Teaching Assistant, reading intervention and support

Castle Mead School; Leicester; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Castle Mead Academy in Leicester is seeking a dedicated Teaching Assistant to lead reading interventions and provide daily support for pupils across key stages. You will work closely with teachers to identify reading gaps, plan targeted activities, monitor progress and reinforce classroom learning in a dynamic, inclusive environment.

As part of The Mead Educational Trust, you will contribute to a growing school culture built on high expectations and safeguarding.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Teaching Assistant or similar role.
• Experience supporting reading development and interventions.
• Commitment to safeguarding and equity in learning.

Responsibilities

• Lead and implement reading intervention activities.
• Support pupils to close attainment gaps and develop routines.
• Collaborate with teachers to adapt lesson plans and monitor progress.
• Contribute to a positive school culture and inclusion.

Skills

Reading interventions

Inclusion

Progress monitoring

Team collaboration

Job description

Teaching Assistant - Reading intervention and support

Location: Leicester, city centre.

Closing Date: 18th September 2026, 9.00am

Interviews: September 2026

Position Start Date: as soon as possible

Salary: Grade 3, Point 5-6 | (£22,746 - £23,109) (£26,634 - £27,058 FTE)

A unique opportunity for dedicated and enthusiastic Teaching Assistant to provide reading interventions and support at Castle Mead Academy, as part of The Mead Educational Trust.

In August 2019, Castle Mead Academy, a non‑selective secondary school, opened its doors and welcomed our first year 7 cohort. Since then, we have never looked back! We are now fully‑grown, with over 1200 scholars as part of our school, going about their learning each and every day. Building on the success of Rushey Mead Academy, Castle Mead is making available in the heart of Leicester a standard of education matching the very best schools in the country so that every scholar leaves us with high value academic qualifications and wider positive dispositions to enable them to lead fulfilling lives.

The opportunity to work in a growing school, is like no other. When you start a school from scratch like we have, it is a golden opportunity to put in place all of the amazing things you have heard and read about from the best schools in the land - but in one place, here in Leicester! Having moved into our new state‑of‑the‑art school building in 2022, join us and help to build a genuine legacy of your own, alongside colleagues who are aligned in their values.

Castle Mead is an Outstanding school, and we seek a colleague with high potential to join our team.

This is an opportunity for an experienced Teaching Assistant who is:

• passionate about inclusion and supporting pupils to achieve their potential;
• believes in equality of opportunity and has high expectations of pupils;
• willing to learn and work as part of our team;
• going to contribute to the ethos of our school
• Flourish in our building, on the picturesque riverside!

Yes, we seek someone who has a genuine moral purpose and belief that everyone is capable of excellence. We seek a colleague to join us to bring a no excuses approach, to ensure every child has the very best offer that they deserve.

We know that carefully considering the way we do things and how these impacts on our school culture is of paramount importance.

We reserve the right to appoint earlier than the closing date for this post, should a suitable candidate be recruited.

Castle Mead Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Safeguarding Statement

This post will involve contact with vulnerable groups (children, young people and/or adults) and is therefore, exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure check. This exemption means that shortlisted applicants for this post will be required to declare all criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, and bind- overs both spent and unspent in their application, before interview and regardless of the passage of time.