Higher Level Support Assistant
Newcastle Bridges School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE3 3RU13 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
20 February 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
6 February 2026
Job details
Job role
- HLTA (higher level teaching assistant)
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time: 37 hours per week, term time + 5 additional training days
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- N6 scale point 20 - 24 FTE: £32,597 - £35,412 £27,989 - £30,407 actual salary pro-rata (£16.90 - £18.36 per hour)
What skills and experience we're looking for
This role is perfect for a positive and professional individual with:
- 5 GCSEs Grade C+/4+ (or equivalent) including Maths and English
- NVQ Level 4 DfE recognised Teaching Assistant SEND Assistant, EYFS or Childcare qualification or higher qualification with relevant experience
- Training in relevant learning strategies and specialist knowledge in a particular curriculum areas
What the school offers its staff
The Trust is proud to say that we match the Real Living Wage and we also offer successful candidates:
- A friendly and supportive team of staff who are willing to share expertise and learn from one another
- Opportunities for career development and support with development through Trust wide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme and support from the Trust's Wellbeing Network Group
- Access to either Teacher's Pension or Local Government Pension Scheme, each with favourable employer contribution rates.
- Employee centred policies that support you in and beyond the workplace
- Funded eye tests for DSE users (subject to T/Cs)
- Bike 2 Work scheme
Further information about the job
We are seeking to appoint a highly motivated, inspirational member of support staff to support young people in their education at our Kenton school site. The successful candidate will contribute to supporting some of the most vulnerable young people within the city and surrounding areas, striving to make a difference to their lives.
We would like to hear from candidates who feel that they can demonstrate the characteristics and skills we are looking for and hold the relevant qualifications to meet the demands of this post.
This role is perfect for a positive and professional individual with:
- 5 GCSEs Grade C+/4+ (or equivalent) including Maths and English
- NVQ Level 4 DfE recognised Teaching Assistant SEND Assistant, EYFS or Childcare qualification or higher qualification with relevant experience
- Training in relevant learning strategies and specialist knowledge in a particular curriculum areas
Does this sound like the role for you?
Newcastle Bridges School provides excellent educational opportunities to young people whose education has been interrupted by mental or physical ill-health or school based non-attendance. We seek to support each young person's access to a full-time, broad and balanced education appropriate to their potential and their educational needs and encourage reintegration into mainstream whenever relevant.The successful candidates with therefore contribute to supporting some of the most vulnerable young people within the city and surrounding areas, striving to make a difference to their lives.
Newcastle Bridges School was judged by Ofsted to be once again ‘Outstanding’ in May 2022.
Ferndene Hospital at Prudhoe (Redburn, Stephenson (MSU), Fraser, and Riding Wards): provides regional and national Tier 4 Child and Adolescent Services (CAMHS) for children and young people between the ages of 13 and 18. Tier 4 CAMHS are for patients with more complex needs usually requiring inpatient treatment.
The Great North Children’s Hospital is a regional hospital for many specialised services within paediatrics. The intake of patients covers a wide Geographical area; north to the Scottish Borders, west to Cumbria and south to North Yorkshire. It also serves the national and international community as a centre of excellence. The Children’s Heart Unit at the Freeman Hospital provides care for children who need medical or surgical help for conditions involving the heart, lungs and airways. It is one of two units in the UK to carry out heart and lung transplants on children.
Newcastle Bridges School at Kenton offers education to pupils aged 11-16 years old who are unable to access mainstream school due to medical and mental health needs.It offers a smaller and more nurturing environment than most mainstream secondary settings. A secondary curriculum is followed and pupils sit external exams.
The Medical Pathway Team are based within this provision and provide education to pupils in the community who are unable to access the Kenton Provision for medical reasons, supporting them in a transition back to an education setting appropriate to the individual learner.
To learn more aboutNewcastle Bridges SchoolandProsper Learning Trust, please visit our websites.
Prosper Learning Trust was established in January 2018 to help vulnerable young people succeed against the odds.Four core values underpin everything we do as a Trust, these are Aspiration, Integrity, Resilience and kindness.We are looking for staff who share those values and want to support our young people.
