Learning Support Assistant - SEND

Shortstown Primary School, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 0GS

6 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  3 November 2025

• Closing date

  1 October 2025 at 1pm

• Date listed

  25 September 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teaching assistant
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time, full time
• Contract type: Fixed term
• Full-time equivalent salary: £17,466.00 - £17,743.00 Annually (Actual) 4-5

Learning Support Assistant - SEND job summary

About HEART Academies Trust

HEART Academies Trust formed in 2017 and currently consists of one secondary school, Bedford Academy and three partner primary schools, Cauldwell, Shackleton and Shortstown. Together we serve more than 2500 pupils aged from 2 to 18 years.

We are a non-profit making charitable company sponsored by the Harpur Trust, one of the largest charities in the UK. With a proven track-record in education through their ownership and management of four Harpur Trust private schools in Bedford and as a sponsor of Bedford Academy since its creation in 2010, they are the perfect partner to support HEART Academies Trust as we grow.

HEART Academies Trust supports continuity of education within the community. Adopting a ‘stronger together’ approach and a commitment to positive collaboration enables each academy within the Trust to celebrate what they already do well whilst providing opportunities to ensure continued development and improvement across all academies within the Trust.

What we offer

As part of HEART Academies Trust, staff are valued and supported, allowing them to contribute fully to the wider school community. Our commitment to staff development and wellbeing is paramount.

Paid wellbeing day per year.

CPD pathways, career progression, secondment and shadowing opportunities.

£200 Refer a friend scheme, tech scheme and cycle to work scheme.

Employee assist programme.

Generous pension and a competitive salary.

Free gym, shower and parking facilities.

Free tea, coffee, breakfast and eye tests.

An exceptional ECT induction programme and support.

An open and collaborative working environment with an inclusive workplace

Regular training and development programmes and celebration of staff success.

Individual laptops for teaching staff.

An excellent catering provision.

A commitment to environmental sustainability.

What we’re looking for

• To work under the guidance and direction of Deputy Head Teacher to implement agreed work programmes/intervention strategies in the classroom and assist the class teacher in evaluating their impact.
• To work with class teachers to support effective planning to meet the needs of all children in the classroom.
• To develop an agreed specialism to support an identified area of need in the school and support colleagues in development of practice in this area.
• To provide teaching of small groups or cover of classes as and when required.

Position Details

30 hours term-time plus training days

Monday to Friday 9:00 - 15:30 with a 30 minute break

Fixed-term until 31/08/2025

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

HEART Academies Trust is an equal opportunities employer and therefore operates no restrictive policies in relation to age, sex or creed.

Our Trust is committed to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of children/young people and expects all trustees, staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced Criminal Record Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service along with other relevant employment checks, including overseas criminal background checks, where applicable. All new trustees, employees and volunteers will be required to undertake safeguarding training on induction which will be regularly updated as per statutory guidance.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Shortstown Primary School

• School type: Academy, ages 2 to 11
• Education phase: Primary
• School size: 488 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 2 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Shortstown Primary School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/shortstown-primary-school-bedford

Shortstown Primary opened in September 2013 and boosts fantastic new, state-of-the-art facilities. Through the benefit of its excellent Pre-school provision it is able to take children from the age of 2 through to 11 years.

Shortstown Primary is an inclusive school which has a positive impact on children’s learning and achievement through high expectations in a creative and motivating environment. The school believes that every child truly does matter and as a result has an unrelenting focus on raising standards in all aspects of school life so that each student can develop their talents and be the best they can be.

Shortstown was rated as a Good school following an Ofsted visit in 2013; its Pre-school received an Outstanding grading. Curriculum is planned around creative activities which promote learning, personal growth and development. It includes not only the formal requirements of the National Curriculum but also a range of extra-curricular activities to enrich the experiences of the children. It also includes the ‘hidden curriculum’, or what students learn from the way they are treated and expected to behave.

Shortstown Primary aims to teach children how to grow into positive, responsible people who can work and cooperate with others while developing knowledge and skills so that they achieve their true potential.

As a Lead Literacy School, Peter Pan Teaching school partner and an Excellence Partner with Bedford University and Bedford College, Shortstown Primary supports a number of individuals through their training programmes. It also supports Hertford University and the Develop Group for school based work placements.

School location

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