About this Role
The post of Advanced Teaching Assistant is a key post in supporting the learning and general wellbeing as part of a close team alongside the classroom teacher. We operate using nurture principles and our students spend the vast majority of their week in the same room with their classroom tutor. When they move to a specialist subject our TAs move with the class to support the specialist teacher and provide that in depth continuity throughout the day. Class sizes are a maximum of 9 so you will have the opportunity to develop close relationships with your students which is at the core of everything we do at Forest Moor. To be successful, you will need to be able to form excellent relationships with our SEMH students, parents and the wider staff. This is both a challenging but immensely rewarding post with Unconditional Positive Regard is at the centre of everything we do and the successful candidate must have the personal qualities and resilience to work in this ethos.
About us
Forest Moor is an SEMH special based at Menwith Hill, just outside of Harrogate. It is a Key Stage 2 – 4 provision with around 125 students on role in beautiful surroundings and now with a lovely building that is continuing to be refurbished to suit the needs of our students.
Our aim is to provide the best possible care and education that we can for children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Unconditional Positive Regard is at the centre of what we do and we are creating an academy that is welcoming, caring, safe, warm and believes that all its pupils can be supported and empowered to succeed. We are creating individual and personalised pathways for our students that are built around their varied needs which will help them achieve positive outcomes and prepare them for their onward destinations into continuing education, work or training. In order to achieve this, we have developed a curriculum that provides opportunities for academic progression as well as vocational learning, whilst being engaging, creative, and innovative.
We see strong relationships as the key to our success – with students, parents, carers and the wider community and we ensure that our school is a welcoming safe place for children to learn and prosper. We believe in working closely with our families and carers and welcome their support, but also realise that at times they will need our support too. We work closely with other agencies and schools to make sure we do all we can to make learning and life the best it possibly can be.
Forest Moor and the wider Trust places a huge emphasis on professional development and invests significantly in staff training at all levels. This means that, although experience of working in an SEMH setting would be an advantage, specialist support and training will be provided for outstanding candidates wishing to make the career fulfilling move into special education.
If you would like to discuss or find out more about this post, please contact Alec Scott, Vice Principal, at Forest Moor School, via email
The deadline for applications to Gemma Ashton via My New Term is Friday 12th September 2025
Please note: we are unable to accept any applications via recruitment agencies and will only be accepting direct applications.
Wellspring Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils. All posts are offered subject to enhanced DBS checks. References will be requested and an online search carried out for shortlisted candidates, prior to attendance at interview.
Further pre-employment checks, including prohibition from teaching, childcare disqualification and section 128 checks, if deemed relevant for the role, will be completed for the successful candidate upon acceptance of the post.
All applicants need to complete the Equal Opportunities form. Please complete the attached link when submitting your application
If you are currently living overseas or have lived / worked overseas in the last five years please be aware that you will be required to provide an overseas criminal records check from the country/countries you have resided in, if you are the preferred candidate for the post.