Learning Support Assistant

Thank you for your interest in the position of BG7 Learning Support Assistant at Orchard School Bristol. We are seeking an LSA to join Orchard School from October 2024.

We are a friendly school, serving a richly diverse community in north Bristol. Our students are wonderful they value their teachers, knowing that you can make a real difference to their lives. The mission statement of the school, “inspire today, empower for life”, lies at the heart of all that the school does. We place no limits on our aspirations for our students. As a school we are building our success on our core values, being Open-minded, Respectful, Creative & curious, Healthy, Ambitious, Responsible and Determined. The Learning Support team is an active team, generous in their support of colleagues and to the wider life of the school. An excellent learning support assistant can have a huge impact on young people. Learning Support Assistants at Orchard School work one-to-one or with small groups of students mainly delivering literacy and numeracy interventions, but also social skills, speech and language development, mental health and supporting with learning difficulties and disabilities. There may also be times when you are needed to work in-class with teachers to support the learning of identified students with additional needs.

The post would suit an individual with excellent Maths and English skills and competent ICT skills, who is keen to make a difference to young people’s life chances. We are looking for individuals who are able to take responsibility for interventions and are able to support some of our most vulnerable students to engage positively in school. Learning Support Assistants must be able to listen to young people and find proactive ways through their concerns and difficulties to enable personal development and positive wellbeing, and at the same time be firm and fair with children in maintaining good behaviour for learning. We are particularly interested in LSAs who have excellent English and are able to speak community languages.

Over the past few years this role has appealed to recent graduates who may be considering a future career in teaching, educational psychology, children’s and young people’s services, or social work. Previous graduate LSAs have found the experience of two years or so in an LSA role prior to teacher training or their next career move to be invaluable. Experienced LSAs who have worked with literacy and numeracy packages are warmly welcomed to apply too. We will provide any necessary CPD, and opportunities to grow to become the best practitioner you can be.

We offer:

• enthusiastic students, willing to learn and achieve, who need staff who believe in them
• a bright, happy place in which to learn and work
• a professionally stimulating environment which values the contributions of all staff
• a strong commitment to your professional development
• award-winning staff wellbeing

Please read our Staff Prospectus to find out more about us, and visit our website If you have any questions relating to this role, please contact Emma Snell.

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37 per weeks Monday - Thursday 08:00am - 4:00pm, 08:00am - 15:30pm Fridays 

Pay: BG7 N8-N11 Actual £21, 602 - £22, 719

Closing Date: There is no closing date for this post, early application is advised as applications will be considered as they are received, and we reserve the right to appoint at any time in the process.

We warmly welcome your application,

Mel Sweet, Headteacher

Fluency Duty

This role has been identified as falling within the definition of requiring fluency in spoken English. You will be required to speak English with confidence and be able to conduct a conversation and answer questions for extended periods of time.

Safeguarding Statement

Trust in Learning (Academies) is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders are subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service clearance. Our policy and practice is in line with the Department for Education’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ most recent Guidance. We ensure that all appropriate measures are applied in relation to everyone who works for the Trust who is likely to be perceived by the children as a safe and trustworthy adult. Safer recruitment practice includes scrutinising applicants, online checks, verifying identity and academic or vocational qualifications, obtaining professional and character references, checking previous employment history and ensuring that a candidate has the health and physical capacity for the job.