Teaching Assistant (Lunchtime Cover)

Danecourt School, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 6AA

30 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  ASAP

• Closing date

  31 October 2025 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  1 October 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Other support roles
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £7,060.00 - £7,703.00 Annually (Actual) Grade D2 (4 - 11) £6893 - £7703 (Actual Salary) £13 - £14 per hour

Teaching Assistant (Lunchtime Cover) job summary

Join Danecourt School as a Teaching Assistant Lunchtime Cover)!
Create a Calm, Caring Lunchtime Experience

Hours: 12.5 hours per week; Mon - Friday 11.30 - 1.30 Contract: Permanent Time Time Only: 38 weeks per year Start Date: ASAP Actual Salary: Grade D2 (4 - 11) £6893 - £7703 (Actual Salary) £13 - £14 per hour

Are you looking for a fulfilling and flexible role in a nurturing environment? Would you enjoy supporting young children with special educational needs (SEN) during their lunchtime routines and helping create a calm, caring atmosphere? If so, we have a fantastic opportunity for you to become a Teaching Assistant (Lunchtime cover) at Danecourt School

We’re looking for a caring, patient, and reliable Teaching Assistant (lunchtime cover) to join our team at Danecourt School, a specialist provision for children with a range of special educational needs. This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference to our pupils’ daily experience by supporting them during one of the most important parts of their day — lunchtime.

As a TA at lunchtime, you’ll help foster a safe, calm, and inclusive environment by:

• Supporting pupils with SEN in the dining hall and outdoor play areas

• Encouraging positive behaviour, social interaction, and independence

• Supporting emotional regulation and transitions between activities

• Helping children access their lunch and providing personal care where needed

• Building warm, trusting relationships with pupils and supporting positive play

• Working closely with the wider school team to ensure a consistent, nurturing approach

Who You Are

We’re looking for someone who:

• Enjoys working with children and brings warmth, patience, and empathy to the role

• Is calm, confident, and compassionate, especially when supporting children with additional needs

• Understands the importance of inclusion, dignity, and communication in every interaction

• Is reliable, punctual, and ready to contribute positively to our school community

• Has good communication and teamwork skills, and a willingness to learn from others

No formal qualifications are required, but experience supporting children with SEN — either in school, at home, or in care settings — is highly valued.

What We Offer

Danecourt offers a welcoming and inclusive environment where support staff are valued as key members of the team. As part of the Maritime Academy Trust, we offer meaningful career opportunities, collaborative working, and the chance to help pupils with SEND thrive.

Here’s what you can expect:

• A supportive, team-based culture, where collaboration is key across classrooms and satellite provisions

• Work-Life Balance role, you’ll benefit from the same school holiday schedule, giving you more time to focus on your well-being and enjoy a healthy work-life balance

• Clear development pathways, through our ‘grow our own’ approach

• Access to regular training, including weekly CPD for support staff to build confidence and expertise

• A strong sense of purpose, where your contribution directly impacts pupil progress, confidence and wellbeing

• Join a school that is proud to be the Winner of the Primary Special School Provision category at the Medway Parents and Carers Forum SEND Awards.

Ready to Make a Difference?

We’d love to welcome you for a visit — come and see what makes Danecourt so special. Please contact the school office on 01634 232589 to arrange.

You’ll find more about the role, school, and Trust in the Candidate Information Pack attached. Apply now via My New Term — we may interview and appoint as applications are received, so don’t delay!

Danecourt School and the Maritime Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We embrace diversity and equal opportunity, striving to build a team that reflects a range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. The more inclusive we are, the stronger we become. All appointments are subject to an Enhanced DBS check and online checks in line with the latest safeguarding guidance.

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

Maritime Academy Trust is committed to recruiting with care and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS and pre-employment checks.

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 Danecourt School

• School type: Academy, ages 4 to 11
• School size: 257 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 4 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Danecourt School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/danecourt-school

Danecourt is a special school catering for primary aged children who have special educational needs. The school caters for children with a wide breadth of need including complex learning difficulties, autism and social emotional mental health needs.

At Danecourt our mission is to provide all pupils with a “stimulating learning environment that allows children to explore through a personalised curriculum to become STARS!

Self reliant Team Player Aspirational Resilient Successful

The highly trained staff teams maintain high expectations of what each individual pupil is able to achieve, striving to ensure that they all achieve their maximum potential; celebrating difference and encouraging curiosity and creativity. Staff work collaboratively with families and a range of other agencies in order to meet the pupils needs and as a result, they make strong progress academically, emotionally and socially. Pupil achievement is hugely valued and celebrated in a manner that is meaningful and appropriate for each pupil.

School location

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