This specialist setting in Gateshead is looking for someone charismatic, approachable, and genuinely keen to get involved in school life. They are not necessarily searching for the most experienced TA. What matters more is personality, presence, and the ability to build strong, respectful relationships with young people. They are looking for someone who is: • Warm and engaging • Confident and willing to learn • Comfortable building positive professional relationships with students • Positive and open to being developed and moulded • Understanding of school culture and the importance of consistent boundaries Building relationships with students is a key priority here. Pupils respond well to adults who are consistent, visible and actively involved. Daily Expectations & Routine Breakfast Club All staff attend breakfast club. This is not a supervision-only role. You will sit with students, talk to them, and actively engage while they eat. You are welcome to have breakfast there as well. The aim is to start the day with connection and calm structure. Lunch Lunch is provided, so there’s no need to bring your own. Staff eat alongside students and continue building relationships during this time. After lunch, there is an opportunity to engage with pupils through structured social activities such as table tennis, games consoles, and other supervised interactions. Students are supervised throughout the day. There is no traditional lunch break away from students. However, pupils leave at 2:15pm - 2:30pm, and staff remain on site until 4:30pm. In the longer term, this time is used for administration, report writing and tutor group updates. During your first few weeks, you will observe experienced staff completing these tasks while you settle into the role. Lesson Support & In-Class Expectations Teaching Assistants are expected to be fully involved in lessons. You will: • Move around the classroom and work directly with students • Support learning in real time • Reinforce instructions and maintain engagement • Help pupils stay focused and complete work Staff use an orange pen to mark and provide feedback during lessons. A strong focus across the school is literacy improvement, including correcting spelling and reinforcing accurate written communication where appropriate. Start of Day & Attendance Students arrive between 8:30am and 9:30am. The school takes attendance seriously. If students do not arrive by a set time, parents are contacted. In some circumstances, staff may collect students to support attendance and routine. School Environment & Safety • The school operates a strict phone-free policy • On arrival, students go through a metal detector scan, primarily to check for phones and vapes rather than weapons • Phones are confiscated and returned at the end of the day, vapes are not returned • Coats are checked for prohibited items • The environment is calm, structured and quiet • Staff are issued radios, subject to availability initially, for communication across site The setting is considered very safe, with clear systems in place to maintain consistency and order. Behaviour & Boundaries • Minor swearing linked to frustration is managed with redirection and reminders • Verbal abuse towards staff or peers is not tolerated and may lead to exclusion • Physical assaults on staff are extremely rare but would result in exclusion and police involvement Clear boundaries are upheld consistently. Staff are supported in maintaining them. Team Teach Training If you remain in post long term, you may have the opportunity to undertake Team Teach training, focusing on de-escalation and safe handling techniques. Restraint is rarely used and is always a last resort. You can opt out of physically performing restraints if preferred. Structure & Classes • Classes are mixed ability, with a wide range of reading ages • Groups are built around harmony and positive dynamics • Key Stage 3 pupils, Years 7, 8 and 9, are kept separate to reduce distractions • A three-cycle loop is used to avoid curriculum repetition • Key Stage 4 pupils focus on GCSE qualifications • All Year 11 pupils complete GCSEs • The school performs strongly academically for its context • Literacy improvement is a key whole-school priority Twilight Provision There is a one-hour twilight provision from approximately 2:30pm to 3:30pm for a small group of students requiring additional support. You may occasionally support this provision, though numbers are typically low. Overall Ethos & additional information This is an academic setting with high expectations and strong routines. Students are encouraged to achieve their best within a calm, structured, relationship-focused environment. The role would suit someone energetic, personable, proactive and confident in building professional relationships with young people. Please note this school is over two sites, both in Gateshead so travel between sites is rate but might be a possibility. If you would like more information or feel this could be the right fit for you, apply today or get in touch for a confidential discussion. All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further details. All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date. Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants. We offer FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service. Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website.