SEN Teaching Assistant

Inspire and transform learning with us at Harris Primary Academy Mayflower. We are currently looking to appoint a Learning Support Assistant to support children with SEND.

This role is offered on a fixed-term contract to August 2026.

Harris Primary Academy Mayflower is a successful academy that was judged outstanding in every category in our May 2017 Ofsted inspection.

We are a 5 form entry primary school, opening with a Reception cohort and are growing by a year group at a time with currently 1066 pupils on roll from Nursery to Year 6. This will make our academy, which was funded under the free school programme with backing from Thurrock council, the Department for Education and the Harris Federation which sponsors the free school, the biggest primary free school in the country.

We are a sister school to Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred and Harris Academy Chafford Hundred, along with the other Academies in the Harris Federation. We work very closely together and share the very best practice and leadership knowledge and capacity to make the education we offer outstanding. Our shared belief is that children thrive when they feel consistently happy and safe at school and our commitment to excellence is encapsulated in our vision statement: "Excellence, Every child, Every day."

Our Core values of : Manners, Perseverance, Responsibility, Community and Achievement, underpin everything that happens at Harris Primary Academy Mayflower. They are our foundations and we have a clear expectation that all adults as well as children and staff model and respect these values both inside and outside the academy. These foundations have enabled us to build high quality, inspiring education for our children since the academy opened. This is reflected in both the exceptional day to day practice here as well as the outstanding outcomes our children have achieved in each year.

As Teaching Assistant Assistant, your responsibilities will include:

• Attending to children's personal needs and implementing related personal programmes, including social, health, physical hygiene and welfare matters
• Working with the class teacher and Inclusion Manager to support the implementation of person centred planning and targets for SEND children
• Liaising with appropriate external SEND or health professionals to ensure that advice on provision for individual SEND children is effectively implemented
• Supervising and support SEND children ensuring their safety and access to learning
• Establishing good relationships with all children, acting as a role model and being aware of and responding appropriately to individual needs
• Promoting the inclusion and acceptance of all children

As part of making reasonable adjustments, it will sometimes be necessary to direct LSAs to support children's intimate care needs in line with the academy Intimate Care Policy and to maintain their health, safety and personal dignity.

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Qualifications to GCSE Level standard or equivalent
• Knowledge and understanding of pupils with social and emotional difficulties that may impact upon their behaviour
• Ability to communicate effectively and clearly both verbally and in writing
• Knowledge of Microsoft software
• Some knowledge of some of the social issues facing students from disadvantaged backgrounds

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.