Teaching Assistant

Mapledown School, London, NW2 1TR

25 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  8 May 2026 at 12:59am

• Date listed

  13 April 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teaching assistant
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £24,681.00 Annually (FTE) FTE

Teaching Assistant job summary

Are you a dedicated and compassionate educator with a passion for working with secondary-aged students with special educational needs? As we are due to expand from September 2026, we are seeking skilled Teaching Assistants to join our staff both on our main site and at our satellite provision, across our learning zones.

This is a rewarding opportunity to inspire and support young people in a school environment that values inclusion, collaboration, and holistic development. Mapledown School is a secondary special school for students with Severe and Profound or Complex learning difficulties and Autism. Our ethos and vision are to provide a learning environment for all members of the school community, where everyone can work and learn together. We aim to ensure our wonderful and inspiring students are given the dignity of challenge, and opportunities to be heard, become as independent as possible and achieve their very best. All young people have the right to have their individual needs met, and therefore Mapledown staff provide learners with a personalised curriculum which is focused on the successful acquisition of knowledge and skills which will have a positive impact on their lives and opportunities.

Our staff are dedicated to providing a supportive, inclusive, and stimulating learning environment for secondary-aged students with special educational needs. The school is a place where every student is valued, nurtured, and challenged to achieve their best-academically, socially, and personally. We are opening a new site in September in Whetstone, and the successful candidates may be based there or on our main site. Successful candidates will be part of a supportive team . If you are passionate about making a difference and want to work in a supportive, enthusiastic, and hard-working environment, we would love to hear from you!

What We’re Looking For:

• Energetic, enthusiastic and inspiring Teaching Assistants to work with our amazing pupils who have severe learning difficulties (SLD), profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) and Autism. Previous experience within special needs provisions would be an advantage.
• Able to work 31.5 hours per week, 39 weeks of the year.
• 9.00am to 3.30pm, except each Wednesday when all staff work until 5pm for training and meetings time.

Applicants should have:

• Good standards of English and Maths (GCSE or equivalent)

• A degree is desirable but we would consider applications from experienced practitioners

• A desire for working with students with complex learning difficulties

• Previous experience is desirable although consideration will be given to applicants with relevant skills

• Good communication skills

• Enthusiasm for supporting children and their learning

• The ability to work well on your own and as part of a team

• A positive attitude and sense of humour

• A willingness to learn new skills

• A willingness to undertake personal care of pupils

• The successful applicant must have a high standard of written and spoken English

• A positive attitude with emotional resilience

• Excellent organisational skills

• A reflective approach to ongoing professional development

• Willingness to have training to drive the school minibus is especially welcome

We will offer you:

A new starter induction programme - training and induction will include, depending on where you will be deployed, epilepsy and allergy management, enteral feeding, First Aid, PODD, MOVE, Manual Handling and Team Teach.

A varied and ongoing professional development programme (CPD).

Annual appraisal programme.

Mapledown School is a Good School (Ofsted, November 2023), catering for the needs of children and young people with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. A significant number of our pupils have a diagnosis of Autism.

Mapledown is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Appointment to this post is subject to satisfactory clearance of enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, including the barred lists, as well as all other pre-appointment checks in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education (2025).

Please do not send CVs as only completed application forms will be considered.

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

Barnet Council is committed to making sure that everyone living in Barnet is safe and protected and that our specific statutory responsibilities to safeguard children and vulnerable adults are effectively met at Mapledown School.

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 Mapledown School

• School type: Special school, ages 11 to 19
• School size: 114 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 19
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Mapledown School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/mapledown-school-london

Mapledown School is Barnet’s only secondary special school for students with Severe and Profound or Complex learning difficulties and Autism. Our ethos and vision are to provide a learning environment for all members of the school community, where everyone can work and learn together. We aim to ensure our wonderful and inspiring students are given the dignity of challenge, and opportunities to be heard, become as independent as possible and achieve their very best. All young people have the right to have their individual needs met, and therefore Mapledown staff provide learners with a personalised curriculum which is focused on the successful acquisition of knowledge and skills which will have a positive impact on their lives and opportunities.

School location

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