Teaching Assistant (1:1)

Drake Primary School, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 1JW

8 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  or ASAP after

• Closing date

  1 October 2026 at 1am

• Date listed

  23 September 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teaching assistant
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time
• Contract type: Fixed term
• Full time equivalent salary: £13.91 per hour

Teaching Assistant (1:1) job summary

Tel: 01842 762055

Email: headspa@drake.norfolk.sch.uk

Website: https://www.drake.norfolk.sch.uk

                                                        

• Salary: Scale D Point 6 £13.91 per hour (£26,847 FTE)
• Fixed Term Contract until 31 August 2027
• Part Time
• 28.75 hours per week
• Term Time + 1 week
• Required 12th October 2026 (or ASAP thereafter)

 

About Drake Primary School 

Drake Primary School is a passionate, driven, and successful school dedicated to ensuring the progress and life chances of every child. We're looking for enthusiastic and skilled staff who share our commitment to pupil welfare and achievement. Our warm and friendly school community is underpinned by strong relationships and an attitude of unconditional positive regard for all our pupils. This is a place where you'll feel genuinely supported by leadership, pastoral teams, and colleagues alike. 

The Opportunity 

We're seeking an excellent, enthusiastic, and committed Teaching Assistant to work in a 1:1 capacity with a pupil with special educational needs. This is a profound opportunity to make a transformative difference in one child's life – to be the consistent, trusted adult who truly knows them, understands their needs, and supports them to grow in confidence, independence, and achievement. 

Working 1:1 is distinctive and deeply rewarding. You'll develop an intimate understanding of your pupil – their strengths, interests, triggers, communication style, and individual way of learning. This close relationship becomes the foundation for everything: it enables you to anticipate their needs, respond sensitively to their emotions, and celebrate their progress in ways that truly matter to them. You're not just supporting their learning in the moment – you're building their sense of belonging, their belief in themselves, and their place in the school community. 

You'll support this pupil both within our newly established Enhanced SEN Provision (ESP) class and in mainstream settings across the school. This dual role is crucial: you'll provide intensive, tailored support where needed while also championing inclusion and enabling the pupil to participate meaningfully in the wider school community. You'll model high standards of practice and help peers, teachers, and other staff understand how to support this young person effectively. 

Our approach is grounded in building strong, secure relationships and an attitude of unconditional positive regard. We believe that when a child feels genuinely understood, valued, and safe, they're able to learn, grow, and thrive. In this role, you'll be central to creating that relational foundation – the person they trust, the voice that advocates for them, the presence that helps them navigate their day. 

This role includes supporting the pupil's medical needs and working closely with our pastoral team to understand and manage these sensitively. You'll be part of a collaborative team – working with the class teacher, specialists, parents, and other staff – to implement their individual support plan and EHCP. Your observations, feedback, and understanding of the pupil will be vital in shaping their provision and celebrating their progress. 

You'll have access to professional development and specialist training in areas such as emotion coaching, zones of regulation, speech and language support, and sensory approaches. Working alongside experienced colleagues and leadership who are invested in your development, you'll build genuine expertise in supporting children with complex needs. 

This is a fixed-term position until 31st August 2027, offering a defined commitment with the chance to really make a difference in this child's school year and beyond. You'll leave a lasting impact on their journey. 

Working hours for this role are 08:30-15:15

Please contact the school for an informal discussion about this role or to arrange a visit.

How to apply:

A job description/person specification is available from 'Attachments'.

To download an application form, click on the ‘Apply for Job’ button.

Completed applications should be returned via email to - headspa@drake.norfolk.sch.uk

Closing date: 1 October 2026, 9am

Interview date: w/c 5 October 2026

 

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. To this end, you may be required to undergo pre-employment checks.

This post is likely to come under the requirements of the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations and the successful applicant will be required to complete a declaration form to establish whether they are disqualified under these regulations.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and you will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced DBS check with barred list. If you have information to declare it may be protected under the Exceptions Orders and you may not be required to declare it. You will be asked to make a criminal conviction declaration if you are shortlisted for the post. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.

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 Drake Primary School

• Organisation type: Local authority maintained school, ages 4 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• Size: 413 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 4 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: Drake Primary School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/drake-primary-school

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