Job Title: Teaching Assistant
Job Location: The Grange School, Thatcham (RG19)
Salary: Between £22,579.20 and £23,528.96 per annum, based on working 40 hours per week, term time only (39.2 weeks per year)
Contract Type: Permanent
Being a Teaching Assistant is an incredibly rewarding role where you’ll play a pivotal part in shaping the educational journey of children and young people aged 7–16. Our pupils may face additional challenges related to communication and interaction, cognition, and learning, sensory and/or physical needs and your role is to help them access an education that is truly meaningful and tailored to their unique strengths, goals, and aspirations. Every child deserves the chance to thrive, and with your support, they can.
Learning with us goes far beyond the traditional classroom setting. Education can happen anywhere whether it’s outside exploring nature or in the kitchen whipping up something extraordinary. Imagine helping pupils create a volcano cake. It’s not just fun; it’s an opportunity to combine subjects in a way that’s engaging and practical. English comes alive as they follow the recipe, maths takes shape as they measure ingredients, and science sparks curiosity as they figure out how to make the lava bubble and flow. With this creative approach, learning becomes an adventure, and you’ll have the opportunity to think flexibly about how best to support every pupil.
Our curriculum is designed with each pupil in mind, focusing on their individual needs, strengths, and aspirations. Success isn’t just measured by formal qualifications although some pupils will work towards them. For others, success may mean developing confidence, improving social skills, or mastering life skills that will support their transition into adulthood. Your work will make a genuine difference, helping each pupil grow in ways that matter most to them.
With no more than 5 pupils in each class, you’ll have the chance to build strong, meaningful relationships and truly understand the pupils you support. You’ll work closely with teachers to create an environment where every pupil feels seen, valued, and encouraged. You won’t be doing this alone. You’ll have access to thorough training and ongoing support to ensure you feel confident and well-equipped to help every pupil have the best possible experience.
You’re not just part of a classroom, you’re a vital part of a pupil’s journey. You’re helping them overcome barriers, discover their potential, and gain the skills they need to thrive both in school and in life. If you’re ready to make a real difference, this could be the perfect role for you.
A day in the life of a Teaching Assistant will involve:
- Assisting teaching colleagues in all classroom activities including planning, teaching and assessing learning. Some classes may focus on more traditional subjects like maths or English, whilst others will focus on life skills, such as communication and expressing emotions.
- Working closely with pupils keeping them engaged, motivated, and inspired to reach their full potential.
- Working either 1:1 with pupils, or in small group settings to help them achieve their learning goals.
To be a successful Teaching Assistant, you’ll need:
- Patience, compassion, and resilience – All of the pupils you’ll support will be neurodiverse, which may impact their learning behaviour and communication needs.
- Great communication skills – Both verbal and written communication is important in this role as you’ll be speaking to a lot of different people at different times. You’ll also need to be able to update the pupils’ plans and help create learning material.
- A driving licence – Our pupils love to go on trips and to do activities. We need you to be able to drive them to where they need to go. We have the cars; you just need the licence.
- A genuine interest in a career focused on the education of people with a wide range of needs.
In return for your time, you’ll get:
- Holidays – You’ll only work term time, but you’ll get paid 5.6 weeks annual leave as well!
- Pension scheme– Our pension scheme is based on you paying in 5%, and us adding 3%.
- Learning & Development Opportunities – We provide comprehensive learning opportunities for team members to develop themselves.
- Discounts – You’ll have access to brilliant discounts through the Blue Light Card and our own employee benefits platform.
- Wellbeing Support – Your wellbeing is always our priority. You’ll have access to mental health and wellbeing support. On top of this, our therapies team offer a monthly confidential check in clinic, and group reflective practice sessions.
- Cycle2Work -The cycle to work scheme enables you to buy a bicycle at a discounted rate.
- DBS – As this role requires you to have an enhanced DBS carried out, we will cover this cost.
- After 12 months service - You’ll be eligible for our Medicash scheme which covers a wide range of medical, health and wellbeing expenses (Including immediate access to a GP!). You’ll get life assurance paid at 2 x your annual salary, and even more high street discounts.
As part of our commitment to safer recruitment, successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS, online and social media checks, and reference validation. Due to the nature of our work, we are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974), so we may ask you to disclose any spent or unspent criminal convictions during recruitment. This disclosure does not automatically disqualify you, and we encourage transparency at the application stage.
At Phoenix Learning and Care, we are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive environment where all team members feel safe to be themselves without risk of discrimination. We believe that a diverse workforce strengthens our organisation, and we strive to ensure everyone can contribute authentically and openly.