Senior Teaching Assistant

Sherborne Primary School, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 4AJ

34 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  4 June 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  30 April 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teaching assistant
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time, full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £16,887.00 Annually (Actual) Grade 7, Point 8. Above salary based on 27.08 hours per week

Senior Teaching Assistant job summary

Salary: Grade 7, Point 8: £16,887 per annum (based on 27.08 hours per week)*

Contract: Permanent, 39 weeks per year (term time plus inset days).

Hours: 3x vacancies for 27.08 hours (27 hours, 5 minutes) per week and 1x vacancy for 5.42 hours (5 hours, 25 minutes) per week (working on a Friday). Please specify in your application which hours you're applying for.

*The salary quoted reflects the annual salary for the position at the time of advertising. Payment will be made in equal monthly instalments and will be adjusted at the start of employment, and again if employment ends partway through the school year, to ensure the correct salary is paid for work completed during the academic year.

We are seeking dedicated and enthusiastic Senior Teaching Assistant's to join our school community. This is a rewarding, classroom-based role where you will work closely with teachers, support staff, and pupils to make a meaningful impact on teaching and learning.

You will play a key role in supporting pupils’ academic progress, promoting inclusion, and helping to create a positive and engaging learning environment for all children.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support teachers in planning, preparing, and delivering engaging lessons
• Lead learning activities for individuals, small groups, and whole classes (including at times without the teacher present)
• Help assess, monitor, and record pupils’ progress and provide constructive feedback
• Promote positive behaviour and maintain a purposeful learning environment
• Support the inclusion of all pupils, including those with additional needs
• Prepare and organise learning resources and classroom materials
• Build positive relationships with pupils, staff, and parents/carers

We are looking for someone who:

• Has recent experience working as a Teaching Assistant (or similar role)
• Holds a Level 3 qualification (or equivalent) in supporting teaching and learning
• Has strong literacy and numeracy skills
• Demonstrates a good understanding of the primary curriculum
• Is confident supporting learning across a range of abilities
• Has knowledge of safeguarding, SEN, and behaviour management strategies
• Communicates effectively and works well as part of a team
• Is proactive, flexible, and committed to continuous professional development

To find out more about the benefits of working for SAST, click here

For more information about our school, please click here to view our careers page.

Should you wish to arrange a visit to view the school, please do not hesitate to contact the school office via office@sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk or on 01935 812619.

SAST will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. In line with KCSIE guidance, this will be part of safer recruitment checks, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination, a person who will not be on the appointment panel will conduct the searches and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.

Safeguarding responsibilities associated with this role may include engagement in regulatory activity, such as administering first aid or supporting an upset child. It will have contact with young people on a day-to-day basis. SAST is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the person specification, and the post is subject to safeguarding checks, including an enhanced DBS check and Children’s Barred List check. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

SAST recognises the benefit of having a diverse workforce and is committed to building a workforce which reflects diversity from the communities it serves. SAST values the contributions from all staff from a wide range of different backgrounds and actively seeks to promote an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment and at the same time supports fair promotion and cultural acceptance. Under the provision of the Equality Act 2010 SAST welcomes applications from everyone and operates a recruitment process which is fair and does not discriminate against or disadvantage anyone because of their age, disability, gender reassignment status, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race or nationality, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

This role is UK- based and your right to work will need to be established as part of the appointment process.

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 Sherborne Primary School

• School type: Academy, ages 4 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• School size: 319 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 4 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Sherborne Primary School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/sherborne-primary-school

At Sherborne Primary School we all believe in promoting a caring town school, where every child is an individual, and is known for their unique contribution to the school, town, and wider community.
Though experience we know this can only be developed by a close partnership between home and school, based on trust, confidence, and honesty.

As leaders, recruiting is a great opportunity to develop our staff and we are keen to make sure that we get the very best person for the job. The interview process will be designed to help us achieve this. We are looking for someone with a real passion who will contribute to continuing the school’s journey to excellence.

SAST is a multi-school trust, formed in June 2017, with 18 schools across Dorset and South Somerset. We have more than 5,700 students and over 850 members of staff. There is real strength in coming together with a collective responsibility for all the children’s development and progress between 0-19 years. SAST has large town primary schools with over 300 children, smaller village primary schools and nursery provision. SAST also has 5 secondary schools, some with a Sixth Form provision. There is a mix of formerly maintained and Church of England schools - both voluntary controlled and voluntary-aided in the Diocese of Salisbury. We believe in preserving Schools in their local community.  

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