Play Assistant, Bedelsford Chaucer Centre

Bedelsford School, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 2QZ

24 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  16 April 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  23 March 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Other support roles
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time: Monday – Friday, 11.30am – 1.30pm, 10 hours per week, term time only.
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: Grade B, 7 - 9: Actual Salary £6,618.72 – £6,711.96, (FTE £27,826 - £28,218)

What skills and experience we're looking for

We are looking for enthusiastic Play Assistants with drive and creativity to join our dedicated and welcoming team to support the lunch time sessions for our pupils at our new satellite site. You will provide support for our pupils at lunchtime, both with eating and drinking, and joining in leisure activities. You will also be required to support their personal care.

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare the dining hall, serve lunch, and assist with feeding
• Support pupils' movement and personal care needs as advised by therapists
• Encourage social interaction and communicate with non-verbal pupils (using Makaton)
• Supervise play activities and clear away after lunch
• Assist with medical needs and provide kitchen support when needed

Key Requirements:

• Proven successful experience of working or caring with children
• Commitment to promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children
• Have a caring and positive nature
• Work in line with the school’s behaviour policy

What the school offers its staff

OHCAT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees

Rewards & Benefits:

• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes ((Cycle Scheme, Home Electronics Scheme and Employee Car Lease Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)

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

Bedelsford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Appointments made will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Applying for the job

Apply for the job by following the link below.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Additional documents

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

Play Assistant - Job Description and Person Specification.pdf - 208 KB (opens in new tab)

About Bedelsford School

• School type: Academy, ages 2 to 19
• School size: 132 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 2 to 19
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Bedelsford School website
• Email address: MHartzenberg@bedelsfordschool.org
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/bedelsford-school

Bedelsford School is an outstanding special school which aims to provide innovative education and a challenging environment for pupils aged 2 to 19. The school specialises in educating pupils with a wide range of Physical Disabilities including those with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties, Moderate Learning Difficulties and Complex Health needs. However, we are a changing population and many of our pupils now have CLDD (complex learning difficulties and disabilities).

The school converted to Academy status in April 2016 and was last inspected by Ofsted in December 2018 . Inspectors observed: Bedelsford School has high expectations of all and aims to provide consistent and sustained improvement, working collegiately with key partners.

We keenly take account of the development of neuroscientific knowledge and research to better enable us to develop the skills of our staff team, understand the unique ways our pupils learn and implement the teaching strategies which will ensure pupils make the maximum progress they can.

Bedelsford School works in close partnership with Parents/Carers to ensure that collaborative goal setting takes place and that all students reach their full potential.

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