We are looking to appoint a caring SEND Teaching Assistant to join our supportive and friendly team. You will be working with children who have specific special educational needs. The successful candidate will need to be enthusiastic and dedicated to making a difference to children's learning. You will need to enjoy working with children and be passionate and committed to helping children develop as independent and confident individuals. This is a maternity cover position from 3rd November 2025 until 31st October 2026. It is for 25 hours per week, spread over five days (Monday to Friday), between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, with a one-hour unpaid lunch break. The successful candidate will need to have NVQ level 2 in numeracy & literacy (or equivalent), have excellent communication skills and will be able to work closely with the class teacher, the SENCo, the SEN team and external advisors. The ideal candidate should be hard working, enthusiastic, flexible, and have an approachable and nurturing personality. Some previous experience of working with children with SEND, would be an advantage. The successful applicants will join a friendly, supportive and approachable staff team. Why would you like to work at Cherry Tree? We love to learn outdoors in our beautiful grounds and provide CPD in outdoor learning We have a wonderful, diverse community and celebrate this in our learning We offer excellent CPD opportunities and invest in the career development of our staff We have an experienced, driven leadership team who are willing to mentor, support and listen We have a multiskilled and highly dedicated team who put the children first and support one another We work closely with our trust to support and share resources, opportunities and ideas We buy in to a healthcare plan which includes private medical care as well as wellbeing care, physiotherapy, stress counselling and lifestyle screening days. We have a 4-day wellbeing weekend every year in the summer term to give ourselves a chance to get away, rest and relax! A visit to the school is recommended. Please email: admin@cherrytree.herts.sch.uk to arrange a suitable time. Further information about our school can be found on our website www.cherrytree.herts.sch.uk and our Twitter feed @CTS_Watford Prospective candidates are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible as the school reserves the right to close the advert early should we feel able to appoint an appropriate candidate. The Trust is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders are subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. We require you to disclose any previous criminal convictions or cautions even if they are spent. Shortlisted candidates will be required to complete a Criminal Record Declaration Form prior to interview. When recruiting and selecting staff, the Trust is required to comply with all relevant employment legislation to ensure we are recruiting within the law as well as complying with the Trust’s Equality Policy. The Selection Criteria document is critical in the process and sets out the requirements which the person appointed should have in order to perform the duties of the post satisfactorily and against which applicants will be assessed. The selection criteria will be used throughout the recruitment process as an objective test of assessing candidates at shortlisting, test and interview stages. Shortlisting will be completed by assessing against the advertised person specification. Our interviews will always include relevant questions relating to teaching and will include questions on child protection and/or safeguarding, behaviour and safety. There will also be an observation element to the selection day and a task. Shortlisting:: Thursday 4th September 2025 Please make sure you can be available for the interview on Wednesday 10th September 2025