Welfare Support Assistant

The Wherry School, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2GB

9 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  15 May 2026 at 1am

• Date listed

  6 May 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Pastoral, health and welfare
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £26,403 - £28,142 FTE

Welfare Support Assistant job summary

Part of The Wherry School Trust 

Tel: 01603 629440 

Email:  office@thewherryschool.co.uk  

 

• Salary – Scale E, £26,403 - £28,142 FTE  
• Permanent 
• Part Time 
• 33 hours per week 
• Term time + 1 week (potential for a 52 week contract) 
• Required for September 2026  

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to join the team of The Wherry School to support young people with autism working alongside teachers and staff with the passion to deliver a truly individualised curriculum.  You will be joining our school staff in a newly built and resourced specialist setting for children with a diagnosis of autism and who possess a mainstream ability profile. 

The Wherry School opened in September 2017 with 48 learners, initially in Years 1 to 8, and over the last seven years has grown to its full capacity of 134 students across the 4-19 age range.   It has been established to meet a clear educational need in the area and is supported by a Trust and educational partners, all of whom are successfully providing outstanding education and/or support to children and young people in Norfolk. 

This role is to support students across the school with a particular focus on Primary aged pupils 

The successful candidate will: 

• Work across a range of classes 
• Be available to support the behavioural, welfare and sensory needs of pupils. 
• Work with Teachers, Senior leaders and the commissioned clinical team to identify the needs of pupils and share support strategies.  
• Take an active role in a wide range of classroom and physical activities throughout the academic year. 
• Support the children and young people, alongside colleagues in the classroom, during break periods and at lunch times, this will form part of the contracted hours (all staff will be entitled to a break during the lunchtime period) 
• Under the direction of the Phase Leader, identify and work with pupils that may need support at key points within the timetable. 
• Support all staff to contribute to individual student assessments, including assessments of communication, learning plan targets, curriculum learning and management programmes including support for positive behaviour monitoring and reporting 

Already working in a school, educational or specialist setting, or with relevant experience of working with children and young people, you have good knowledge of supporting pupils with autism and/or additional needs.  The children and young people at the Wherry School need staff who are committed to supporting them to achieve the best possible outcomes and who have the highest aspirations for all.  This is a unique opportunity to work with this specialist Educational Trust with the commitment to provide all staff ongoing training, continuing professional development and support as well as an extensive induction. 

If you are interested in this  post please contact Dani Williams or Kevin Holland, Executive Principals at - office@thewherryschool.co.uk to find out more about the role (please include a contact number in your email).   

   

How to apply 

A Recruitment Pack and person specification are available from ‘Attachments’. Alternatively, these and our application from can be found on our recruitment website.  We do not accept applications made via any other method.  If you click on the ‘Apply for Job’ button, you will be redirected to this website. 

Please email applications to - office@thewherryschool.co.uk  

Closing date:  15 May 2026 at Midday

Interview dates:   w/c  18 May 2026 

 

The Wherry School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A full DBS check will be required for the successful candidate and all procedures and checks as in the school's Safeguarding Children Policy will be followed. The Wherry School is an Equal Opportunities Employer. In line with KCSIE 2025, the school may complete online searches of candidates. This post is likely to come under the requirements of the Childcare (Disqualification) 2009 Regulations and the successful applicant will be required to complete a declaration form to establish whether they are disqualified under these regulations. 

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and you will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced DBS check with barred list. If you have information to declare it may be protected under the Exceptions Orders and you may not be required to declare it. You will be asked to make a criminal conviction declaration if you are shortlisted for the post. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website. 

  

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 The Wherry School

• School type: Free Schools, ages 4 to 19
• School size: 130 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 4 to 19
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: The Wherry School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/the-wherry-school

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