Associate Teacher/ Level 2 Teaching Assistant

Associate Teacher/Teaching Assistant

Are you considering a future career as a teacher? Or a newly qualified teacher without a current position eager to gain more hands-on experience and additional expertise?

We offer a unique opportunity for gifted and enthusiastic individuals to spend up to two academic years in the school and classroom environment, gaining a breadth of experience working with students and contributing to the extra-curricular activities within the school. This post is offered as a fixed term contract until August 2026 in the first instance.

You will provide daily cover for absent subject teachers and work as a Teaching Assistant alongside lead teachers in supporting the learning of all students, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and assist in the delivery of extra-curricular activities such as Sport, and / or Performing Arts.

The successful candidate will have a proven ability to relate well to both children and adults, be able to work constructively as part of a team, have a willingness to gain experience of classroom practice having a genuine interest in working with young people. This post may be attractive to those looking to follow a career into teaching or newly qualified teachers without a current position.

Working hours: 34.75 hours per week term time plus 5 staff learning days, 39 weeks per annum.

Salary paid at Band F; £23,893 to £25,979 pa paid pro-rata starting point depending on experience, length of service and qualifications. Actual salary based on hours and weeks worked is calculated at £19,440 to £21,138 per annum subject to any continuous service plus £1000 recruitment and retention allowance during the second year.

Stratford upon Avon School

Job Title: Associate Teacher/Teaching Assistant

(Fixed Term Contract to 31st August 2026)

Grade Band F Points 6-11 (salary details at appendix 2)

Plus £1000 during second year

Hours: 34.75 hours weekly / 39 weeks per year

Reporting to: Inclusion & Assessment Leader

Working closely with: Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion) & Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo)

Main Purpose of Job

The role involves working as both an Associate Teacher and Teaching Assistant

• Associate Teacher
• To supervise the work of whole classes as set by their class/subject teacher in accordance with school policy whilst their normal teacher is absent
• To work under the guidance of teaching/senior staff and within an agreed system of supervision, to implement agreed work programmes with individuals/groups, in or out of the classroom
• To deliver extracurricular activities, as suited to the experience and specialism of the individual and the needs of the school, but to include either Sport, Drama, or Music
• Post holder required to be flexible as the cover schedule is determined on a daily basis
• Teaching Assistant
• To support student access to learning by undertaking a range of practical duties within the classroom:
• Support students, both individual and groups
• Support students with special needs and those with an Educational Health Care Plan or planned provision
• Supervise the activities of individuals or groups of students to ensure progress towards targets
• Contribute to the personal and emotional care of students
• Encourage students to act independently as appropriate
• Encourage students to interact with others and engage in activities led by a teacher
• Listening to and assisting students to read

Key Areas and Activities

Associate Teacher

Support for Students when supervising classes in the absence of the teacher:

• To register and record student attendance in lessons
• To instruct students regarding the work left by their teacher
• To provide students with the necessary resources for their learning
• To ensure orderly entrance and exit of classrooms
• To create a calm and purposeful environment in which students can complete work set by the classroom teacher
• To follow school systems and procedures on behaviour management
• To manage the behaviour of students to ensure a constructive and positive learning environment

• To manage resources effectively and ensure classrooms are left tidy and ready for the next lesson
• To collect any completed work after the lesson and return it to the appropriate teacher
• To liaise with teacher(s) about cover work and monitor progress in order to provide absent teachers with feedback to inform their planning.
• To complete lesson review documents as required.

Support for students

• Use specialist (curricular/learning) knowledge and experience to support students. This may involve working with groups of differing sizes and individual students – examples may include nurture groups or support Sixth Formers in their study skills.
• Establish productive working relationships with students, acting as a role model and setting high expectations
• Promote the inclusion and acceptance of all students within the classroom
• Support students consistently whilst recognising and responding to their individual needs
• Encourage students to interact and work co-operatively with others and engage all students in activities
• Promote independence and employ strategies to recognise and reward achievement of self-reliance
• Provide feedback to students in relation to progress and achievement

To deliver extracurricular activities:

• In conjunction with the Curriculum Leader for Physical Education, Music, Performing Arts; to assist with the delivery of extracurricular clubs, and / or the leading of specific teams or competitions
• Market the existing designated clubs / teams with a view to maximising participation
• Provide tuition and coaching with a view to improving the quality of performance and long-term engagement of students
• As appropriate, coordinate the administration of sports fixtures, including communication with key stakeholders, and the organisation of resources, including as necessary transport for students.

Teaching Assistant

Classroom Support

To support access to learning by undertaking a range of practical duties within the classroom:

• Support students, both individual and groups
• Supervise the activities of individuals or groups of students to ensure progress towards targets
• Contribute to the personal and emotional care of students
• Encourage students to act independently as appropriate
• Encourage students to interact with others and engage in activities led by a teacher
• Support students to understand instructions
• Support students in using basic ICT as directed
• General support to students in line with a Statement of special needs / Educational Health Care Plan or planned provision, individual or small groups
• Listening to and assisting students to read

• Routine support for students with literacy and numeracy skills
• Delivery of small group or individual intervention as directed by the class teacher or SENCO

Student Support

• Support individuals or groups of students during independent or group work. This may involve using some degree of specialist knowledge of SEN issues to explain tasks, reinforce key learning objectives, concepts or vocabulary; use practical apparatus in subjects such as PE, Science or technology. Students may also need assistance in maintaining attention, interest and motivation.
• Assist students in developing communication skills through modelling and otherwise assisting in the framing of verbal responses in a variety of classroom situations.
• Use some degree of specialist knowledge to assist in the learning of students with developmental delay and/or physical disability.
• Assist with the supervision of small groups of students on short trips off school premises under the direction of the relevant subject teacher. This would only apply to small groups well known to the TA.
• Attend to students’ personal needs and provide advice to assist in their social, health and hygiene development.
• Undertake regular training to support physical needs and access to the curriculum.
• Support provision for students with special needs.
• Establish productive working relationships with students.
• Provide information and advice to enable students to make choices about their own learning.
• Challenge and motivate students through promoting and reinforcing self-esteem.
• Provide feedback to students in relation to progress and achievement.

