Teaching Assistant

Lift Cottingley is looking for a caring and enthusiastic Level 3 Teaching Assistant to join our team. We're looking for someone who is passionate about supporting children, helping them build confidence and ensuring every pupil has the opportunity to thrive. Whether you've supported children with additional needs or worked in a primary school setting, your skills, patience, and positive approach matter.

About the role

As a Level 3 Teaching Assistant, you'll work closely with teachers and the SENCO to support pupils with a range of learning and additional needs. You'll help children access the curriculum, develop independence and feel confident in their learning. You'll provide one-to-one and small-group support, assist with classroom activities and deliver targeted interventions. You'll also help promote positive behaviour and create a safe, welcoming environment where every child feels valued and supported. The role may also involve covering lessons for short periods in emergency situations. Does this sound like something you'd enjoy?

Key responsibilities

• Support pupils' learning through one-to-one and small-group activities.
• Work alongside teachers and the SENCO to support children with additional learning needs.
• Assist with lesson planning, preparation and delivery.
• Deliver targeted interventions to help pupils develop their skills and confidence.
• Encourage positive behaviour and support pupils' social and emotional development.
• Help create a safe, inclusive and engaging classroom environment.
• Work flexibly across the school, from EYFS through to Year 6.
• Provide short-term classroom cover in emergency situations when required.
• We are looking for someone who
• We're looking for someone who is patient, empathetic and genuinely passionate about helping children achieve their potential.
• Can you build positive relationships with pupils, parents and colleagues? Are you confident supporting children with different learning needs while remaining calm and positive under pressure?
• We'd love to hear from you if you're proactive, organised and ready to make a difference in our school community.
• Skills and experience we're looking for include:
• A Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification or equivalent.
• Experience working within a primary school setting.
• A strong understanding of how children learn, particularly those with additional needs.
• Confidence supporting pupils one-to-one and in small groups.
• Clear communication skills when working with children, teachers and parents.
• Patience, empathy and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• A flexible and proactive approach, with a willingness to work across EYFS to Year 6.
• The ability to use initiative and work effectively as part of a team.
• A commitment to inclusion and ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for this position.

About the school

At Lift Cottingley, we are proud to be a vibrant, ambitious school community with a strong sense of purpose and belonging. We combine high expectations for academic achievement with a deep commitment to inclusion, creativity and play. Our children benefit from a unique and evolving site, including large outdoor spaces, an OPAL play programme, a developing forest area and a growing range of specialist provisions to ensure every child thrives. We are incredibly proud of our successes, from exceptional outcomes in reading, writing and maths to our national recognition for oracy, inclusion and sustainability. We are an excellent school, with a culture built on collaboration, professional growth and innovation. Staff here know they will be supported, developed and trusted, with regular coaching, dedicated time to focus on what matters and the chance to shape whole-school initiatives. Our values - big-hearted, unusually brave, pushing the limits and discovering what's possible - are lived daily by children and adults alike. If you want to join a forward-thinking team where your contribution makes a visible difference, and be part of a community that is ambitious for every child, then Lift Cottingley is the place to grow your career. Who is Lift Schools? Lift Schools is made up of 62 primary, secondary and special schools, educating more than 35,000 pupils across the country. We believe education can transform lives - and we want every child in our schools to achieve their full potential. How we support you We want you to feel supported, valued and able to grow throughout your career with Lift Schools. From high-quality professional development and career progression to wellbeing support and opportunities to connect and collaborate across our network, we invest in you so you can do your best work. Interested in joining us? We warmly welcome visits to our school. This is a full-time position (37 hours per week), starting as soon as possible, on a fixed-term contract until 31 August 2027.