Teaching Assistant (Apprentice)

The Leigh UTC and Inspiration Academy has an exciting opportunity to appoint a motivated and engaging individual who will join us as a Teaching Assistant (Apprentice), starting from October 2024. Our successful candidate will provide support for pupils who have a range of specific needs, an opportunity to make a real difference to their development. Pupils, including the disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, catch up from previous underachievement and make strong and often rapid progress in a range of subjects and disciplines. Applicants should be adaptable, personable and committed to providing an excellent service on behalf of the school and wider Trust, and above all else our appointed candidate will have a positive work ethic and can-do attitude. 

What does the role involve? The main aim of this role is to support our teachers to deliver academic excellence, day in, day out, with professionalism and enthusiasm. This will involve providing a comprehensive support service to the Academy including:

• Assisting students with their educational and social development, on an individual and group basis
• Providing support for individual students inside and outside the classroom to enable them to fully participate in activities
• Assisting teachers with the maintenance of student records
• Building and maintaining successful relationships with students, whilst treating them with respect and consideration
• Provide expertise to deliver a personalised curriculum for each pupil’s learning
• Have the highest expectation that every pupil will make sustained academic and personal progress

Apprenticeship Summary

Annual wage:  Actual salary £11,805 per annum (£13,725 full time equivalent)

Working weeks:  Monday - Friday, Term Time + 1 week inset 

Total hours per week: 37 (including the 20% training element of the Apprenticeship) - start and finish times to be agreed

Apprenticeship duration:  18 months approx.

Anticipated start date:  September 2024

Apprenticeship level:  Advanced Level Apprenticeship (Level 3)

Apprenticeship standard: Teaching Assistant

Essential entry qualifications: GCSEs A* - C, Maths and English (desirable)

Future prospects: This apprenticeship could be the start of a very promising career within the wider business. We endeavour to offer further employment following successful performance and completion of the Level 3 course with future opportunities to extend your training with a higher level apprenticeship programme. We offer in-house Continuing Professional Development and you’ll be part of a highly experienced and efficient team – you’ll be learning from the very best!

Please note that interviews for this position will take place in September, when our Academy returns after the summer break.

Why work for us? At The Leigh UTC, we create opportunities for meaningful collaboration for staff, we provide a respectful working environment and we encourage innovation from every member of our team. Our Principal, Governors, teaching and support staff believe wholeheartedly in creating opportunities for lifelong success for our young people and believe that exam success is just one aspect in achieving this. We deliver amazing experiences for students whilst not compromising on outcomes. Our teamwork allows us to be greater than the sum of our parts - join us to achieve more than you thought possible. Don’t just take our word for it...click here to find out more from some of our current staff members!

Curriculum is king and we do things a little differently to other schools or colleges because we believe the most effective way to educate our students is to make our learning more hands-on. With the International Baccalaureate Middle Years programme (MYP) at KS3, GCSEs at KS4, and A-levels, T-levels and the International Baccalaureate Careers Programme (IBCP) at KS5, our ambitious curriculum offer caters for choice, leading the vast majority of students into STEM-related careers or courses. 

Being part of Leigh Academies Trust: As of 1st April 2024, our Trust comprises 32 geographically organised academies (16 secondaries, 14 primaries and 2 special) educating more than 20,000 students and employing 3,000 talented staff. Nearly 40% of our academies are judged outstanding overall by Ofsted, versus 15% nationally. The Trust is establishing four ‘clusters’ of academies: North Kent; Central Kent; South East London; Medway. In addition, the Trust is responsible for one of the region’s biggest initial teaching training organisations, a large teaching school hub and is an accredited apprenticeship provider. Our future plans are found in our Vision 2030 document available on our website.

As part of Leigh Academies Trust, you will have ample opportunity to collaborate with your peers both within the academy and across the whole Trust. This is an important part of our vision as we know through experience that we perform better when we work together. You are supported to undertake regular self-development to continue your professional development and hopefully progress further within the organisation.

Click here to view the benefits available to all LAT employees from day one.

Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates - you can read more about this in our Recruitment Guidance. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a Trust, we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not discriminating on any grounds.

Based on the quality and quantity of applications received, Leigh Academies Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy sooner than the specified closing date. Applicants will be notified of this where possible. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.