Job Description
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Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)
Hours: 22.5. Term-time plus five non-pupil days (39 weeks per year)
Start date: asap / September 2025
Band: 3, points 6 - 11
Salary: £25,889 - £27,975 full time equivalent including fringe allowance (pro-rata)
Salary negotiable depending on skills and experience
Closing date: Sunday, 2nd March 2025
Interviews: Monday, 10th March 2025
We are looking to recruit an experienced Higher Level Teaching Assistant to help our lovely children at The Wickford Church of England School to achieve their full potential.
Our new colleague will provide support to class teachers, sharing a passion for teaching and a commitment to the needs of the pupils.
Academies within the Trust have a highly inclusive ethos and provide a broad and enriched education for their pupils. We have highly skilled staff who prioritise the support of their colleagues as well as having very high aspirations for their pupils. Each of our colleagues make a difference to our children and as such all play a pivotal role in ensuring our standards are met.
Applicants must hold a minimum grade C in English and maths and NVQ Level 3 in learning Support/Early Years or equivalent qualification.
All staff employed as a HLTA will be expected to have or gain a formal HLTA qualification within 18 months of successfully completing their probation period.
Job Purpose:
- To work with teachers as part of a professional team to support learning activities for classes. The primary focus will be to work under the professional direction of a teacher and within an agreed system of supervision in delivering lessons set by or with teachers
- The HLTA will be expected to support all children in making progress which includes delivering interventions, assessing progress, recording and feeding back to teachers and supporting with children's next steps
- To provide timetabled support across all phases, covering and supporting where needed under the full support and supervision of the SLT and phase teachers
- To be open to collaboration and engage with HLTAs and LSA's across the Trust to develop good working practices within a supportive environment
Principal accountabilities:
- Under the direction of the teacher, deliver teaching and learning activities
- Use detailed knowledge gained through professional development to support and progress pupils' learning
- Deliver agreed learning activities to pupils, adapting activities according to pupil responses/needs
- Building a bank of expertise throughout the Trust by working with team members of other schools within the HEARTS Academy Trust
For an informal discussion or to arrange a visit, please contact Nathan Haisman-Baker, School Business Manager: wickfordcofe.admin@heartsacademy.uk or 01268 733297
For all vacancies at HEARTS Academy Trust please visit our website: https://heartsacademytrust.co.uk/careers/vacancies/
How to apply
It is very important that the HEARTS application form is completed in full, particularly section F which refers to references. We must have the full contact details of two referees, including their name, address, telephone number and email address.
Please note that we will write to the Headteacher for all education references. Incomplete application forms will not be considered.
CVs are not accepted.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date should we have enough suitable applications, therefore we advise applying early.
HEARTS Academy Trust is an equal opportunities employer and will not discriminate against any applicant on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race. For this reason, all application forms are anonymised before shortlisting takes place to ensure applicants are considered only on the relevant qualifications, skills and experience that are profiled on the application form and personal statement.
If you would like any support or assistance at any stage of your application process, please contact recruitment@heartsacademy.uk / 01268 572672. We will be happy to discuss this with you.
Why choose HEARTS Academy Trust as your new employer?
The HEARTS way of working is based on our values of happiness, self-esteem, achievement, respect and responsibility, truth and service, all of which are embedded within each of our schools.
HEARTS Academy Trust offers a comprehensive rewards and benefits package to all colleagues, including but not limited to:
- Pension schemes (LGPS/TPS)
- Professional development opportunities
- Access to our trust Counsellor
- Access to our Mental Health First Aid team
- Additional week's leave during October
- Excellent CPD opportunities with purposeful training, including trust-wide twilights
- Supportive leadership and opportunities to collaborate across the trust
- On request, and if appropriate, flexible working
HEARTS Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to the receipt of a satisfactory application form, satisfactory references that meet the requirements as set out in KCSIE, satisfactory online search and an Enhanced DBS check, to include a children's barred list check, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). This means that certain convictions and cautions are considered 'protected' and do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account.
Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974
Information about the School
The Wickford Church of England School is a small, friendly school, close to good transport links. Our school is a place where children can thrive in a safe and nurturing environment. The school provides education for children from the ages of 2-7 in the local area. As a team, we aim to create a respectful, caring and secure place for children to explore, learn and be happy together.
As a distinctively Christian school, spirituality is at the heart of all we do and we are supported in doing this by the close links we have with the Wickford and Runwell Diocese. HEARTS is an acronym inspired by our vision of Happiness, self-Esteem, Achievement, Respect and Responsibility, Trust, Service and Spirituality for all pupils.
The Wickford Church of England School is part of the HEARTS Academy Trust, a trust of local schools that has the values of happiness, achievement, self-esteem, respect & responsibility, truth, spirituality & service. The trust is truly innovative and rewards outstanding staff for outstanding outcomes. The school calendar consists of 184 contact time with pupils, 5 non-pupil days and the equivalent of 6 days of high quality continuous professional development.
The Trustees are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, online searches, medical check, prohibited from teaching check and references. References are taken up prior to interview. A copy of the trusts Child Protection Policy is available on our website:- https://www.heartsacademytrust.co.uk/policies
We can offer you:
an excellent CPD entitlement with purposeful training, including trust-wide twilights throughout the year
a two-week October half-term
supportive colleagues who want to provide the best possible opportunities for their pupils
a highly effective learning environment
a responsive and involved leadership team
the HEARTS four-day face-to-face teaching week model whereby all teachers in the trust receive 20% non-contact time. This goes above and beyond the national entitlement of 10% PPA.
a school with a highly positive culture that supports all staff; mental health, workload and wellbeing are at the forefront of our vision and values
access to our school counsellor and network of Mental Health and Wellbeing champions
For further information about HEARTS, including policies and procedures, please refer to our website www.heartsacademytrust.co.uk