Teaching Assistant

LeighAcademiesTrust; Tonbridge; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK based primary academy located in Tonbridge is seeking an enthusiastic Teaching Assistant to support its collaborative team starting February 2026. The role focuses on motivating and assisting pupils both individually and in small groups. Candidates should have a caring nature and ideally some experience working with children in a primary school setting. In return, the academy offers a competitive salary, career progression opportunities, and access to various benefits including a local government pension scheme.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Local Government Pension Scheme

24/7 access to a free virtual GP Service

Collaborative MAT network

Additional LAT benefits

Qualifications

• Caring and supportive nature essential.
• Experience in a primary school setting preferred.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Support pupils individually or in small groups.
• Help create a nurturing learning environment.
• Assist in implementing educational activities.

Skills

Enthusiastic, energetic and adaptable

Caring

Capable of working independently and in a team

Able to motivate and support pupils

Experienced in working with children

Job description

Competitive salary with progression opportunities + Local Government Pension Scheme + 24 / 7 access to a free virtual GP Service + collaborative MAT network + additional LAT benefits .

Leigh Academy Marden has an exciting opportunity to appoint an enthusiastic and motivated Teaching Assistant to join our highly collaborative and supportive team in February 2026. Our teaching support team is pivotal to our success in the classroom and supporting children to reach their full potential.

Our successful candidate will be :

• Enthusiastic, energetic and adaptable
• Caring
• Capable of working independently and in a team
• Able to motivate and support pupils individually or in small groups
• Experienced in working with children or in a primary school setting

Join our team because :

• We care - about our pupils through our human scale approach to education, our staff and their well-being and the communities that we serve, driven by our high ideals and strong moral values.
• We have boundless ambition - to achieve excellence for all and create confident young adults with high levels of resilience and integrity.
• We work together - as one team in the belief that we are greater than the sum of our parts. We foster an enterprising culture through collaboration and in close partnership with industry and other educators.
• We keep getting better - using our ‘can-do’ attitude towards continuous improvement and innovation.

All of the staff at Marden are committed to ensuring that the school keeps its friendly, caring atmosphere whilst ensuring that children develop a broad range of life skills. We want all the children to become confident, independent learners who show respect for one another and can talk articulately about their feelings and ideas.

This is a fixed term position offering an actual salary of £18,260 per annum (£25,136 full-time equivalent) based on 31.25 hours per week (8.30 am - 3.15 am Monday-Friday), Term Time + 1 week inset.

Working with us at Leigh Academy Marden

Leigh Academy Marden is a thriving and growing primary academy serving the beautiful village community of Marden, Kent. With 45 pupils in each year group and potential for future expansion, Marden's children are our biggest asset. We seek passionate, determined educators ready to provide them with a positive future.

You’ll join a supportive, committed team delivering a broad, balanced curriculum. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School , our provision is enhanced through the Primary Years Programme (PYP) , an aspirational, inquiry-led framework that delivers the National Curriculum through in-context experiences. This approach encourages children to be risk-takers, lifelong learners, and global citizens.

At Marden, every child deserves a nurturing, safe, and inspiring community. We share an ambitious vision and promote high expectations for all, continuously striving to improve. Our success is significantly bolstered by our supportive parents and carers, who are vital partners in achieving high-quality outcomes. Additionally, as part of Leigh Academies Trust, we benefit from a hub of innovative educational providers, accessing a wealth of current thinking and research.

Discover more about our vibrant academy by visiting our website.

Applying for this Opportunity

Thank you for your interest in joining us. If you’d like to find out more about this role or arrange a visit to the academy, please don’t hesitate to contact Amy Wenban (Recruitment Advisor) : [e-mail] / 01634 412 205 .

To support your application, we recommend viewing the Job Pack by clicking here , which outlines the full role responsibilities and person specification. This will guide you in preparing a strong application and understanding what we’re looking for.

Early applications are encouraged, as we reserve the right to interview before the closing date. All applications must be submitted through our online application form prior to the deadline.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding, Equality & Diversity

Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates - you can read more about it on our Careers site . All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

As a Trust, we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not discriminating on any grounds.