Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support Assistant
Shelley First School, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD8 8HU17 days remaining to apply
Job start date
2 September 2025
Closing date
25 June 2025 at 9am
Date listed
6 June 2025
Job details
Job role
- Teaching assistant
- Learning support or cover supervisor
- Pastoral, health and welfare
- Other support roles
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Early years, Key stage 1
Working pattern
- Full time: 32.5 hours per week Monday to Friday
Contract type
- Fixed term - 2 Years in the first instance
Pay scale
- Grade 6 (Grade 7 considered for experience)
What skills and experience we're looking for
Do you love working with children and have a gift for connecting with children, perhaps with autism? Are you passionate about working outdoors, practical learning, all things wildlife and being active, all within a beautiful, rural school setting? Are you an existing TA or HLTA that is thinking about taking the next step into their own classroom without going to university? A SEND specialist TA who wants to make a move into mainstream? Or a university graduate not looking to commit to the cost of a PGCE but considering teaching and wanting practical experience first? This opportunity is for you!
We are excited to offer a two-year role (may become permanent budget depending). In year one you will work as an SEN support assistant gaining practical, hands-on classroom and school experience, supporting small groups of children with SEND to access their learning through interest-led, practical approaches. In year two, if suitable and of interest, you would have the opportunity to take up a role at unqualified teacher level (UQT 1) whilst we support you through your qualifications to become a fully trained teacher, leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) at the end.
This opportunity is apaid work-based routeinto education and teaching which provides a holistic approach to both school support assistant work and teacher training (if you seek that part), combining immediate practical experience, personalised support, financial stability, and flexibility. If you're seeking a dynamic and immersive pathway into teaching, our offer is the ideal choice. And if you’re happy staying with the year 1 role, that’s no problem! You would be joining an experienced, passionate and supportive team, in a beautiful rural and highly inclusive village school with plentiful outdoor space and an ethos of ‘Together we Succeed’ - it’s win-win either way!
With the option to access a nationally recognised teacher training alternative route in year two of the role:
- Earn While You Learn: Unlike other routes, you'll receive a competitive salary throughout your training, ensuring financial stability as you pursue your career in teaching.
- Enjoy Immediate Access to Rewards and Benefits: Automatic enrolment into our Employee Assistance Programme which gives you and your family members free access to Health and Wellbeing services including, GP consultations, private medial operations, physiotherapy, counselling and mindfulness, wellbeing clinics, nurse support services, chronic illness and cancer support, menopause support. We offer flexible family friendly policies from day one.
- Enhanced Practical Experience: This opportunity offers you a chance to get to know the school, get practical experience working with children and taking their learning outdoors and following their interests, whilst then immersing you in real teaching scenarios once you’re ready in year two, as you take on the role of the teacher, better preparing you for your future in the classroom.
- Career Progression:If you’re currently working as a cover supervisor or teaching assistant in a mainstream or specialist SEND setting, or a recent graduate unsure of your next steps, this apprenticeship offers new opportunities for career progression, higher earning capacity, recognition, and status.
- Accelerated Career Opportunities: Extensive CPD opportunities where successful completion of the programme increases your chances of securing permanent employment in your employing school or one of the other schools in our Trust.
What the school offers its staff
- Annual salary increments plus inflation linked increases.
- Automatic enrolment into a Teacher Pension or Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution rates.
- Enhanced occupational benefits (such as maternity, adoption and parental leave).
- Automatic enrolment into our Employee Assistance Programme which gives you and your family members free access to Health and Wellbeing services including, GP consultations, Private medial operations, Physiotherapy, Counselling and mindfulness, wellbeing clinics, nurse support services, chronic illness and cancer support, menopause support.
- Flexible family friendly policies from day one.
- Extensive CPD opportunities
- Funding of a wide range of accredited training courses and apprenticeships.
- A range of working patterns dependent upon the role.
- For employees on all year-round contracts, a minimum of 28.5 days plus bank holidays (this increases with length of service) holiday entitlement.
- Death in service benefit.
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 are not accepted.
Upload additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Shelley First School
- School type
- Academy, ages 4 to 10
- Education phase
- Primary
- School size
- 182 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 10
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Shelley First School website
- Email address
- lmcloughlin@themast.co.uk
- Phone number
- 01484 604484
Shelley First School is a small, village Primary school set within a semi-rural part of Huddersfield. There are currently 194 pupils on roll, divided into 7 classes some of which are mixed.
We are a member of the ‘Mast Academy Trust’, comprising Scissett Middle School, Birdsedge First School, Scholes Junior and Infant School (Holmfirth) and Kirkburton Middle School. We are also a part of the very successful three-tier Shelley Pyramid of schools. Most pupils come to us from the surrounding village of Shelley and then transfer to Kirkburton Middle School at the end of Year 5. Close links exist at all levels between schools throughout the pyramid, ensuring continuity, progression and effective transfer between phases.
Arranging a visit to Shelley First School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email lmcloughlin@themast.co.uk.
School location
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