Teaching Assistant

Willow Vale School; Taunton; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CPD opportunities

Promotion opportunities

Supportive team

Job summary

Willow Vale School in Somerset seeks Teaching Assistants for permanent posts across Bridgwater, Taunton and West Somerset sites. The role is 32.5 hours per week over 39 weeks per year (term time plus INSET days), with typical hours Monday to Friday and off-site support as needed.

The post requires empathy, resilience and the ability to support children with complex needs, including 1:1 and small-group work, liaising with families and working with welfare and teaching teams.

Qualifications

• Understanding of how children and young people learn.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships with students, staff and families.
• Good literacy and numeracy.
• ICT skills for learning activities.

Responsibilities

• Support teaching and learning team and welfare team.
• Assist children with complex needs and provide 1:1 or small group support.
• Engage in off-site activities with educational or welfare focus.
• Liaise with parents and carers as required.
• Demonstrate empathy, resilience and problem-solving.

Skills

Understanding of how children learn

Communication skills

Relationship building

Literacy

Numeracy

ICT skills

Tools

ICT (computers)

Job description

Willow Vale School are seeking to appoint Teaching Assistants on a permanent contract across our Bridgwater, Taunton, and West Somerset centres.

32.5 hours per week, 39 Weeks per year. (Term time plus INSET days) . Monday 8.45am-4.45pm, Tuesday to Friday 8.45am-3.30pm.

Grade 14 £19,568-£20,193 Actual annual gross salary. Dependent on experience.

Willow Vale School is a newly established and forward‑thinking provision created from the former Bridge School, Sedgemoor and Taunton Deane Partnership College (TDPC). Spread across six specialist sites in the Bridgwater and Taunton areas, we provide flexible, personalised education for children and young people with a wide range of needs. Our work is guided by three core values that shape everything we do: Be Safe. Be Kind. Belong. These values underpin our culture and ensure every learner feels supported, respected and part of a community where they can thrive.

Students join Willow Vale through several pathways. Our main remit is to work with and support young people who are not able to access mainstream schools, for a variety of reasons. Whatever the route, our aim is to provide high‑quality, highly personalised programmes that rebuild confidence, re‑engage learners and prepare them for their next steps.

We are looking for teaching assistants to support both our teaching & learning team and our welfare team.

The post-holder will need to be able to problem solve, show empathy and resilience and be able to support children and young people with complex needs. They may be required to support with behaviours which challenge, liaise with parents and carers and work 1:1 and with small groups of students.

You may be required to take students off-site and into the community to support them with their educational or welfare program.

You will be expected to demonstrate:

• An understanding of how children and young people learn
• Excellent communication skills
• An ability to build positive relationships with students, staff and families
• Good literacy, numeracy and ICT skills

We can offer ongoing CPD opportunities, promotional opportunities and a very supportive and skilled team. Willow Vale School works as a part of a wider team within a formal partnership with both Polden Bower and Avalon Schools.

Enquiries and visits are welcomed please call Jo Stamford, Assistant HR Manager, on 01278 496386 or email [e-mail].

Willow Vale School Sedgemoor is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This appointment will be subject to enhanced DBS disclosure, medical clearance, proof of the right to work in the UK and satisfactory references.

Following the acceptance of your interview, an online check will be carried out as detailed in the latest Keeping Children Safe in Education guidelines.