Teaching Assistant

Acorn Care and Education; Shrewsbury; On-site; GBP 23,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK education provider is seeking a dedicated Teaching Assistant in Shrewsbury. This role involves supporting young people with complex needs in a nurturing environment while maintaining full-time pay under a 4-Day Working Week trial. Applicants should have minimum GCSEs in English and Maths, and experience with SEN is desirable. Join us to make a significant impact on students' lives.

Benefits

Life Assurance

Pension scheme options

Mental health support services

Cycle to Work Schemes

Electric Car Purchase Scheme

Family Growth Support

Qualifications

• Experience with young people with SEN, SEMH, autism, or communication disorders is desirable.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills are essential.
• Commitment to ongoing training and professional development is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Provide 1:1 learning and emotional support to designated pupils.
• Collaborate with teaching staff, therapists, families, and external agencies.
• Encourage engagement through tailored, child-centred approaches.

Skills

Communication skills

Empathetic approach

Teamwork skills

Education

Minimum GCSEs in English and Maths

Job description

How would you like to get paid for five days, but only work four?

At Outcomes First Group, we believe in better work/life balance — and we’re putting wellbeing first.

That’s why we’re proud to be part of a 4-Day Working Week (4DWW) trial, where you can work one day less each week (or equivalent hours), while still receiving your full-time pay.

Many of our schools have already introduced the 4DWW — and others are preparing to roll it out as soon as they reach full staffing. So, whether it’s already in place or just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to join #teamOFG.

Job Title: Teaching Assistant
Location: Smallbrook School, Shrewsbury, SY4 3HE
Salary: £22,160.62 per annum (not pro rata)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week | Monday to Friday | 8:45am – 4:30pm
Contract: Permanent | Term Time Only
Start: November 2026
UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

We are excited to offer a rewarding opportunity for a compassionate and dedicated Teaching Assistant to join our supportive team at Smallbrook School in Shrewsbury. This is a chance to make a genuine and lasting difference in the lives of young people with complex needs.

About the Role

As a Teaching Assistant, you will work primarily on a 1:1 basis with pupils who require high levels of support due to a combination of social, emotional, communication, and learning challenges. These may include:

• Speech and sound disorders
• Expressive and receptive language difficulties
• Attention and concentration difficulties
• Work avoidance and episodes of challenging behaviour

You will play a key role in supporting pupils both academically and emotionally. This includes working collaboratively with families and external professionals such as Social Workers, Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, and Early Intervention teams. Some support may take place outside the traditional classroom environment, tailored to individual needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide 1:1 learning and emotional support to designated pupils
• Foster a safe, positive, and nurturing learning environment
• Collaborate with teaching staff, therapists, families, and external agencies
• Contribute to and monitor progress against individual learning plans
• Encourage engagement through tailored, child-centred approaches
• Uphold safeguarding and welfare standards at all times
• Support day-to-day school organisation, including administrative tasks
• Take part in school development initiatives as required

What We’re Looking For

• Minimum GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths
• Experience with young people with SEN, SEMH, autism, or communication disorders (desirable)
• Calm, patient, and empathetic approach
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Commitment to ongoing training and professional development
• A genuine passion for helping young people reach their full potential

This is an opportunity to be a trusted mentor and support figure, making a meaningful impact every day in the lives of the pupils you work with.

About us

Smallbrook School is currently increasing capacity from 50 students to 80 and having a large investment in our school site developing KS2 and sixth form provision. We are a co-educational day school catering for pupils aged 7-18 with a range of complex needs including a range of social, emotional and mental health needs and also pupils who have been diagnosed with autism or demonstrate behaviours associated with autism.

You will contribute to making Smallbrook School an outstanding provision for our young people and their families. We provide a therapeutic, supportive and inclusive learning environment and are committed to raising achievement and enabling pupils to recognise their potential and supporting them through a personalised, engaging curriculum. Our priority is to develop the foundation knowledge and skills required to make a manageable and smooth transition to the next life stage.

Our School is based halfway between Shrewsbury and Wem in Shropshire.

We are part of Acorn Education and can offer plenty of challenges along with a wide range of opportunities to develop your career. Acorn Education is the UK’s leading provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in creating and delivering innovative approaches that achieve measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

Why join Acorn Education?

We place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

Benefits

• Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:
• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• "Your Wellbeing Matters" – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
• And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

One Moment In Time. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.