Role: Teaching Assistant – Maternity Cover
Location: Bedford College – Cauldwell Street Campus
Salary/Benefits: Salary from £23,557 per annum (Pro-Rata) DOE and Qualifications, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.
Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week, 37 weeks per year
Contract Type: Fixed Term – Term Time – Maternity Cover from 1 September 2025 to 3 July 2026
About the role:
We are currently seeking a Teaching Assistant to join our Additional Support department at The Bedford College Group .
This role is within the Additional Learning Support team that provides support for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities undertaking courses across the college from level on to level three.
It is a vibrant team that works across all areas of the college to provide support to students in line with their individual support needs.
No two days are the same! One day you may be notetaking within a level three lesson, the next providing prompts and reassurance to a student within a practical.
The role provides variety and the opportunity to meet and work with a fantastic team who place students at the heart of all that they do. If you are interested in supporting students to gain the most from their college experience and wish to contribute to their development as individuals, we would love to hear from you!
This role is 37 hours per week over 37 weeks per year.
As a Teaching Assistant, you play an important role in the success of our students through:
1. Student Support - Provide support to students with SEND; Implement strategies from individual support plans; Promote student independence; Prepare and update learning resources.
2. Main Duties - Support students on courses; Monitor progress against EHCP outcomes; Maintain records and contribute to reports; Mentor new staff; Participate in college marketing events.
3. Collaboration - Work under direction of Team Leader and class teacher; Attend regular meetings; Collaborate with EHCP coordinator; Support success of students with SEND.
4. Statutory Duties - Promote and safeguard welfare; Promote equality and diversity; Follow health and safety requirements; Participate in training and development.
5. Additional Responsibilities - Undertake other duties as assigned; Ensure compliance with college policies and procedures.
About you:
6. Education - Educated to Level 2 in Maths and English; relevant L3 qualification or willingness to work towards.
7. Experience - Working knowledge and support experience in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities; proficient in Microsoft Office software.
8. Skills - Ability to contribute to a high-quality learning environment, demonstrate high performance, and communicate effectively.
9. Initiative - Ability to work independently, maintain accurate records, and promote the College's reputation.
10. Attitude - Willingness to work on all sites, positive and adaptable attitude, and responsibility for safeguarding children and young persons.
For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.
Interviews to be held: 10 June 2025
Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:
11. Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
12. Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
13. Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
14. Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
15. Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
16. Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.
About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.
Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.
Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.
Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.