Teaching Assistant in the Junior School

The Junior School

The Junior School, for boys aged 7-11, is a happy and highly successful part of one of the country’s leading independent day schools. It currently has 135 pupils in eight forms. Although the school has grown in recent years, the intimate size helps to create a family-like atmosphere, where boys demonstrate a spirit of respect and tolerance. We aim to provide an education which enables each boy to acquire an independent and searching mind, to develop a broad range of extra-curricular interests, and to take pleasure in the life of ideas. Key dispositions such as kindness, perseverance, resilience and teamwork underpin all aspects of Junior School life.

The Role

Magdalen College School is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and versatile Teaching Assistant for the Junior School to start as soon as possible. The successful candidate will enjoy a varied daily routine as part of a close team in the Junior School. The list below offers an idea of what is to be expected, although it is not exhaustive:

• Work closely with the JS staff in assisting in the day-to-day running of a busy Junior School;
• Plan, lead and deliver effective interventions to support individual or small groups of boys with reinforcement and enrichment tasks;
• Offer strong in-class support in conjunction with classroom teachers;
• Cover lessons for absent staff;
• Cover Reception for absent staff;
• Oversee test invigilation for late school applicants and current Junior School pupils requiring bespoke access arrangements;
• Support our Classroom Assistants in developing the skills required to deliver high-quality interventions of their own;
• Provide supervisory support during lunch and break time, and before and after school until 5.00pm; specifically overseeing boys who catch the school buses home;
• Accompany classes on day trips and potentially residential trips;
• Lead or support sessions on our Thursday Activities Afternoon;
• Provide reprographic support and oversee the creation of high-quality displays to promote boys’ work and further their learning;
• Help with Open Day, Open Events and Testing Days (one Saturday per term)

The Candidate

The successful candidate will:

• take a keen interest in the welfare of pupils and show clear commitment to safeguarding children;
• be a qualified HLTA and / or with relevant experience;
• be friendly, enthusiastic, motivated and a caring individual who enjoys ‘mucking in’ and thrives in the company of children;
• set clear expectations for pupil behaviour within an encouraging classroom environment, and around the site;
• have excellent written and spoken communication skills;
• have sound IT skills;
• have the ability to work collaboratively and effectively as part of a wider team;
• display a high level of attention to detail;
• work hard to support pupil progress;
• be willing to take part in continuing professional development;
• respond positively to feedback

Application Process

Candidates should submit the following two documents to the Recruitment Officer, Miss Yelena Molcanova (recruitment@mcsoxford.org), which can be found on the Job Vacancy link of the website (www.mcsoxford.org). To access Click here.

1. “MCS Application Form for Teaching and Support Staff” Form
2. CV (Curriculum Vitae)

All documentation should be sent no later than Monday 16th September at noon; early applications are highly encouraged. The school’s preferred method of communication is by email and it will not be necessary to send a hard copy of the documents by post.

References may be taken up in advance. If you do not wish references to be called for at this stage, please make that clear on the reference section of the application form.

We anticipate holding interviews on Thursday 19th September and we will be in contact with shortlisted candidates by telephone. We may initially interview via MS Teams and ask shortlisted candidates to attend a second stage interview in person.

Equal Opportunities

Magdalen College School recognises and is committed to ensuring applicants and employees from all sections of the community are treated equally regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marital and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Safeguarding Policy

Magdalen College School is committed to the safeguarding of pupils, and any offer of employment will be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure, the receipt of satisfactory references, the school’s pre-employment medical questionnaire, plus sight of relevant original ID documentation and degree certificate(s). This role will be in regulated activity and will require a children’s barred list check as well as an enhanced DBS check. The enhanced DBS check is due to this role being exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Remuneration and Benefits

This is a full-time permanent position, term-time only with one week for INSET (35 weeks in total); with the standard working hours from 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday and an hour for lunch. The salary is £34,726 per annum, pro-rated salary will be £27,113 per annum.

Non-teaching staff are automatically enrolled in the school’s contributory Group Pension Scheme. This is a defined contribution pension scheme into which the employee contributes 5% of gross salary and the employer contributes 10%.

School fee remission is available for permanent staff sons and Sixth Form daughters who pass the entrance tests for the school, and is currently 50% pro rata subject to a minimum FTE of 50%. In addition, 20% fee remission pro rata is available for MCS staff who have daughters attending Headington Rye, subject to a minimum of 50% FTE.

There is a wide range of benefits on offer to staff, including a free lunch during term time, free private health insurance and complimentary use of school sports facilities. Head to mcsoxford.org/vacancies to find out more.