Hillside Special School Address: Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 1NN Salary: £28,142 pro rata FTE (Actual Basic Salary £24,000 per annum) Hours: 29.75 hours a week, 38 weeks a year Contract: Permanent, required from September 2026 Reference: 5110 Hillside Special School is a very successful school for pupils with a wide range of complex needs including Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) and Autism (ASD). We are seeking to appoint an engaging and highly motivated Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) who will work in multiple class groups. The age range is 4 - 19 years and you may be required to work with pupils of any age and ability. Requirements of the role: professional standards and values: You will have high levels of professionalism, uphold the values of the school at all times, be familiar with and conduct yourself in accordance with the HLTA Standards, and put the needs and wellbeing of the pupils at the forefront of everything you do. personal qualities and attitude: You will have a truly positive attitude, demonstrate patience and the ability to stay calm and positive, be emotionally and physically resilient, and have a good sense of humour. organisational and interpersonal skills: You will have outstanding organisation skills, have the ability to be tactful, conscientious and discreet when dealing with challenging situations, be flexible, adaptable and able to multitask, and have excellent communication skills to work co-operatively and develop positive relationships with pupils, families and staff at all levels. commitment and development: You will be driven with a commitment to continuous personal development and school improvement, demonstrate a commitment to maintaining outstanding levels of safeguarding, and have a passion for teaching pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) and Complex Autism (ASD). teaching and technical Skills: You will work with a team to deliver outstanding Teaching and Learning, when teachers are outside of their classrooms, and be confident in the use of IT. We actively encourage applicants to see our school in action before applying for vacancies. Pupils on Roll: 92 currently, 102 in September To find out more: If this post is of interest to you and you would like to know more, please contact Lizzi Murphy, Headteacher, via email to: admin@hillside.suffolk.sch.uk including your full name and ‘HLTA Vacancy’ in the subject line. Please also include your phone number in the body of your email and we will arrange a mutually convenient time to have an informal chat and arrange a visit. For further information, please download the Job Description (pdf) and Application Guidance Notes (word). How to apply: If you think you have the qualities to fulfil this role and you want to make a real contribution to our school, we would welcome an application from you. All applications must be made on an official Application Form (word) and must be accompanied by a covering letter. Full details, an application pack and how to apply, can be found on our website. Please send your completed application form to: admin@hillside.suffolk.sch.uk Closing date: 10am, 23 June 2026. Interview date: 1 July 2026 (all day). Promoted as SPJ (Standard Plus Job) on Suffolk Jobs Direct. The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. Our commitment to safeguarding is underpinned by robust processes and checks which are in place across the school. We do not accept applications from agencies.