group Ltd in London is seeking a dedicated Teaching Assistant to support children and young people with Autism and SEND needs. You’ll help learners engage in lessons, develop abilities and raise self-esteem in a nurturing school environment.

You’ll be part of Lavender Lodge School in Mitcham, described as a life-changing learning community with strong Ofsted standing, offering induction, training, generous holidays and a supportive, inclusive team.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with children with Autism or SEND is a plus.
• Ability to support learners to engage in lessons and build self-esteem.

Responsibilities

• Support children and young people to learn and build self-esteem in lessons.
• Collaborate with teachers and therapists to support learning and wellbeing.

Job description

Up to £31,527 + Excellent benefits Those Huge Small Victories

Our Teaching Assistants are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things. There’s lots of ups and downs, and to some of our young people, sitting through a lesson can be a big win. We call these huge small victories and whilst they may seem small on the surface, they add up to make a big difference. Check out this video on what life as a Teaching Assistant at Witherslack Group is like! Get out what you put in You’ll be working with children and young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder/Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. You’ll be there to help them learn, develop their abilities and raise their self-esteem. You will need to be resilient and dedicated, but those huge small victories that you achieve will be something you’re really proud of. It can be a tough journey, but the positive steps forward will more than make up for it. As a Teaching Assistant at Witherslack Group, you’ll get all the support you need to succeed. Your colleagues will be the best at what they do, the school environments will be well-resourced and we’ll be with you every step of the way, helping you build a rewarding teaching career.

One of the best environments in SEND Lavender Lodge school resides within an 18th Century building in the heart of Mitcham. Our pupils come from many different boroughs to attend our school and are lucky to experience ‘a life changing love of learning.’ We are proud of our pupils and our dedicated team and pupils leave us with a sense of achievement. Having joined the Witherslack Group family in 2022, Lavender Lodge School is an independent specialist day school providing high-quality education, based in South London. The school meets the needs of pupils with a primary diagnosis of autism and additional needs such as ADHD, speech and language difficulties, sensory issues and associated behavioural difficulties. We were recently recognised as Good by Ofsted.

What we do for you We know you’re going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the education sector. With us, you’ll get to bring learning to life and make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people – plus you’ll get:

• Training: A full induction and on the job training
• Holiday: You’ll work hard at WG, so you’ll be rewarded with full school holidays
• Progression: If career development is your thing, most of our head teachers and leaders have been promoted from within our group
• Flexible benefits: meaning you can increase/decrease benefits such as life insurance – check out our benefits here
• Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
• Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high‑street discounts
• Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities – check out our schools here
• A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time
• Contributory pension (matched up to 5%)
• Bring your whole‑self to work

Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs – and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. You’ll be more than a Teaching Assistant, you’ll be able to connect with our pupils because of:

• Your ‘can do’ attitude – a team player who rolls up their sleeves to help others
• Ideally you’ll have experience working in a classroom, but if not, we can provide you will all the relevant training
• Your genuine passion for supporting children to learn and the impact it can have on their lives
• Your enthusiasm and expertise to support the teacher and work closely with our therapists

We’re committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and that they truly belong. As a specialist provider of education and care for children and young people with special educational needs, we understand the importance of embracing individuality and championing difference- especially when it comes to neurodiversity. We celebrate diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and the unique strengths that each person brings to our community. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer and are committed to making our recruitment and workplace practices inclusive and accessible. If you need any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process or in the workplace, we’ll be there every step of the way. By building a diverse and inclusive team, we’re better able to support the children, young people and families we serve and ensure every member of our team can thrive, grow, and be their authentic self.

We’re an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community. The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost) and an online search.

We are the highest Ofsted-rated provider in the country for special education and care. Our teams are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things. There’s lots of ups and downs, and to some of our young people, just sitting through a lesson can be a big win. We call these huge small victories and whilst they may seem small on the surface, they add up to make a big difference. We live and learn with children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, communication difficulties (such as Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, or speech, language and communication needs), ADHD or complex learning needs. We have the most joined-up model in SEN, the best environments and we are proud of what we do.