Teaching Assistant

JOB TITLE:

Teaching Assistant AAAE5052

Part Time Position: Flexible between 25 and 35 hours per week – 39 weeks per year. (Job share considered)

This post will be supporting students in mainstream education.

This is a fixed term position for twelve months in the first instance, with the possibility of being extended / made permanent.

Grade 5 - £25,183 - £27,269 pro rata per annum depending on hours- This is the full time equivalent.

The Governors wish to recruit enthusiastic an adaptable teaching assistant required to work with students with a range of complex needs. The successful candidate will be required to work with students both on a one-to-one basis and in the classroom helping them access the curriculum.

Please refer to the attached job description and people specification.

Closing date: 9am Tuesday 06 May 2025.

St Nicholas Catholic High School is a mixed catholic secondary school and sixth form for pupils aged 11-18. It is located in Northwich, Cheshire, and caters for approximately 1,250 pupils.

The school opened as a secondary modern in 1965, becoming a comprehensive school in 1972. It is a voluntary-aided school.

Values and vision

As a Catholic School, Gospel values permeate all the work undertaken in St Nicholas Catholic High School.  Pupils are encouraged to recognise the importance of education in their own fulfilment as well as for the betterment of society. 

The school aims to nurture students’ faith through liturgical celebration and provides pupils with opportunities to take part in retreats. St Nicholas welcomes the views of parents and considers them to be central to the successful education of their children. 

The school’s Mission Statement summarises what the institution is aiming for: “We aspire to embrace the Gospel and its values, celebrating uniqueness and diversity. Our learning, within an enterprise culture, is based upon trust and respect which define our relationships within the world family. Everyone Matters.”

“St Nicholas Catholic High is an Ofsted rated good school. There has been a rising trend of attainment since the previous inspection and data provided by the school on current performance suggest that this has not only been sustained but, indeed, improved upon. 

“Learning and progress are good for most groups across the school, including for those students with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Students' achievement is therefore outstanding.”

IMPORTANT - THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS ACT

This position requires you to disclose any spent convictions as the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act relating to the non-disclosure of spent convictions do not apply to this job, YOU MUST, THEREFORE, DISCLOSE WHETHER YOU HAVE ANY PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS ON THE BACK PAGE OF THE APPLICATION FORM.

If successful, you will also be required to apply for a Criminal Record Check from the Criminal Records Bureau.  The level of check required for this job is Enhanced Disclosure. Further information is contained in the Further Details document enclosed.

Our school is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  Please refer to the school’s safeguarding policy on the school website here  https://st-nicholas.cheshire.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Child-Protection-Safeguarding-Policy-2022.pdf

As a result, we would like to draw the following safe recruitment checks to your attention:

• All appointments are made subject to:
• An enhanced DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check.
• Checks of professional status where applicable.
• Confirmation of professional qualifications, where applicable.
• Receipt of suitable references (if not received by the time of interview); and
• Medical clearance.
• Online vetting check.
• We only accept applications completed on the Catholic Education Service Application Form with a covering letter. Please do not send CVs or open testimonials.

Please ensure that the application form is completed in full. In particular, you must ensure that a full work history is provided and that any gaps in your employment are fully explained.

• The referees cited in your application form must include your current or most recent employer. If your last employment was in a school, we would expect a reference from the Headteacher and/or Deputy/Assistant Headteacher.
• When seeking references, we will request information about your suitability to work with children.
• If you are shortlisted, an online vetting check of your name will be completed from information publicly available online. This information will be passed to the interviewing panel for consideration and discussion during interview including any anomalies in the application form, where applicable.

How to apply

Thank you for your interest in our job vacancy. If you wish to be considered for this vacancy, please complete the application form attached (C.V’s are not accepted) as fully as possible and explain any gaps in your employment history. We will require names and addresses of two referees, and a concise letter of application, this should include the following:

• A brief outline of what you have achieved in your present post.
• A statement about why you want this job.
• An indication of the strengths and expertise you could offer the school.

We would like to understand more about how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the job description and person specification for the role.

Completed applications should be returned to the Personnel Manager, Mrs Dawn Poole at d.poole@st-nicholas.cheshire.sch.uk to arrive no later than 9AM on Tuesday 06 May 2025

Interviews will be scheduled following the closing date.

Please note we are happy to arrange pre-arranged visits of the school for prospective candidates before short-listing has taken place. Also, if you wish to have an informal discussion about the post in advance of your application, or if you require any further details, please contact Mrs Dawn Poole at d.poole@st-nicholas.cheshire.sch.uk or 01606 706020.