Overview
Teaching Assistant – Devizes, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Salary: Grade F £27,254 – £28,598 (32.5 hours per week £20,591 – £22,097 per annum) (37 hours per week £23,442 – £25,158) Hours of work: 32.5 hours per week (we will consider 37 hours per week)Contract type: PermanentThis is not a Wiltshire Council vacancy therefore please contact Downland School for further information.A bit about us:Downland School is a co-educational maintained community special school for pupils aged between 10 and 16 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Our pupils have varying aptitudes and abilities; we are extremely proud of all their achievements and progress. Our pupils have a range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) including: Autism (ASC); attachment disorders and Social, Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties. We seek to ensure that, by the time they leave us, our pupils emerge as self-confident individuals able to manage their own learning; equipped with the skills and competencies to successfully take the next steps in their lives. We are a friendly, happy and caring school, providing a positive, inclusive and enriching educational experience for our young people. We view each of our pupils as unique and shape our provision to meet their individual needs and accelerate their progress in a variety of areas e.g. personal, social, academic and well-being. Our commitment to supporting the ‘whole’ child and their development is underpinned by our strong pastoral systems and our committed and trained staff. At Downland we promote inclusion and equality and celebrate diversity.Our mission statement is ‘Aspire, Achieve and Thrive’.All about the role:We are looking to appoint a Teaching Assistant to enhance support to our pupils, either through dedicated 1:1 support or by working in class. This post holder will be timetabled as needed across the full range of subjects. They need to be versatile and resilient.Key areas of work will include:Supporting pupils learning, either in groups or through 1:1 work. The exact tasks will depend on the learning support needs of the pupil/s to meet their SEND profile but may include: supporting the development of skills in literacy, numeracy, communication and social and behavioural needsadapting & personalising work for individual pupils to suit their abilityusing knowledge of pupils learning support needs to suggest appropriate adjustments to lesson plans to Teachersclarifying and explaining instructionsensuring pupils are able to use equipment and materials providedmotivating and supporting pupilshelping pupils to concentrate on and finish work setmeeting physical needs as required while promoting independenceliaising with class teacher and SEND team about Behaviour Support Plans and EHCP outcomesdeveloping appropriate resources to support pupils engage and learnlistening to pupils’ problems and taking appropriate action or seeking advice to resolve the issueSupporting pupils self esteem, inclusion and behavioural development, e.g.encouraging an acceptance and inclusion of the pupil with special needsdeveloping methods of promoting/reinforcing the pupil’s self esteem and independenceproviding individual or small group supervision in and out of the classroom for pupils with behavioural problemsestablishing a supportive relationship with pupilsreinforcing the school ethos, e.g. expectations of behaviour within class and elsewhere on the school site and apply ‘The Downland Way’supervising pupils on school activities and school tripsProvide physical/personal care to pupils, e.g.administering medication on instruction from the pastoral team and supervising sick children e.g. those with epilepsy or other medical conditions e.g. diabetesSupporting the Teacher/s, e.g.using knowledge and experience of the pupils concerned, to contribute, with the class teacher (and other professionals as appropriate), in the development and evaluation of a suitable programme of support for children who need learning supportcontribute to the development of Behaviour Support Plans and reviews of pupil progress and engagementin conjunction with the class teacher (and other professionals as appropriate) to develop system/s of recording pupil progress and contribute to the maintenance across a range of systemsproviding regular feedback about pupils to the Teacher/sencouraging the social and emotional development of pupils by intervening in situations which call for adult supervisionSupporting the curriculumsupport the delivery of the Literacy and Mathematics strategy along with other aspects of both the National Curriculum and the enhanced curriculum offered by the school.improve the classroom and school environment e.g. create displays that celebrate pupils’ achievementSupporting the school, e.g.where appropriate, fostering and develop links between a pupil’s home (parent/carer) and schoolassisting with setting up, storing and retrieving and general maintenance of classroom equipment and teaching aids, e.g. computers and computer software, resources, indoor and outdoor play equipment etchelping to ensure the hygiene of the teaching environment in cases of sickness or soiling, with trainingensure that all equipment for outings (e.g. drinks, food, weather protection, first aid) accompanies the pupilssupport at taxi arrival and drop off as directedYou will be expected to actively demonstrate the school’s core values and promote ‘The Downland Way’In return we will offer youa forward thinking and inclusive school environmenta friendly and supportive communityan inclusive and caring ethosgood professional development and learning opportunitiesa well equipped and safe working environmentEnthusiasm and commitment to working with and raising achievement for pupils with SEMH is paramount to us.Find out more and apply:To apply, you should submit a letter addressed to Mrs Keily-Theobald (Headteacher) of no more than two sides of A4 with your application form addressing the requirements of the post, as outlined in the Job Description and the Person Specification provided. We are particularly interested in how you would undertake this role at Downland School and about your relevant skills, qualities and experience to date. Applications received without a supporting letter will not be considered and CVs will not be accepted.Please email completed application forms and your covering letter to Tanya Rhodes, Bursar, at admin@downland.wilts.sch.uk We welcome visits to the school. Please contact Tanya Rhodes, Bursar, if you would like to arrange a visit in advance of applying.Applications must be received by 9:00am on Tuesday 21st October 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by e-mail. If you do not hear from us by Thursday 23rd October 2025, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion. It is anticipated that interviews will take place w/b Monday 3rd November 2025.Closing date (and time): 9.00am 10th November 2025Interview date: w/b 17th November 2025Commencement date: as soon as contractually possibleDownland School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Please note that this appointment is subject to enhanced DBS, medical and reference checks before appointment is confirmed.Person SpecificationJob ProfilePrivacy NoticeApplication FormEquality & Diversity Form PLEASE DO NOT APPLY VIA THE APPLY BUTTON BELOW. Applications must be made via the instructions provided above. Applications or CV’s submitted via the apply button will not be considered.
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
