Leigh Academy Tonbridge has an exciting opportunity to appoint an enthusiastic and reliable Teaching Assistant (Apprentice) to join their dedicated team. If you are seeking to join a highly successful academy and wish to provide high quality teaching support to our students, this is the perfect role for you Our successful candidate will provide support for pupils who have a range of specific needs; an opportunity to make a real difference to their development. Applicants should be adaptable, personable and committed to providing an excellent service on behalf of the school and wider Trust, and above all else our appointed candidate will have a positive work ethic and can-do attitude. The main aim of this role is to support our teachers to deliver academic excellence, day in, day out, with professionalism and enthusiasm. This will involve providing a comprehensive support service to the Academy including: Assisting students with their educational and social development, on an individual and group basis Providing support for individual students inside and outside the classroom to enable them to fully participate in activities Assisting teachers with the maintenance of student records Building and maintaining successful relationships with students, whilst treating them with respect and consideration Provide expertise to deliver a personalised curriculum for each pupil s learning Work together with families and other agencies to ensure every pupil is valued, challenged and supported Have the highest expectation that every pupil will make sustained academic and personal progress The basis of the role is fixed term for the duration of the apprenticeship, 32.5 hours per week, Term Time 1 week. Our successful candidates will work towards a nationally-recognised Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification, delivered by LAT Apprenticeships. Click here to read more about LAT Apprenticeships. Apprenticeship Summary Annual wage: Actual salary 10,369 per annum ( 13,725 full time equivalent) Working weeks: Monday - Friday, Term Time 1 week inset Total hours per week: 32.5 (including the 20% training element of the Apprenticeship) - start and finish times to be agreed Apprenticeship duration: 12-18 months approx. Anticipated start date: November 2024 Apprenticeship level: Advanced Level Apprenticeship (Level 3) Apprenticeship standard: Teaching Assistant Essential entry qualifications: GCSEs A - C, Maths and English (desirable) Future prospects: This apprenticeship could be the start of a very promising career within the wider business. We endeavour to offer further employment following successful performance and completion of the Level 3 course with future opportunities to extend your training with a higher level apprenticeship programme. We offer in-house Continuing Professional Development and you ll be part of a highly experienced and efficient team you ll be learning from the very best Behaviour and attitudes are exceptional Ofsted, 2022. Staff are proud to work at the school. There is a strong culture of collaboration and sharing. The school s small size means that all pupils are known, valued and nurtured. 'Senior Leaders have a passionate and ambitious vision about providing high-quality education for all pupils at the schoolsenior leaders are relentless about raising standards and maintaining high expectations by keeping a high profile around the school. Joining us at Leigh Academy Tonbridge: Building on the strengths of our legacy school, Hayesbrook Academy, Leigh Academy Tonbridge will open our doors to the first cohort of year 7 students, including boys and girls, for September 2023. Hayesbrook Academy first opened in 1964. Having always been an all-boys school, our history before then is closely linked to the old Sussex Road Boys School, where records go back to the early 1900 s, and so we have a strong tradition of education provision in Tonbridge. The modern day academy has always been an 11-18 comprehensive school with a mixed sixth form, serving the local community. Since being the first school in West Kent to gain Academy Status in 2010, the academy led the way in achieving excellent standards and in creating a multi-academy Trust. We were graded Excellent by Ofsted in 2005, 2008 and 2009. The academic success and high standards have continued and inspections in 2013, 2017 and most recently in December 2022, found the school to be good overall but recognised students behaviour and attitudes as exceptional (graded as outstanding ). Furthermore, the inspection recognised strengths in reading and literacy; careers provision; teachers subject knowledge; the support provided by the trust and the governing body; as well as identifying the meticulous arrangements for safeguarding. The report also recognised Senior leaders are relentless about raising standards and maintaining high expectations Our press release and the full Ofsted report can be accessed here. The Academy grows, adapts and thrives with each new cohort of students that are welcomed here every September and our recent move to Leigh Academies Trust has strengthened the academy s ability to deliver the very best for our pupils. Being part of Leigh Academies Trust: As of 1st September 2024, our Trust comprises 33 geographically organised academies (17 secondaries, 14 primaries and 2 special) educating more than 24,000 students and employing 4,000 talented staff. Currently, 14 of our academies are considered to be Outstanding which is nearly 50% of those which have been inspected whilst part of the Trust. The Trust is establishing three clusters of academies: LAT Central; LAT West; LAT North. In addition, the Trust is responsible for one of the region s biggest initial teaching training organisations, a large teaching school hub and is an accredited apprenticeship provider. Our future plans are found in our Vision 2030 document available on our website. As part of Leigh Academies Trust, you will have ample opportunity to collaborate with your peers both within the academy and across the whole Trust. This is an important part of our vision as we know through experience that we perform better when we work together. You are supported to undertake regular self-development to continue your professional development and hopefully progress further within the organisation. Click here to view the benefits available to all LAT employees from day one. Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates - you can read more about this in our Recruitment Guidance. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check. Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a Trust, we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not discriminating on any grounds. Based on the quality and quantity of applications received, Leigh Academies Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy sooner than the specified closing date. Applicants will be notified of this where possible. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.