Teaching Assistant (Maternity cover)

Wansdyke School; Swindon; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Job summary

Wansdyke School is seeking an enthusiastic and caring Teaching Assistant to join its friendly team on a maternity cover contract with effect from November 2026. The role is part-time (30.83 hours per week, 38 weeks per year, term-time only) and involves supporting pupils across all age ranges, including SEND provision, under the guidance of teaching staff.

Located in Devizes, Wiltshire, the school is part of Acorn Education Trust and offers opportunities for professional development within a

Qualifications

• Passion for delivering high-quality and engaging opportunities for children.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with pupils, staff and parents.
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.
• Self-motivated, dedicated and consistent.
• Ability to handle new challenging situations.
• Strong team player who uses initiative.
• Understanding of and empathy for young people, including social and emotional wellbeing.
• Positive and flexible attitude.
• Experience of supporting children's learning.

Responsibilities

• Support pupils across all age ranges and abilities.
• Assist class teachers in planning and delivering learning activities.
• Contribute to a safe, inclusive learning environment.
• Support SEND pupils under professional guidance.
• Assist with classroom management and behavioural support.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Team player

Flexible attitude

Experience with SEND

Job description

Wansdyke School is looking for an enthusiastic and caring Teaching Assistant to join its friendly team on a maternity cover contract and provide support to pupils, with effect from November 2026.

Working Hours: Part-time (30.83 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 38 weeks per year, term-time only). Contract: Maternity Cover (effective from November 2026).

We are a vibrant non-denominational single form entry primary school, educating children between the ages of 4 and 11. Located in the market town of Devizes, Wiltshire, we are proud to have very incredible children, who show exceptional behaviour and attitude to learning. We have a supportive parent body and a 28 place Complex Needs Resource Base, which supports children with additional needs from across the county. Our passionate staff are committed to raising standards and achieving excellence and, in 2021, we retained our ‘Good’ Ofsted rating and were praised for providing a purposeful and engaging curriculum, which allows pupils to flourish personally and academically. We are part of Acorn Education Trust, which provides exciting opportunities to improve local education and draw on collective experience.

As a Teaching Assistant, you must be able to work across all age ranges and be prepared to work flexibly to support children of all abilities, including those requiring SEND support.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has a passion for delivering high quality and exciting opportunities for children;
• Has strong interpersonal and communication skills and is able to work with a variety of pupils, staff and parents;
• Has superb attention to detail and organisational skills;
• Is self-motivated dedicated and consistent;
• Has the ability to deal with new challenging situations;
• Is a strong team player, who can use their own initiative;
• Understands and is sympathetic to the needs of young people, including their social and emotional wellbeing;
• Has a positive and flexible attitude;
• Has experience of supporting children’s learning.

We can offer the successful candidate:

• An ambitious and vibrant place to work, with enthusiastic children and staff who are passionate about learning;
• A workplace where everyone feels valued and supported;
• Opportunities for training and progression;
• The support of Acorn Education Trust, with excellent opportunities to work with experienced colleagues;
• A supportive and clearly defined induction procedure.

For information about this role, including a full Job Description and Person Specification, please read our Applicant Information Pack. If you have any additional questions, please contact our school admin office on: 01380-725 234

Closing Date: Wednesday 14th October 2026 at 12pm

Interview Date: w/c Monday 19th October 2026

Please note: while the closing date for applications has been set, we reserve the right to interview and appoint a suitable candidate upon receipt of an exceptional application. Therefore, we would encourage prompt application for this position.