UPPER SHIRLEY HIGH SCHOOL
The Role
Title: Teaching Assistant
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Part-time vacancy (22.5 Hours Per Day) Term time only
Grade: 6
FTE Salary: £24,684 - £26,845
Actual salary : £15,050 – £16,216 (£28,792 – £31,022)
Start Date: As soon as possible
Closing Date: Mid-day Friday 3rd October 2025
Interview Date: To be agreed
**Please be aware Upper Shirley High School does not accept CV's, please go to to complete our application form**
We are seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Teaching Assistant to join a thriving team, supported by experienced colleagues, whose aim is to remove any barriers to learning and enable all students to access an outstanding education, through our varied curriculum.
USH is a heavily oversubscribed community school with just over 1050 students and 140 staff. We are incredibly proud of our family ethos and our success in delivering values-led education. We are known for our excellent career progression routes and we attract professionals who are willing to contribute to our sustained success. USH is a Leading-Edge School, consistently ranked high in Hampshire schools for overall achievement. The school was delighted to be awarded SSAT accreditation for Transforming in Principled Curriculum Design in 2023.
If you are motivated to make a difference to the lives of young people and have a commitment to excellence, then this could be the job for you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the role or would like to come into school to see the USH family in action.
The successful candidates will:
* Be highly motivated
* Be able to establish a rapport with adults and children
* Be able to demonstrate qualities of patience, firmness, humour and sensitivity
* Be steadfast in their belief and action, that the curriculum should be accessible for all
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
We positively encourage prospective candidates to enquire about our school prior to applying. Please contact our recruitment team via email:
Full details and application forms can be downloaded from our website: Please return your completed applications to Please note we only accept CV's if accompanied by a fully completed application form.
To give your application the best chance at being short-listed, where at interview you can demonstrate suitability for the role, please ensure you read the person specification and job description and give examples in your application. Should you be new to the education sector or do not have direct examples related to the person specification, do please provide examples from a similar experience.
Please submit your application as soon as possible as we may invite candidates to interview before the closing date.
We can offer you:
* Excellent CPD opportunities and Training and Development Programmes
* In-house Teaching School
* An individual induction programme supported by a mentor
* Networking groups for Teachers, Business Managers, Site Teams and IT staff
* Eligibility to join the Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme
* Generous holiday entitlement for staff working 52 weeks per year which increases with length of service
* Free eye tests up to the value of £25 for users of VDU equipment and contribution up to the value of £60 towards the purchase of glasses specifically for the use of display screen equipment (where all conditions are met)
* Opportunity to become a school workplace Health and Wellbeing representative, meeting with other schools on a termly basis and feeding into the Health and Wellbeing strategy
* Access to the Trust Health and Wellbeing pages
* Access to a staff benefits portal through Vivup
* Free confidential telephone and face to face counselling for staff and family members
If you would like a role that gives you a genuine sense of achievement and fulfilment, knowing that you can have a positive impact on the young people we support, then please apply.
The successful applicant will be welcomed and supported in our friendly environment where we have a passion for learning.
SAFEGUARDING
All schools within the Trust 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.
THE JEFFERYS EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP
The Jefferys Education Partnership is part of an umbrella Trust called the Hamwic Education Trust. At the Hamwic Education Trust we offer unique opportunities for those individuals that excel in education.
We aim to deliver an outstanding education to our pupils and to do so we must employ outstanding people.
We offer a training pathway for all employees including teachers, support staff and our middle and senior leaders.
Our staff have opportunities to work on cross phase projects and to work in other schools within the Trust in order to gain invaluable experience and enhance their skills.
Job Description
Title:
Teaching Assistant
Grade: 6
Responsible to: SENCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator)
Job purpose:
· To assist teachers in providing a learning environment that enables all students to access the curriculum and learn to the best of their ability
· To work with and support students with a variety of academic, physical and emotional/behavioural needs on a class, group or individual basis
Key Duties:
* To work with individuals or groups of students, as directed by the class teacher and/or SENCo, to support subjects and learning across the whole curriculum (according to the requirements of the school, this may include the supervision of a classroom for periods of time);
* To establish supportive, caring and secure relationships with the student/ students, promoting respect, self-esteem and a positive, inclusive whole school ethos;
* To develop knowledge and understanding of specific academic, physical and emotional/behavioural needs of individuals and groups of students and respond to them effectively;
* To assist the class teacher/SENCo with the planning, development and delivery of suitable programmes of work for students (i.e. Individual Education Plans), including those with specific learning needs and/or a statement of Special Educational Needs;
* To support class teachers to design, create and produce learning activities, materials and resources to support aspects of the curriculum or particular learning outcomes, and to assist and support the students in using them;
* To help, support and motivate the students, clarifying instructions, encouraging independent learning and behaviour and enabling learning targets and outcomes to be achieved;
* To contribute to monitoring and recording pupils' progress, maintaining records and providing relevant feedback to teachers;
* To provide welfare support to the students, including administering First Aid (dependent on training) and attending to personal hygiene and identified medical needs as required;
* As directed by the Class Teacher or SENCO, to liaise with outside agencies, where appropriate, in respect of individual students;
* To assist with general school duties. These may include:
* Setting up classrooms, preparing resources and displays and tidying and clearing away
* Supervision of students during break times
* Supervision of students entering and leaving school premises
Supporting the school:
At an appropriate level, according to the job role, grade and training received, all employees in the school are expected to:
· Support the aims, values, mission and ethos of the school and participate in a team approach to all aspects of school life.
· Attend and contribute to staff meetings and INSET days as required, and identify areas of personal practice and experience to develop.
· Take appropriate responsibility for safeguarding and children's welfare and be aware of confidential issues linked to home/child/teacher/school and keep confidences appropriately.
· Be aware of health and safety issues and act in accordance with the school's Health and Safety Policy.
Other Duties
The postholder may be expected to carry out duties other than those given in the job description where the level of responsibility is similar and he/she has appropriate qualifications or receives appropriate training to carry out these duties.
The postholder must:
· Ensure that Trust policies and procedures are implemented and followed.
· Work as appropriate with the Trust Central Services team in matters relating to finance, HR, IT and Health and Safety.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £15,050.00-£16,216.00 per year
Work Location: In person