Teaching Assistant Level 1 (SEN)

Orchard House Specialist High School, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M40 8EZ

6 days remaining to apply

Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
11 December 2025 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
5 December 2025

Job details

Job role: Teaching assistant
Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage: Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Working pattern: Full time (Can be done as a job share): 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Contract type: Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary: The starting salary is £21,662 and the full time equivalent is £25,185

What skills and experience we're looking for

We currently have two Teaching Assistant Level 1 (SEN) opportunities to join our fantastic team at Orchard House High School.

This is a Grade 3, permanent full time post working 35 hours per week, term time only plus 5 INSET days. The starting salary is £21,662 and the full time equivalent is £25,185. This role will be started once the pre-employment checks are complete.

We’re looking for:

We have two Teaching Assistant roles available for our brand-new school Orchard House High school. This is a great opportunity to work in a new purpose built Special Educational Needs School. Working under the supervision of other teachers, you will provide exceptional education and support for students with Significant Learning Difficulties (SLD) and/or Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) from the age of 11- 19 years.

We are looking for applicants who understand the role of a Teaching Assistant and have a basic knowledge of child development and learning. You will need excellent numeracy and literacy skills, qualified to level 2 or equivalent/higher. Experience of working with children and/or young people with communication, severe, profound or complex learning difficulties is highly desirable.

Main purpose of the job:

You will be a part of a team providing exceptional education for students so that they become happy, confident adults. You will support teaching and learning across the school, providing general support in the management of pupils and resources, working under the supervision of the class teacher, department lead and senior leadership team.

Key responsibilities will include:

To work with small groups of children under the supervision of the teacher and ensure implementation of Individual Learning Plans.
Provide regular feedback on children’s progress to the class teacher and keeping records up to date.
Assist with the supervision of discreet groups of pupils for short periods when the teacher is not present.
Be aware of and support difference and ensure all pupils have equal access to opportunities to learn and develop.
Participate in training, to develop relevant learning strategies and ensure students make progress in learning.
To support the performance management process and demonstrate commitment to continuous professional development.
To converse at ease and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

To find out more about the full responsibilities of the role and/or to ensure you meet the essential criteria, please review the attached job description.

How to Apply

To be considered please submit online application by Thursday 11th December. Interviews will take place in school w/c 15th December.

All school staff are expected to share the Trust’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Specific safeguarding responsibilities are detailed in the attached job description.

What the school offers its staff

Working for Prospere Learning Trust

Great schools thrive because of the great people in them. We invest in our staff to achieve their full potential and offer a range of benefits including.

High quality CPD for all roles
Bupa Level 1 Health Plan - annual cash back allowance for a range of every day health care expenses
Generous Pension Contribution - over 26% for teachers and over 17% for support staff
Good holidays – teachers as per School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document; non-teachers receive 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 31 days with 5 years' service
Cyclescheme - save up to 39% on a bike and accessories and get Strava for free
Employee Assistance Programmes - including access to free counselling and 24/7 helplines
Credit Union- regular savings, Christmas saving scheme and access to affordable loans
Flexible working options- we're happy to talk flexible working where possible
Mental Health First Aidin every school
Blue Light Card- discounts on holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones, and many more
bYond cashback card- spend smarter with a prepaid cashback card for your everyday purchases

Visit our website to learn more about our Trust:prospere.org.uk

About Orchard House and Prospere Learning Trust

Orchard House is a brand new school which will be dedicated to providing exceptional education and support for students with Significant Learning Difficulties (SLD) and/or Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) from the age of 11- 19 years.

Opening in September 2025, our school is committed to creating a nurturing and inclusive environment where every student can thrive.

We aim to empower our students with the skills and confidence they need to succeed in their educational journey and beyond.

View our prospectus here.

Prospere Learning Trust is a high performing, inclusive and innovative Trust comprising of 9 schools, including 4 mainstream high schools and 5 special needs schools (both primary and secondary) with further schools anticipated across Greater Manchester.

We currently employ over 1000 staff and we believe that our staff play a vital role in achieving our vision of an exceptional education for all. We believe that great schools thrive because of the great people in them.

We are driven by our core values:

Inclusion- we recognise people need different levels of support to achieve equitable outcomes.
Comprehensive education– we welcome all people from our local community.
Excellence– high standards institutionally, academically and in personal development.
Expertise– great schools thrive because of the great people in them. We invest in all our staff to achieve their potential.
Collaboration– we believe we are stronger together.
Reflection– we are underpinned by thoughtful use of relevant evidence and research.

At Prospere Learning Trust, we pride ourselves in being a great place to learn, work, and grow. We have a resolute focus on developing the quality of education in all of our schools.

To support our staff, we come together as a collaborative learning community, with a strong culture of professional development and mutual support.

Job Application Information

Please apply using the online application form - https://www.jobtrain.co.uk/prosperecareers/Job/JobDetail?JobId=1014&source=DfE; incomplete applications may not be considered. CVs are not accepted. Early applications are encouraged, and we reserve the right to close the vacancy early.

As per Keeping Children Safe in Education, we conduct online searches on shortlisted candidates to identify any relevant issues for interview discussion. Shortlisted candidates will be required to submit a self-disclosure declaration, declaring any relevant convictions, adult cautions or other matters which may affect your suitability to work with children. Information will be provided on where to seek guidance on whether certain offences are now protected and should not be disclosed within the self-disclosure form.

Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 all positions within the School are exempt. Therefore, we are entitled to carry out Enhanced Disclosure checks for all staff and volunteers. It is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relating to children.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK; we do not sponsor visa applications. If you’ve lived or worked outside the UK in the last five years, additional information will be required. Job offers are contingent on satisfactory pre-employment checks, including references.

Safeguarding Commitment

All schools within the Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.

Equality Statement

Prospere Learning Trust values diversity and welcomes applications from all candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

For application packs or support, contact us at 0161 527 7953 or jobs@prospere.org.uk.

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.