The Trust currently have 5 schools in the region:
- Newcastle Bridges School – Alternative Provision academy offering education to pupils unable to access mainstream school due to medical needs including hospitalised children and young people (3-19 years)
- Mary Astell Academy – Alternative Provision academy offering education to permanently excluded pupils and pupils who are struggling in mainstream school (11-16 years)
- Thomas Bewick Special School – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (3-19 years)
- Harry Watts Academy – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (5-16 years)
- Gilbert Ward Academy – Special School academy for pupils with SEMH or a diagnosis of autism (11-16 years)
Prosper Learning Trust was also recently named as the lead partner in the opening of a new Free School in Jarrow, South Tyneside. This school will be a Special School academy for pupils with SEMH (4-11 years).
The successful candidate will be deployed initially at Newcastle Bridges School but will be expected to work at any Prosper Learning Trust site should the need arise.
Benefits of working for Prosper Learning Trust
The Trust is proud to say that we match the Real Living Wage and we also offer successful candidates:
- A friendly and supportive team of staff who are willing to share expertise and learn from one another
- Opportunities for career development and support with development through Trust wide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme and support from the Trust's Wellbeing Network Group
- Access to either Teacher's Pension or Local Government Pension Scheme, each with favourable employer contribution rates.
- Employee centred policies that support you in and beyond the workplace
- Funded eye tests for DSE users (subject to T/Cs)
- Bike 2 Work scheme
For more information on why we think you should work for us see ourTrust website, where you will also findvideosof what our current staff think.
The successful candidate will be welcomed into the Trust, so if this sounds like the job for you please don't hesitate to apply.
Please note that all successful candidates will be required to complete an online pre-employment medical questionnaire.
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)About Newcastle Bridges School
- School type
- Academy, ages 2 to 19
- School size
- 74 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 2 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Newcastle Bridges School website
- Email address
- anna.wilson@bridges.newcastle.sch.uk
Newcastle Bridges School is a multi-site alternative provision academy within Prosper Learning Trust which provides education to pupils from ages 4-19 whose education has been interrupted by mental or physical ill-health or school phobia. They may be hospitalised or are not able to fully access mainstream education due to medical or mental health reasons. They may be referred via the Local Authority, regional and national health services or home schools can directly commission places. Pupils may be singularly or dual registered depending on their circumstances.
The school is made up of a diverse range of provisions some of which are within NHS settings. These provisions are widely recognised for the expertise they provide both regionally and nationally. Education staff from Newcastle Bridges School work in partnership with staff from the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust within these settings.
Newcastle Bridges School seeks to support each pupil’s access to a full-time, broad and balanced education appropriate to their potential and their educational needs and encourage reintegration into mainstream whenever relevant.
The school is based across numerous sites, some of which are within NHS settings, as follows:
Newcastle Bridges School at Kenton
Newcastle Bridges School at Kenton offers education to pupils aged 11-16 years old who are unable to access mainstream school due to medical and mental health needs. It offers a smaller and more nurturing environment than most mainstream secondary settings. A secondary curriculum is followed and pupils sit external exams.
The Medical Pathway Team are based within this provision and provide education to pupils in the community who are unable to access the Kenton Provision for medical reasons, supporting them in a transition back to an education setting appropriate to the individual learner.
The Great North Children’s Hospital/Freeman Hospital (Paediatric Hospital Wards)
Caters for pupils whose education is interrupted by regular stays, or a long term stay in hospital. Pupils are taught by a team of teachers in the different specialist paediatric wards or in the hospital classroom.
Alnwood at St. Nicholas’ Hospital (Forensic Mental Health)
A mental health clinical setting for 12-18 year olds with mental health needs or an additional learning disability.
Ferndene Hospital at Prudhoe (Mental Health)
A purpose built inpatient centre which provides assessment and treatment for 12 to 18 year olds with complex health, behavioural and emotional needs including those with a learning disability.
Walkergate Park (Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorder Service)
A specialist second opinion service for nursery or primary school aged children who may have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other complex communication/mental health/neuro-developmental problems.
Community Education Service
Specialist teachers work in community settings, supporting pupils in a transition back to education setting appropriate to the individual learner. The team offers bespoke teaching following a medical referral which recommends a set number of hours teaching based on the pupil’s health.
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