Teaching Assistant

h This is an exciting opportunity to work in a school where faith is at the heart of all we do. Due to additional funding, we have a vacancy for a level 2 teaching assistant to support an individual pupil in the Key Stage 2 classroom. We are looking for a caring, patient and enthusiastic individual to provide one-to-one support to a primary school-aged child with Autism and demand-avoidant tendencies. The successful candidate will have a calm, flexible and empathetic approach, with the ability to build a trusting relationship and understand that traditional approaches to learning and behaviour may not always be effective. You will support the child to feel safe, confident and engaged, adapting activities and expectations to their individual needs and interests. Experience of working with children with Autism, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) or similar neurodivergent profiles would be desirable, although the most important qualities are patience, creativity, consistency and a genuine understanding of child-led, low-demand approaches. The role will involve supporting the child with learning, social development, emotional regulation and everyday activities, while encouraging independence and celebrating their strengths and achievements. A positive, respectful approach and the ability to think creatively and respond calmly to changing situations are essential. The successful candidate will be able to work effectively within a team to ensure there are high quality and effective learning opportunities for all children, and you should have a passion for working with pupils with a variety of needs and for the inclusion agenda. You need to be confident to support small groups of pupils, and be a motivational communicator for children of all abilities, ensuring that learning is engaging and inclusive; you will need to be flexible and able to adapt quickly to change. Ideally you should have some experience as a teaching assistant in a primary school, and have the ability to build relationships and work positively with children, colleagues and parents. You need to share our vision for inclusion and for inspiring children to aim high and succeed. In addition, you need to be able to support the Catholic ethos of the school.