Teaching Assistant

EYFS Teaching Assistant - Help Build Bright Beginnings at Ferndale Are you passionate about early years, excited by how young children learn and ready to make a lasting difference? At Ferndale Primary and Nursery School, we believe that every child deserves to feel included, experience success and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to flourish. We are looking for a warm, enthusiastic and skilled EYFS Teaching Assistant who shares that belief and wants to help our youngest children get the best possible start. You will become a trusted and valued member of our Early Years team, working closely with teachers and colleagues to create an environment where children feel safe, develop independence and grow as confident learners. Your support will make a real difference to their learning, wellbeing and progress. Small moments can make a lasting difference. You might be bringing a story to life, helping a child find the words to express an idea, exploring number through play or encouraging someone to persevere with a new challenge. You could be supporting early phonics, developing children’s confidence in mark-making, helping them navigate friendships or celebrating the moment they achieve something independently for the first time. Throughout the day, your interactions will matter. We are looking for someone who understands that supporting young children means knowing when to model, when to question, when to encourage and when to give them time to try for themselves. Building strong foundations will be at the heart of your work. Communication and language will be a particular priority. You will make the most of everyday opportunities to develop vocabulary, extend conversations and help children listen, understand and express themselves. Alongside this, you will support early reading, writing and mathematics, physical development, social skills and emotional regulation. Working under the guidance of the class teacher, you will support learning through play, everyday routines and focused activities with individuals and small groups. You will notice what children can do, share useful observations and help colleagues identify the next steps in their learning. You will combine kindness and patience with clear, consistent expectations. You will help children build positive relationships, manage feelings and become increasingly independent, adapting your support so that children with different starting points and needs can participate and succeed. You will also be willing to support personal care sensitively, protecting children’s dignity and encouraging independence. We value the expertise of our teaching assistants and want to help it grow. At Ferndale, we can offer: Continuing professional development to strengthen your knowledge and skills in early years. Support and guidance from teachers, fellow teaching assistants and school leaders. The opportunity to contribute ideas and help shape engaging learning experiences. A role where you can see the difference your support makes every day. A valued place within a team committed to helping every child belong and flourish. As part of The Blue Kite Multi Academy Trust, Ferndale combines a strong school identity with a wider commitment to collaboration and professional learning. We are a school that is developing and moving forward, with a clear focus on strengthening our early years provision. This appointment will play an important part in that work. We are looking for someone who is observant, adaptable and proactive; someone who takes initiative, works well with others and is keen to keep learning. You will build positive relationships with families and understand that safeguarding and children’s wellbeing are central to everything we do. Above all, you will see the potential in every child and understand that the foundations we build now can shape their learning for years to come. If you bring warmth, energy, curiosity and a determination to help young children succeed, we would love to hear from you. Come and join Ferndale. Grow with our team and help our youngest children flourish. For further details about the role please contact us using the details below. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. We are part of the Blue Kite Academy Trust, a growing family of primary schools based in Swindon and Wiltshire, who offer excellent CPD and career opportunities, a competitive salary with scope for progression, a commitment to nationally agreed pay and terms, an excellent pension scheme and free staff health and well-being support.