Beacon Teaching Assistant

Required to start: ASAP

Horizons Teaching Assistant

A1/B1 (SCP 2-6) £23,656 - £25,183

Actual Salary £20,346 - £21,659

Contract: 37 Hours Per Week, Term Time Only + 5 Days

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and dynamic Beacon Teaching Assistant to join our academy who will promote our vision and values. The successful candidate will work under the direct instruction of teaching/senior staff, within our the Beacon department – our mainstream academy SEND and Inclusion provision, to support the teacher on implementing a curriculum which is tailored to individual needs, enabling pupils to reach their full potential.

The ideal applicant will have:

• Good numeracy/literacy skills
• Experience of working with or caring for children of relevant age
• Ability to relate well to children and young people.

What we offer you: 

As a trust, we want to ensure that professionals at every stage in their career have the opportunity to enjoy expert support and training. We are pleased to offer a generous benefits package to our team – as we work together to create a rewarding future for all including: 

• Membership to a local government pension scheme.  
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential professional advice and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• A commitment to continued investment in our professionals, supporting every member of staff throughout their career in the trust.
• Discounts and online offers at major high street/online retailers.
• £2k Cycle to work scheme. 

About us:

At the heart of all that what we do is our core values. Through the values of: Kindness, Ambition, Dedication and Respect, our students, their parents/ carers and our colleagues are committed to the mission of the academy; one where we together ensure that all young people ‘Secure the Gift of Choice’ regardless of socio-economic background.

John Smeaton Academy aspires for all young people to leave their time with us having secured ‘The Gift of Choice’. Our key drivers that enable us to achieve this are centred around five key areas within the curriculum. Our curriculum is designed to instil exceptional standards, equipping our students with ambitious standards. It is designed to remove barriers so our students can maximise progress and access appropriate challenge, build resilience by ensuring that students are routinely exposed to challenging and difficult concepts and ideas (the Purple Zone). It is carefully crafted so that students can apply the knowledge they have acquired to different and challenging contexts and is designed to deliver awe and wonder. This is fundamental to promote creativity in the classroom; to inspire and engage our students so that they develop a passion and enthusiasm for learning not just in the classroom, but beyond. It develops the skills necessary to fulfil individual potential; developing independence and autonomy so that students are not over reliant on the support of others, including their teachers.

The academy is a truly exceptional place for students to study and for colleagues to work. We take pride in making decisions that are needs based and context specific, doing the right thing at the right time.

If you would like to know more about John Smeaton Academy, please visit our website at www.johnsmeatonacademy.org.uk.

How to Apply:

If you’re as excited about this role as we are, an Application Pack (including Job Description and Person Specification) is available to download from The GORSE Academies Trust website (www.tgat.org.uk/jobs), by email to enquiries@johnsmeatonacademy.org.uk or by telephone on 0113 8313900.

If you submit an electronic application, we will not require a hard copy. CV’s are not accepted.

PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will be shortlisted and invited to interview while this advert remains live, if a successful candidate is found the advert will be withdrawn. We therefore strongly encourage you to apply as soon as possible so you do not miss out on this fantastic opportunity.



We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to full employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and barring service check. We promote diversity and aim to establish a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds.   

Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK – either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply for this position.