10 days remaining to apply

  • Job start date

    1 September 2026

  • Closing date

    5 July 2026 at 11:59pm

  • Date listed

    25 June 2026

Job details

Job role

  • Other support roles

Visa sponsorship

Visas cannot be sponsored

Working pattern

Part time: Monday to Friday – 7.5 per week. 12pm –1.30pm

Contract type

Permanent

Actual salary

Actual pro rata salary – £5,058.47

What skills and experience we're looking for

Experience & Education

  • Experience with Children: You must have experience working with children.

  • Communication Skills: Excellent written and spoken communication skills , specifically the ability to communicate effectively in English.

Key Skills & Abilities

  • Relationship Building: The ability to maintain positive interactions with both adults and children of all ages.

  • Cultural Awareness: The ability to work effectively with children from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds.

  • Behavior Management: The ability to handle behavioral issues in a calm and confident manner , alongside promoting the school's behavior policy and helping children resolve conflicts positively.

  • Teamwork & Initiative: The ability to use your own initiative while working effectively as part of a team.

  • Resilience: The ability to work in a highly pressured environment to meet demands and deadlines.

  • Confidentiality: The ability to maintain strict confidentiality at all times regarding school issues, both within the school and the wider community.

Personal Attributes & Core Commitments

  • Positive Outlook: A positive mindset that ensures children remain at the heart of all your actions.

  • Flexibility: A strong willingness to work flexibly.

  • Safeguarding: A commitment to contributing to a positive safeguarding culture.

  • Policy Compliance: A full commitment to understanding and practically applying the Council's Equal Opportunities Policy and complying with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Desirable Attributes

While not strictly essential, the school also notes that a Current First Aid Certificate, experience working within a team to achieve objectives, the ability to speak a community language other than English, and knowledge of school Health & Safety/security standards are considered desirable assets.

What the school offers its staff

The Opossum Federation is a federation of 4 schools—including Newport, Dawlish, Oakhill, and Thorpe Hall Primary Schools—that places a high premium on staff development and a sustainable work-life balance. By joining the Federation, staff become part of a collaborative learning community that focuses on "Enriching lives, unleashing possibilities, and building futures."

What Our Staff Say

Dawlish Primary School: "I thoroughly enjoy working at Dawlish! I feel consistently supported, challenged and developed in my work and am positive about the impact our school/federation collectively makes for pupils."

Oakhill Primary School: "Overall I have really enjoyed my time at this school, the community spirit has been welcoming and I have appreciated the value of working in a smaller school where there is a big sense of support for each other amongst the staff. The schools values and ethos are clearly represented by the whole team, and it is clear to me that everyone enjoys being here."

Professional Development (CPD)

The Federation is widely recognised for its "Pathway to Success" model, ensuring every staff member has a clear route for career progression.

  • Bespoke CPD Programmes: Tailored training that encourages staff to flourish, including access to national programmes and internal consultancy.

  • ECT Induction: A comprehensive, two-year induction programme for Early Career Teachers (ECTs), featuring an annual conference and mentorship in collaboration with partners like UCL and the Harris Institute.

  • Leadership Pathways: Opportunities for career progression across the different schools within the Federation, including coaching and mentoring.

  • Professional Bursaries: Financial support for further professional study (subject to conditions).

  • Collaborative Planning: Staff work across schools to share resources, subject expertise, and best practices, which significantly enhances professional learning.

Wellbeing & Workload Support

The Federation has been praised by Ofsted for its proactive approach to reducing staff stress and managing workload.

  • Workload Reduction: A structured, "planned and prepared" curriculum and collaborative planning across the federation are designed to reduce the time spent on individual admin and prep.

  • Thrive Mental Wellbeing: All staff have access to the Thrive service for 24/7 mental health and wellbeing support.

  • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): Confidential support for personal and professional challenges.

  • Supportive Leadership: A culture where leaders are described as "approachable and helpful," with a genuine commitment to a healthy work-life balance.

Employee Benefits

Beyond the standard competitive salary scales, the Federation offers a range of practical perks:

  • Cycle to Work Scheme: Tax-free bike purchases to encourage healthy, green commuting.

  • Modern Technology: Schools are well-resourced with Google for Education integration and dedicated devices for staff.

  • Welcoming Environment: A diverse and inclusive workplace where staff are treated as "family" in a "warm, caring second home."

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

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

This job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

About Thorpe Hall Primary School

School type
Local authority maintained school, ages 3 to 11
Education phase
Primary school
School size
362 pupils enrolled
Age range
3 to 11
Ofsted report
View Ofsted report
Email address
hr@opossumed.org
Phone number
02085274062

Arranging a visit to Thorpe Hall Primary School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email hr@opossumed.org.

School location

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