The posting
Join Danecourt School as a SEND Teaching Assistant! Support. Encourage. Empower - helping every child make progress in their own way.
Location: Danecourt School and satellite provisions at Featherby and Bligh Contracted Hours: 28.75 hours per week (8:45 am - 3:15 pm, Monday to Friday) Term Time Only! 39 weeks per year Contract: Permanent Salary: Medway D2 ( Point 4 - 11) £17,311.36 - 19,690.33 (Actual) + SEN Allowance Could Danecourt be your next step?
Are you passionate about helping children with SEND thrive? Or perhaps you're looking for a role where you can use your skills, patience and creativity to make a genuine difference every day?
At Danecourt, our SEND Teaching Assistants are an essential part of each child's team.
You'll work alongside teachers, therapists and specialist colleagues to support primary-aged children with complex needs, including autism, communication needs and sensory processing differences. With small classes and a highly collaborative approach, you'll have the opportunity to really get to know the children you support and understand what helps each of them learn, communicate and develop.
Progress looks different here - and you'll be part of making it happen.
Danecourt is an award-winning and growing specialist school. Our practice has been recognised through the Medway Parents and Carers Forum SEND Awards, where we were named winner of the Primary Special School Provision award, and our expertise is also helping to strengthen SEND practice in other schools through the Maritime Outreach Support Service.
With new provision opening as we continue to grow our specialist offer across Medway, it's an exciting time to become part of Danecourt.
Want to see what working here is really like? Watch our video for an insight into life as a SEND TA or come and visit us to meet the team and experience the school for yourself at our next Open Day on Monday 28th September. For further information please email [email protected]
About the Role
As a SEND Teaching Assistant, you'll work closely with your class team to create a safe, engaging and nurturing environment where children are supported to develop their learning, communication, confidence and independence.
You'll support individual pupils and small groups, help deliver personalised learning and interventions, and provide emotional and personal care support where required.
Every day will be different. Some achievements may look small from the outside, but at Danecourt you'll understand just how significant they can be.
Who you Are
We’re looking for someone who:
- Is passionate about supporting children with SEND
- Brings patience, empathy and a positive approach
- Is flexible, proactive and keen to learn
- Builds caring and trusting relationships with children
- Enjoys working collaboratively as part of a team
- Is calm and resilient when situations are challenging
- Is comfortable supporting children's personal care where required
- Has good literacy and numeracy skills
Experience of SEND or an NVQ Level 2 qualification would be valuable, but we're also interested in your potential, your values and what you can bring to our children and team. What We Offer
At Danecourt, you'll become part of a specialist team where support staff are valued, encouraged to develop and given opportunities to build their careers.
Here's what you can expect:
- Small classes and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with the children you support
- A collaborative team of teachers, Teaching Assistants, therapists and specialist colleagues
- Regular SEND-focused training and professional development
- Clear career pathways, including opportunities to progress from Teaching Assistant into teaching through Maritime's grow our own approach
- Opportunities to develop specialist SEND knowledge and learn from expertise across Danecourt
- The chance to be part of an award-winning, growing specialist school whose expertise is supporting SEND practice beyond Danecourt
- A term-time working pattern that gives you school holidays away from work
- Local Government Pension Scheme and national terms and conditions
- Enhanced family-friendly policies, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave
- A comprehensive wellbeing offer, including our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Occupational Health support
- Lifestyle and financial wellbeing benefits including Cycle to Work, Blue Light Card, eye care vouchers and a range of employee discounts
Come and Discover Danecourt You don't need to imagine what working in a specialist school is like - come and experience it for yourself. We'd love to welcome you for a visit. Meet our team, see our classrooms and discover the difference our Teaching Assistants make every day.
Please contact the school office on 01634 232589 to arrange a visit.
You can also watch our video to hear more about life at Danecourt.
You'll find more about the role, Danecourt, our people and working for Maritime Academy Trust in the Candidate Information Pack.
Apply via My New Term. We may interview and appoint as applications are received, so early applications are encouraged.
Danecourt School and Maritime Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All appointments are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and online checks in line with current safeguarding guidance. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and value diversity at all levels.
