What skills and experience we're looking for Join a school where every child, and every adult, can thrive The Westgate School is a warm, vibrant and forward‑thinking community where staff and pupils grow together. As an Ofsted‑rated “Outstanding” school, we are proud of our culture of excellence, inclusion and support. We are looking for enthusiastic and committed teaching assistants to join our Primary and Secondary phases in our all-through school. Whether you are experienced in supporting children, passionate about working with neurodiverse learners, or considering a future career in teaching, we would love to hear from you. What we’re looking for We are seeking individuals who can build positive, trusting relationships with children and who bring empathy, patience and enthusiasm to their work. You will: • Be particularly interested in working with pupils with ADHD, ASC or medical needs • Hold GCSE Grade 4 (C) or above in English and Maths (or equivalent) • Be resilient, calm under pressure and committed to ensuring every pupil achieves their best • Bring humour, flexibility and a positive, team‑focused mindset • Communicate confidently and professionally with pupils, staff and families • Support pupils’ behaviour, self-regulation and reading development • Show initiative, excellent time‑management, and a genuine passion for helping children succeed • Grade B Roles: Experience working with children is desirable but not essential • Grade C Roles: Have experience working with children and supporting their learning What the school offers its staff Salary and benefits • Start date: As soon as possible • This is a term time only position (39 weeks) • Hours of work in Primary Phase: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–3:30pm Hours of work in Secondary Phase: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–3:05pm • Free on-site parking and access to EV charging • Complimentary use of our health and fitness facilities • Preferential nursery places in our on-site nursery at a reduced cost • Preferential admission to The Westgate School for employees’ children after two years of employment • Automatic enrolment into Local Government Pension Scheme • Free access to ‘Schools Mutual’ wellbeing support line and app, including physiotherapy, GP and counselling service • Salary: Grade C £25,186–£26,244 FTE or Salary: Grade B £24,796–£25,128 FTE Actual salary dependent on hours worked Why join us? Working at The Westgate School means becoming part of a friendly, skilled and supportive team invested in your success. With 1,600 pupils across our two phases, we are lucky to have excellent teaching facilities available to our pupils, including science laboratories, computing suites, and a purpose-built art and sculpture block. The Westgate School is the lead school for the Winchester Schools Training Alliance (WSTA), working with 21 other schools in the Winchester district to train the next generation of teachers. Teaching assistants employed by The Westgate School wanting to go on to apply for the WSTA training programme will automatically be offered an interview. What Osted says: “The Westgate School is a happy and vibrant community, where pupils are encouraged to aim for excellence” Ofsted, September 2022 “Outstanding” Ofsted, November 2023 “Staff are incredibly proud to work at this school” Ofsted 2024 We offer: • A comprehensive induction programme, including training and mentoring • Excellent professional development, with opportunities for specialist SEND qualifications • Opportunities to develop your own area of expertise within the Learning Support Team • Chances to work with small groups of pupils and gain valuable teaching experience • Access to Autism and ABA-related training • Support for Apprenticeship Training Commitment to safeguarding The Westgate School and Hampshire County Council 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. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks, which will include an online search in order to identify any incidents or issues that have happened and are publicly available online, in line with KCSiE recommendations.