Opal Play Coordinator & Midday Assistant
Winston Way Academy, Ilford, Essex, IG1 2WSDeadline is tomorrow
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
8 April 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
18 March 2026
Job details
Job role
- Other support roles
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Part time: Opal Play Coordinator Hours: 5 hours per week (Monday – Friday) Midday Assistant Hours: Part-Time, 10 hours per week (Monday – Friday)
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- Midday Assistant Salary: £28,645 FTE - £6591 Pro Rata
Additional allowances
Fixed Term: Opal Play Coordinator Allowance: £3000 FTE per annum.
What skills and experience we're looking for
Winston Way Academy is seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Opal Play Coordinator to join our team. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our pupils by ensuring a positive lunchtime experience and promoting enriching play opportunities in line with our school ethos and play policy
Winston Way Academy is a vibrant and inclusive school dedicated to providing high-quality education and care. Our mission is to foster a love of learning in a nurturing and stimulating environment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Supervise pupils in the lunch hall and playground during lunchtime, ensuring their safety and wellbeing.
- Create stimulating outdoor environments and facilitate meaningful, child-initiated play.
- Promote positive behaviour and intervene appropriately when needed.
- Organise and maintain play resources, ensuring accessibility and quality.
- Support school initiatives, including wellbeing strategies and collaborative projects.
- Assist with lunchtime dining and related administrative tasks.
- Encouraging inclusive play and social interaction
- Ensuring a safe and nurturing environment
- Supporting the school’s policies and safeguarding procedures
What we’re looking for:
- Strong communication, interpersonal and organisational skills
- Ability to engage and supervise children positively.
- Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils.
- Reliable, flexible, and proactive approach.
- Basic first aid knowledge (First Aid qualification desirable).
- Experience in a school environment and knowledge of playwork principles (desirable).
- A good understanding of health and safety
- A team player with a positive attitude
What the school offers its staff
What We Offer:
As part of the United Learning Trust, we offer great benefits for our staff, including:
- Highly competitive pay above national average.
- 26 days annual leave plus 8 statutory bank holidays per annum.
- An additional day’s paid leave awarded per annum.
- Access to an outstanding professional development programme.
- A respectful working environment.
- Supportive, friendly colleagues who are committed to each other’s professional development.
- A chance to become part of United Learning, one of the largest groups of academies in the country.
- Opportunities to work collaboratively with colleagues in each academy across the Cluster and United Learning.
- Excellent employee benefits which include a highly sought-after pension scheme with high employer contributions.
- Access to training
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), offering mental health and wellbeing support
- Health Cash Plan available to United Learning staff with a minimum of 6 months of service. The plan gives you money back on essential healthcare, from opticians to physiotherapy, and guarantees you 24/7 access to an online GP.
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted Gym Membership
- Car lease scheme
- Employee benefits through Westfield Rewards including money off your weekly shop, savings from big brands like M&S, Sainsbury’s Boots, H&M, Argos and many more
- Eye care vouchers and free flu vaccines
Further information about the job
How to apply
To join our dedicated and talented team click apply or visit our careers page at https://www.winstonwayacademy.org.uk/vacancies
The deadline for applications is 8 April 2026
Note - We reserve the right to interview and offer a strong candidate prior to the closing date. It is strongly recommended that candidates submit their applications as soon as possible. Only successful shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
United Learning is a group of schools which aims to provide excellent education to children and young people across the country. We seek to improve the life chances of all the children and young people we serve and make it our mission to bring out ‘the best in everyone’ – pupils, staff, parents and the wider community.
If you are shortlisted for the role, we will carry out an online search.
The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. We are an equal opportunities employer.
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)Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Winston Way Academy
- School type
- Academy, ages 3 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary school
- School size
- 613 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Winston Way Academy website
- Email address
- hr@winstonwayacademy.org.uk
- Phone number
- 0208 478 5626
Winston Way is a three form entry primary school in Ilford, East London. The school caters for children from Nursery to Year 6 (3-11 year olds) with 660 children currently on roll. Winston Way Academy is part of United Learning, a large multi-academy trust across England, who believe that everyone can strive for excellence.
At Winston Way, we value our diverse community and take pride in our children and their achievements. All of our staff truly believe that the students within our school can realise their aspirations whatever they may be, whether it is University or the career of their choice. We aim to offer a broad, engaging curriculum, which not only gives our students the opportunity to study their interests, but also provides them with skills that can be applied in all areas of life. We believe that using innovative, evidence-based teaching methods, and having high expectations of both students and staff are essential for this to be achieved.
Our school motto is ‘behaviour, expectation and environment’, because we truly believe that these three qualities will enable us all to achieve our aims.
School location
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