Teaching Assistant for St John's CE Primary in Weymouth

Dorset Council; Wilton; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust is seeking a Pastoral Learning Assistant to provide targeted pastoral interventions, support emotional wellbeing and promote inclusive learning across Year groups. The role involves working with children in a dedicated pastoral space and collaborating with teachers, families and external professionals to ensure safe, positive engagement.

The successful candidate will foster resilience, social communication, and readiness for learning while supporting attendance

Qualifications

• Experience of working with primary aged children or young people in an educational, pastoral, care or community setting.
• Understanding of children’s social, emotional and behavioural development and its impact on learning.
• Experience of supporting children with SEND, SEMH needs or other vulnerabilities would be helpful.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with pupils, parents and colleagues.
• A calm, patient, flexible and solution-focused approach when responding to children with a range of needs.
• Good organisational and record-keeping skills, including the ability to use IT systems to support communication and monitoring.
• A strong commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Responsibilities

• Deliver individual and small group pastoral interventions to support pupils’ emotional wellbeing, resilience, self-esteem, social communication and positive behaviour.
• Provide a safe, nurturing space for pupils experiencing social, emotional or behavioural difficulties, supporting them to regulate emotions and develop positive coping strategies.
• Support pupils with SEND, SEMH needs, barriers to attendance and participation, or other vulnerabilities, helping them to feel included and able to thrive.
• Work with pupils during times of change, challenge, transition or reintegration, helping them to build confidence and successfully engage in school life.
• Support pupils during unstructured times, including breaktimes, lunchtimes, arrivals and departures, encouraging positive social interaction and inclusion.
• Contribute to the planning, delivery, monitoring and review of support plans and pastoral interventions, keeping appropriate records and using school systems effectively.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, families and external agencies to ensure a coordinated approach to wellbeing, behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and inclusion.
• Contribute to a positive whole-school pastoral and learning environment where pupils feel safe, valued, respected and ready to learn.

Skills

Pastoral support

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

Tools

IT systems

Job description

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic, calm and well-organised Pastoral Learning Assistant to join our committed and hardworking team. This is a primarily pastoral role and the successful candidate will become part of our dedicated team.

The role will be based in a dedicated pastoral space and will involve supporting children from Reception to Year 6. The successful candidate will work closely with the Headteacher, Inclusion Leader, teachers, families and external professionals to provide consistent pastoral support that promotes positive behaviour, emotional regulation, resilience, attendance, inclusion and engagement in learning.

The successful candidate will work with pupils who may require additional support with their social, emotional, mental health, communication and interaction needs. They will provide personalised pastoral interventions, helping children to build confidence, develop positive relationships, improve emotional literacy, feel valued and strengthen their readiness for learning.

Alongside pastoral support, the role will include supporting learning through targeted activities, adapting approaches to meet individual needs and helping pupils engage successfully with the curriculum. The ability to respond flexibly to changing circumstances, build positive relationships and tailor support for a wide range of learners will be essential.

A key aspect of the role will be supporting children to successfully reintegrate into their mainstream classroom following periods of intervention or pastoral support. This will involve working closely with teachers, parents and external professionals to ensure children feel safe, supported and able to access learning alongside their peers.

About The Role

• Deliver individual and small group pastoral interventions to support pupils’ emotional wellbeing, resilience, self-esteem, social communication and positive behaviour.
• Provide a safe, nurturing space for pupils experiencing social, emotional or behavioural difficulties, supporting them to regulate emotions and develop positive coping strategies.
• Support pupils with SEND, SEMH needs, barriers to attendance and participation, or other vulnerabilities, helping them to feel included and able to thrive.
• Work with pupils during times of change, challenge, transition or reintegration, helping them to build confidence and successfully engage in school life.
• Support pupils during unstructured times, including breaktimes, lunchtimes, arrivals and departures, encouraging positive social interaction and inclusion.
• Contribute to the planning, delivery, monitoring and review of support plans and pastoral interventions, keeping appropriate records and using school systems effectively.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, families and external agencies to ensure a coordinated approach to wellbeing, behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and inclusion.
• Contribute to a positive whole-school pastoral and learning environment where pupils feel safe, valued, respected and ready to learn.

About You

• Experience of working with primary aged children or young people in an educational, pastoral, care or community setting.
• An understanding of children’s social, emotional and behavioural development, including how pupils’ wellbeing can affect learning, attendance and participation.
• Experience of supporting children with SEND, SEMH needs or other vulnerabilities would be helpful.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive, trusting relationships with pupils, parents, carers and colleagues.
• A calm, patient, flexible and solution-focused approach when responding to children with a range of needs.
• Good organisational and record-keeping skills, including the ability to use IT systems to support communication and monitoring.
• A strong commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

The ideal candidate will be a reflective practitioner who is able to work independently and as part of a team. They will be empathetic and resilient, able to maintain professional boundaries, and passionate about helping children feel safe, valued and able to achieve their potential.

Why join us?

Our school vision and values underpin everything that we do and we love to celebrate seeing our school values in action.

We believe that all staff should receive continued professional learning opportunities and all Teaching Assistants at Beechcroft are offered CPL to develop their knowledge and skills.

We want our staff to thrive, so we offer an extensive range of wellness services and professional learning opportunities to support growth and development. Please visit our website for further details: Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust - Wellness.

We value the diversity of our workforce and welcome applications from all.

All applicants will be notified of the shortlisting decisions by email. References for shortlisted candidates will be requested before interviews.

This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All applicants will be subject to a number of checks including the Disclosure and Barring Service check before appointment is confirmed.

Safeguarding Statement

Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.