Teaching Assistant

St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry, Torpoint, Cornwall, PL11 3LF

11 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  21 June 2026 at 8am

• Date listed

  1 June 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: £24,519.00 - £25,579.00 Annually (FTE) Actual salary for 19.5 hours is £10,954 - £11,428 depending on experience

Teaching Assistant job summary

Our 'Bring It!' vision requires us to ensure our pupils are excited by and fully engaged in their learning and school experience more widely. We support them to use their talents to create positive school memories with their friends that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Our aim is to inspire a lifetime of adventure. As a Church of England Trust, we support its vision for education which is deeply Christian, with Jesus' promise of 'life in all its fullness' at its heart.

Nestled in the beautiful coastal village of Downderry, St Nicolas is a small, welcoming four-class school with a big personality. We are a passionate, community-focused team dedicated to outdoor education, regularly using our local beach to bring learning to life.

We have high expectations of all of our children and ensure that they have the very best primary school experience. We are proud of our recent SIAMS inspection and GOOD Ofsted with Outstanding elements.

Driven by our core Christian values of courage, creativity, and friendship, we offer our staff a nurturing, collaborative, and highly rewarding environment. If you want to work in a school where you are truly known, valued, and given the creative freedom to inspire

We are looking for an enthusiastic and caring Teaching Assistant to join our supportive and talented team. We are part of a diverse multi-academy trust, looking for professional and ambitious people, with a passion for transforming our pupils’ learning.

We aim to develop a love of learning in our children to last through their lives. We believe passionately in our children having the highest aspirations and are committed to providing a broad and balanced curriculum with exciting opportunities. We want to enable all our children to realise their full potential, their talents and their interests in all areas.

As a Teaching Assistant, you play a crucial role in aiding students on their educational journey. Cultivating various strategies to meet each student's unique needs is essential.

We are looking for a Teaching Assistant - to assist in the educational, personal, and social development of children under the direction and guidance of relevant colleagues (e.g. the Headteacher, SENCo and Class Teacher) this will mean working 1-2-1 with SEN children when required.

Our ideal candidate will:

• Have experience working with children in an educational setting
• Preferred training or experience in Makaton
• Be passionate about working with children including SEN children and on a 1:1 basis when required
• Be flexible, proactive and patient
• Be able to communicate effectively within a team
• Work well as part of a caring team, under the direction of a Class Teacher.
• Recognise the varying needs of individual learners and adjust tasks accordingly.
• Contribute to our Church of England ethos.
• Secure high quality relationships with parents, carers and the wider community.
• Bring creativity and enthusiasm to each and every new day.

The role would be term time only from 8.35am - 3.20pm, 3 days per week, totalling 19.5 hours a week - 2.25 hours of this will be Lunchtime Supervisor cover and 17.25 hours Teaching Assistant. This is a fixed term contract until 31st August 2027. Days of work will be discussed at interview.

Please note: This role is essential and as such we will be interviewing as suitable applicants apply. We reserve the right to close this role early should vacancies be filled before the closing date.

In return we offer a great benefits package that consists of:

• Generous local authority pension scheme
• Employee Assistance programme
• Flexible working considered
• Enhanced holiday entitlement, plus further accrual though length of service
• Ongoing Training and Development opportunities

St Barnabas Multi Academy Trust is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a supportive and inclusive working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit.

We do not discriminate against staff based on age, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religious or political belief or affiliation, trade union membership, gender, gender reassignment, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, disability, socio-economic background or any other inappropriate distinction or characteristic covered by the Equality Act 2010.

St Barnabas Multi Academy Trust 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 be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. Please be aware that all shortlisted candidates will have an online search conducted as part of the Trust’s due diligence checks in line with KCSIE.

Please be aware that all shortlisted candidates will have an online search conducted as part of the Trust’s due diligence checks in line with KCSIE.

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

St Barnabas CE Multi Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks. This position is exempt from Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the 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 St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry

• School type: Academies, Church of England, ages 3 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• School size: 109 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 3 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/st-nicolas-cofe-va-school-downderry-torpoint

St Nicolas School is a member of the St Barnabas Multi-Academy Trust, which is made up of 13 Church of England Primary Schools. Each school is led by a Head of School.

St Nicolas School is a GOOD school (Ofsted) with high expectations of pupil attainment and progress. However, we believe that the Primary School years of a person’s life should be full of purposeful, exciting and memorable learning experiences. Here at St Nicolas, we feel a sense of responsibility, pride and privilege that we get to work with your children throughout these exciting years of their life. We are preparing our children to be life-long learners who are confident in their community and ready to take on the world.

We believe that learning should be an exciting and magical journey which inspires and encourages our children. Learning should be purposeful and child led, which encourages children to be inquisitive and allows them to develop a ‘love of’ learning. St Nicolas School is very lucky to have a team of dedicated professionals who work hard to ensure that every child achieves the highest standards they are capable of. In addition to this, St Nicolas School is situated in a beautiful part of Cornwall with fantastic facilities, both indoors and out, where the outdoor environment is used as an extension of the classroom setting.

I hope you enjoy browsing our website. Please feel free to click on the ‘Contact’ button above if you would like to come and visit our unique and very special school by the beach!

St Nicolas School – Where Learning Becomes an Adventure…

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