Teaching Assistant

Ightham Primary School, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 9DD

8 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  01st June 2026 or As soon as possible, pending pre-employment checks

• Closing date

  15 May 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  7 May 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teaching assistant
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £19,919.85 - £21,210.84 Annually (Actual) TPA 4 / NIC 3 - 7 - £24,796 - £26,403pa FTE

Teaching Assistant job summary

We are looking to recruit an experienced teaching assistant to join our delightful village school. This role is term time role, working 39 weeks per year, 32.5 hours per week and working Monday - Friday between 08.30-15.30.

Main Responsibilities:

• Being a good or outstanding classroom TA practitioner
• Continuous improvement of teaching and learning under the supervision of the Class teacher and Lead Teaching assistant.
• Maintaining and raising standards under the supervision of the Class teacher and Lead Teaching Assistant
• Tracking performance of specified groups of pupils
• Leading by example to motivate and work with others

Ightham Primary School is a happy and friendly village primary school with a real family atmosphere. We are a one form entry primary school, with seven classrooms, an ICT Suite, library, hall with fixed apparatus, and designated gardening area. We are fortunate to be situated within the second largest woodland primary school setting in Kent and have three playgrounds. Visits to the school are encouraged and can be arranged via the school office on 01732 882405.

Ightham Primary School is part of The Pioneer Academy Trust which is an academy trust with schools across London and the South East. At The Pioneer Academy, we put children first, pioneering excellence and championing each and every child. All our schools, ranging from small infant schools to large primary schools, work collaboratively, sharing resources and expertise. Find out more at: Ightham Primary School - website and The Pioneer Academy - website

At The Pioneer Academy, we take the wellbeing and mental health of our staff seriously which is why we are committed to regular reviews of staff well-being and reducing staff workload. We have increased our PPA offer in recent years to up to 5 hours for full time teachers, and regular additional release time scheduled for all subject leaders across the school. We create bespoke career pathways for every member of staff, identifying and growing talent, with outstanding professional development opportunities at every stage of your career. We also have an Employee Assistance Programme with a range of resources to support wellbeing which is available to all employees and their immediate family members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

What we offer you:

• A friendly, dedicated staff team who believe in teamwork and building positive relationships across the school, the Trust and in the local community.
• High quality development programme with induction programmes for all new staff.
• Excellent CPD opportunities, including outstanding ECT development and middle leadership training.
• Annual conferences with keynote speakers.
• Access to professional coaching.
• A supportive and collaborative working ethos, including support from the Trust’s Central Executive Team and a range of experts, such as specialists in SEND and behaviour.
• Termly year group and subject leader forums to increase collaboration and reduce workload.
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme including free counselling.
• Free academy-wide social events throughout the year.

If you are interested in applying for the post, please see the Job Description/Person Specification. To apply for this vacancy, please complete the application form, completing a full education and employment history since leaving school and indicating how you satisfy the criteria set out in the Job Description/Person Specification. You will also be required to complete and return a self-disclosure declaration with your application. Applications should be submitted via My New Term.

Only those shortlisted for interview will be contacted. References will be requested for those shortlisted only and prior to interview. In line with Keeping children safe in education 2025, online searches will be completed as part of the due diligence on shortlisted candidates, searching online content that is publicly available for inappropriate online content that may suggest that a shortlisted candidate may not be suitable to work with children, or that may harm the reputation of the school. If any issues of concern come up in online searches, shortlisted candidates will have an opportunity to address these at interview. An Enhanced DBS certificate will be required on provisional offer, including a check of the Children’s Barred List. Further vetting checks, in line with the requirements of Keeping children safe in education 2025, will be completed following a provisional offer of appointment. Where applicable, if an applicant with a provisional offer of employment has lived and/or worked outside the UK, they will be required to obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct.

The Pioneer Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Offers of employment are subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS disclosure and other employment checks. Our safeguarding policy can be viewed via the following link: TPA-Child-Protection-and-Safeguarding-Policy-September-2025.pdf.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CLOSE THIS ADVERT EARLY AND SUITABLE CANDIDATES MAY BE INTERVIEWED BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE.

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 Ightham Primary School

• School type: Academies, ages 4 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• School size: Up to 210 pupils
• Age range: 4 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Ightham Primary School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/ightham-primary-school-sevenoaks

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