Teacher support

• Monitor individual and group achievements of students with SEN and feed back to the subject teacher.
• Be actively involved in the day-to-day management of the learning environment of students with SEN, including the provision of specialist teaching materials and equipment where appropriate. This is to be done in discussion with subject teachers.
• Contribute to the assessment of students by teachers through observation and reporting.
• Record information relevant to the assessment and review of students’ progress.
• Attend Annual Review Meetings as appropriate.
• Undertake administrative tasks appropriate to the role of a TA.
• Contribute to IEP updates

Support for the school:

• Have an up-to-date understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a Level 2 TA;
• Understand the school’s SEN policies and practices and how they relate to local and national SEN policy and strategy.
• Liaise effectively with parents /carers by sharing and providing information relevant to the role.

• To participate on the duty rota
• Trained up to Deputise for the Curriculum & Cover Coordinator in her absence, if required
• Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health and safety and security, behaviour management, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure all students have equal access to opportunities to learn and develop
• Contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the school
• Attend and participate in regular meetings
• Participate in training and other learning activities as required
• Recognise own strengths and areas of expertise as required
• Provide appropriate guidance and supervision and assist in the training and development of staff as appropriate
• Supervise students on visits, trips and out of school activities as required

General

• Contribute to the school’s responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people
• Any other duty appropriate to the general area of operation and in line with the broad range of responsibilities and aptitudes expected

Health and Safety

The post holder must have the moral courage to insist on appropriate safety standards within their area of influence, whilst not using Health and Safety as an excuse to water down the educational experience for the students.

General

Entitlement to:

• A clear management line and access to the immediate line manager
• An annual performance review, which includes the setting of individual performance targets in line with the established school procedure.
• Time and opportunity for professional development, in an appropriate form.

Requirements

• The postholder is expected to comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and other relevant legislation. Any information they have access to, or are responsible for, must be managed appropriately and any requirements for confidentiality and security observed. Information must not be disclosed to any person or Authority, for example a parent or the Police, without observing the correct procedure for disclosure as set out in the school’s Data Protection Policy and Procedure.
• Knowledge of and compliance with relevant school policies and procedures e.g. Health & Safety, No Smoking, Acceptable Use of the Internet, procedure to gain authorisation for expenditure, privacy policies, Child Protection etc.
• Willingness to undertake training /professional development in-house or externally.
• Participation in the performance management system in force for all staff.

Notes

• Stratford-upon-Avon School reserves the right to alter the content of the job description to reflect changes to aspects of the role, without altering the general nature of the role or level of responsibility.
• The responsibilities detailed are subject to the terms and conditions laid down in the Contract of Employment for Support Staff.
• The job description summarises an indicative range of duties, responsibilities and outcomes, but does not seek to imply the relative priorities or the proportion of time to be spent on each.

Appendix 1

Support Staff Posts

Corporate

• Support your line manager or team leader as required in maintaining a customer focus, efficient working, establishment and following of operating procedures, compliance with health and safety and other regulatory requirements, identifying desirable developments, and providing clear support in general for teaching and learning, student progress and wellbeing, and any external or collaborative arrangements with which the school is involved
• Contribute to the effective operation of support services
• Be prepared to share good practice with other schools and relevant bodies. This may include undertaking duties and work in other schools and at other locations
• As part of a team of support staff, provide assistance with the invigilation of examinations if required
• As a member of staff working in a school setting, have a duty to help keep young people safe and to protect them from sexual, physical and emotional harm and to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students

Working with Students

Membership of Groups

Appendix 2

Associate Teacher/TA2

Terms and Conditions of Employment specific to the post

Working Hours

Working hours are based on 8.30am to 4.35pm x 5 days, and 8.30am – 3.35pm x 5 days (Per fortnight). Total weekly working hours are 34.75 hours.

A lunch break of 40 minutes will be taken at a mutually agreed time, by agreement with the line manager. Where fewer than 6 hours are worked per day, it may be possible to omit the lunch break (not available to this post).

Working weeks will be 39, comprised of 38 weeks of school terms plus 5 staff learning days. Actual dates to be designated on a year-by-year basis. Staff working less than a 37-hour week will work pro-rata training day hours, either pro-rata on each training day OR a pro-rata number of training days, by agreement with HR.

There is provision for additional hours worked to be taken as TOIL, or in certain cases, remunerated as long as they are for reasons connected with school development, clearly justifiable and appropriately authorised in advance.

Holidays

Other Benefits

• Free car parking (subject to availability)
• Free lunch if undertaking a lunchtime staff duty
• Wellbeing employee assistance programme
• Contributory pension scheme

Remuneration

Starting salary for full time post at Band F, Points 6-11 in the range £23,893 to £25,979; starting point depending on experience, length of service and qualifications.

The actual salary for the hours / weeks worked will be in the range £19,440 to £21,138 subject to any continuous service. Plus £1000 recruitment & Retention allowance during the second year.