Student Support Assistant
Addington Valley Academy, Croydon, CR0 9AZThis job expired on 3 December 2025 – see similar jobs
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
3 December 2025 at 11:59pm
Date listed
20 November 2025
Job details
Job role
- Other support roles
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time: Monday – Thursday 8.30am – 4.15pm and Friday 8.30am – 4.00pm
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- Grade 5/6 (£32,064 to £36,579 FTE) Actual salary - £27,456.37 to £31,322.56
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are seeking to expand our capacity to support students across the school by employing a skilled and enthusiastic Student Support Assistant to join our Student Support Team, with a focus on supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The successful candidate will work closely with students and class teams to promote positive engagement, regulation, and learning.
Key Responsibilities:
-To assess the LIDS data (Learning Interruptions and Dysregulations), liaising with class teams to identify behaviours of concern and advise accordingly.
-To work across education and therapy teams to build an effective pupil profile for all students.
-To challenge practice & attitudes which do not align with ASD best practice and the values of the school as well as model best practice within your own profession.
-To promote positive and proactive strategies so that individuals are enabled to live active and rewarding lives that are not limited by a restrictive risk prevention approach.
-To model best practice in de-escalation, Autism strategies, and communication approaches, and provide coaching and guidance to less experienced staff.
Key Requirements:
-Educated to GCSE standard level 4 and above in English and Maths
-Safeguarding training
-Extensive experience working across education / adult services for Autistic individuals and within the SEND sector
-Experience of working with students with challenging behaviour.
-Good people skills to enable you to assist with liaison between student and school or other agencies
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 and Home Electronics 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
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.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Addington Valley Academy
- School type
- Free School, ages 2 to 19
- School size
- 132 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 2 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Addington Valley Academy website
- Email address
- TMcmenamin@addingtonvalley.org
Orchard Hill College (the College) and Orchard Hill College Academy Trust (the Trust) together form Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust (OHC&AT), a family of specialist education providers for students and students from nursery to further education across London, Surrey and Sussex. As an outstanding provider and Academy sponsor, Orchard Hill College has a strong track record for making a positive impact within the local communities it serves.
Addington Valley Academy is special Free School in Croydon for children and young people with autism and learning difficulties. The school opened in 2020 and provides 150 places for children and young people aged 2-19 who have autism and social communication, cognitive, sensory and social, emotional, and behavioural needs.
The new purpose designed school is equipped to meet the needs of students and includes sensory gardens, indoor sensory rooms, soft-play area, and a large cookery room along with other facilities to encourage students to learn skills to live independently. Students access specialist support enabling them to learn and achieve in a nurturing and aspirational environment.
Addington Valley Academy is a rewarding and inspirational place to work and the whole school community comes together to create the best possible outcomes for its students.
To find out more about Addington Valley Academy please visit www.addingtonvalley.org
School location
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