Play Assistant

Cherry Garden Primary School, Bristol, BS30 6JH

11 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  28 September 2026

• Closing date

  9 October 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  28 September 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Learning support or cover supervisor
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time
• Contract type: Fixed term
• Full time equivalent salary: PATH 2 £13.07 per hour

Play Assistant job summary

Job title: Play Assistant 

Salary: PATH 2. £13.07 per hour 

Working pattern: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 3pm until 6pm

Contract type: Fixed term until 31/08/2027 

Location: Cherry Garden Primary School 

We are looking for passionate and creative play assistants to join our after school club, based at Cherry Garden Primary School. This is a fantastic opportunity to build fun and rewarding work experience whilst working with children. 

As a member of the team, you will gain valuable experience assisting the delivering a wide range of engaging and participative childcare activities; working with children from ages 4 - 11.

You should be self-motivated, have good communication skills and be able to engage with children positively. It is important that you have an understanding of the issues involved in the delivery of quality play care; and demonstrable experience of providing and facilitating safe and creative play.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Deliver safe activities with groups of children from all class ranges
• Engage with children encouraging them to participate in activities to promote learning and social development
• Support children on a 1:1 basis who have complex needs (if required)
• Encourage fair and caring behaviour among the children
• Encourage independence and self-esteem
• Ensure safety and safeguarding procedures are adhered to ensure children are kept safe
• Assist with food preparation for serving breakfast and afterschool snacks

We can offer you:

• Happy, engaging students who thrive on inspirational leadership
• A supportive trust and school community
• Strong collaboration across the trust family of schools and access to a centralised team of specialists across all areas of school operations
• A commitment to high‑quality CPD, with dedicated time and budget for your development
• A values‑driven ethos where diversity, equity and inclusion are lived every day
• Recognition of continuous service (modification order) to protect employment rights and entitlements
• Access to Health Shield, a fully funded healthcare scheme 
• Local Authority Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions and death‑in‑service cover
• Occupational sick pay to support you during illness or unexpected emergencies

In order to apply for this role please complete an application form by 9am, Friday 2nd October. Please let us know if you require any adjustments as part of the process. 

Please know that depending on the number of applications received we may decide to close the advert early. If you do not hear from us by a week after the closing date then please assume that you have not been shortlisted for an interview. If you have previously applied for this role there is no requirement to apply again, all applications will be reviewed. We wish you all the best in your future and ask that you join our E-Teach Talent Pool so as to keep up to date with all of our latest current opportunities. 

Join us in Providing a Great Education for Every Child 

Pathway Trust is committed to equal opportunities and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and communities, as we recognise the importance and benefit this has for our children.

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 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 Cherry Garden Primary School

• Organisation type: Academy, ages 4 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• Size: 193 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 4 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: Cherry Garden Primary School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/cherry-garden-primary-school-bristol

Cherry Garden is a happy and vibrant school situated on the outskirts of Bristol on the Bath side. It is a school that has been at the heart of the community since 1980, but also draws children from a wide area, in part due to our passion for inclusion and being a school for all. Parents play a critical role in the school, and we pride ourselves on the way in which we engage parents in their children’s education, and the way in which parents give back to the school through our very successful and dynamic PTA. We have long-established links with local organisations such as a local garden centre and a residential care home.

The school prides itself on educational excellence delivered by our dedicated, enthusiastic and highly skilled staff. Our rich and engaging curriculum is further enhanced by an enrichment programme for children across Key Stage 1 and 2, as well as a wide range of after school clubs that are run by staff, coaches and members of the local community.

The outdoors is incredibly important to the whole school community, and we make full use of our extensive grounds which includes a half-acre of woodland which the children know as the Magic Forest. As well as being a brilliant natural space, you will find in here a large outdoor classroom, tree house, den, extensive pond and several rope swings. This is one of the great spaces that we utilise to bring both the curriculum and playtimes to life.

Playtimes are incredibly important to the school, as an OPAL Platinum School, our play is deemed to be in the top 2% nationally. Children play freely with a range of loose parts but also some fixed equipment such as mud kitchens and of course, The Merry Cherry – our fabulous boat that sits within the grounds.

School location

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