Job Description

If you would like to apply for this post you must complete the school's application form and email it to the school using the email details below. CVs sent via Indeed alone will not be accepted.

We are looking for a Level 2 Teaching Assistant for our school. The working hours are 34 hours per week, working Monday to Friday, from 8.15am to between 3.15pm and 4.45pm, 38 weeks per year, term time only, plus 1 training day each September.

The salary quoted will be pro-rata'd to reflect these hours plus holiday pay.

The successful candidate will ideally have experience of working with children, however, fully training will be given. They will be able to work effectively as a member of the team, have excellent interpersonal skills and consistently support the school values and approaches to a high standard.

About us

Located on the Eastern district of Northampton, Blackthorn is a one-form entry primary school with a nursery and special unit provision. Our school is driven by a passion to provide educational excellence for the children in our community.

We have been award 'Good' from Ofsted inspection in September 2022.

The children at Blackthorn are polite, respectful and keen to learn. Our team of dedicated staff believe that children achieve their best in a safe, secure and happy school community and we work hard to make sure this is the case for our learners every day. We strongly believe that good relationships between people in our school community are essential in securing success for your child, as such, an effective partnership between home and school will benefit your child's learning. We are proud to be a member of Northampton Primary Academy Trust (NPAT) with whom we work closely to provide opportunities for our children to broaden and enrich their time at primary school through the arts, sport and wider curriculum.

The ideal candidate will embody the NPAT values and will:

Be passionate about supporting children to achieve their best in everything that they do. Be committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. Establish positive and supportive relationships with children. Be patient, calm and resilient with a positive attitude and a sense of humour.
Our work environment includes:

Modern office setting Flexible working hours On-the-job training Safe work environment Nursery provision from 3 years old, term time only

Areas of Responsibility and Key Tasks

Safeguarding

Promote a culture where safeguarding is the highest priority and safeguarding processes effectively support the needs of children Work in line with statutory safeguarding guidance (e.g. Keeping Children Safe in Education, Prevent) and our safeguarding and child protection policies Be committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children. Work to promote the best interests of pupils, including reporting all concerns.

Health & Safety

Maintain good order and discipline among pupils, managing behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment Support in implementation of policy Take responsibility for personal health and safety and the welfare of others Comply with relevant policies and health and safety legislation Safeguard the health and well-being of children including administration of first aid

General Duties

Support to ensure the school environment, including each classroom environment, reflects and supports high quality learning Support to create a culture and ethos of challenge and support where all children can achieve success, have an appropriate layer of challenge, and become engaged in their own learning Ensure that all children contribute towards building and maintaining a positive learning and working environment for all Devise and implement activities to secure effective levels of pupil attainment and development Provide targeted support to children with additional learning needs in conjunction with teachers, parents/carers and other relevant stakeholders Support teachers in managing and monitoring pupil behaviour Supervise children as directed Assist in the assessment and recording of pupil achievements and progress Contribute to planning meetings with colleagues Support colleagues with routine administrative tasks Demonstrate commitment to equal opportunities in meeting children's needs

Relationships

Promote the highest standards of courtesy and mutual respect amongst all members of the school community; Encourage and model initiative, teamwork and working in partnership. Build and sustain positive working relationships; Establish constructive and professional working relationships with all. Communicate effectively with colleagues, pupils, parents, other professionals, governors and the wider trust.

Professional Development

Take part in the school's appraisal process Take part in further training and development in order to improve own practice in the role, including statutory requirements Maintain appropriate levels of professional development in accordance with the requirements of the role

Other

Demonstrate and develop the school's values in everyday work and practice; ensuring all staff maintain high expectations for all and a positive high regard for the school community Uphold public trust and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school/the trust Have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school/trust, and maintain high standards of attendance and punctuality To contribute and adhere to the wider organisation and operations of NPAT The postholder must adhere to all NPAT and School policies and procedures Demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities Make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school/trust Work with others to secure co-ordinated outcomes Provide cover, in the unforeseen circumstance
This job description is a broad overview of the post. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, this is not a contractual document, and the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job.

Working weeks match the school term calendar, with one additional day on the first training day of the year.

It may be necessary occasionally to work additional hours outside those stipulated in the contract. When this is required, additional hours or TOIL will be agreed with your line manager prior to the additional hours been worked.

The post holder will be required to follow the trust/school policies and abide by the code of conduct.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff to share this commitment and undergo appropriate checks, therefore, all posts within the Trust are subject to an enhanced DBS with Barred List check.

We are committed to the NPAT Values and all senior leaders are always expected to uphold the 7 principles of public life (the Nolan Principles).

NPAT believes that equality for all is a basic human right. We actively encourage applications from all, irrespective of gender, marital status, disability, race, age or sexual orientation. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your in the application process or to enable you to do the job to the best of your ability, please be sure to highlight this to us.

Level 2 Teaching Assistant - Person Specification

Qualifications & Experience

Good basic education to GCSE level in maths and English or equivalent, grade C/4.

Skills, Knowledge & Competencies

Experience of working with primary school aged children through work or volunteering. Ability to support others within the school impacts on standards and achievements. An understanding of safeguarding children. Ability to work in a way that promotes the safety and wellbeing of children and young people Good level of English grammar, spelling, punctuation Ability to establish and develop effective relationships within the school community and a year group team, including Teacher Colleagues, Support Staff, Governors/Trust Directors and Parents. Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally. Prompt at completing tasks, and good at using own initiative. Flexible and approachable, resilient under pressure.

ICT Skills:

Office 365; Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher, MS Teams Ability to learn new ICT systems Understand Data Protection and how to use, maintain and retain data whilst preventing data breaches

Personal Qualities:

A strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and full understanding of your responsibilities for safeguarding. A commitment to treat all members of the trust community, including pupils, parents, colleagues and visitors with dignity and respect always, and not discriminate against or harass. An ability to use and understand discretion and confidentiality. A commitment to always upholding professional standards. A commitment to educational excellence; getting the best outcomes for all pupils, and promoting the ethos and values of the trust/school A commitment to ongoing continued professional development and keeping up to date with legislation, statutory requirements and responsibilities applicable to the role. A positive approach to the role and responsibilities. Demonstration of a growth mind-set Hold a positive attitude to health and safety, the ability to report any potential health and safety risks appropriately and take reasonable care for own health and safety Ability and flexibility to adapt positively to change Willingness to take a full part in the life of the trust/school and be a team player
This job description is a broad overview of the post. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, this is not a contractual document and the post holder will be required to carry out any other duties that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of the job.

Start Date:

As soon as possible

Closing date:

12 noon Monday 23 February 2026

Interviews (provisional date) will be held on week commencing

Wednesday 25 February 2026

Visits to the school - Come and see our amazing school!

As a one-form entry school, you may think we are short on space, however we have a fantastic sporting facility with surprisingly large grounds, including a field and two forest schools.

We strongly encourage you to visit us and see for yourself. If you would like to visit and meet staff and children as part of a tour, please contact the school office on 01604 407254 and we will be happy to accommodate you.

Job Types: Part-time, Temporary

Pay: 24,796.00-25,185.00 per year

Benefits:

Childcare Company pension Free parking On-site parking Sick pay
Education:

GCSE or equivalent (required)
Experience:

of working with children?: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:

First Aid Certification (preferred)
Work Location: In person