Ancillary Assistant – Potentially Multiple Roles Available!
We are seeking a caring, reliable and enthusiastic Ancillary Assistant to join our dedicated team at a specialist school supporting children and young people with a range of additional needs, including learning disabilities, autism and complex communication needs.
There are potentially multiple roles available, depending on the needs of the school and our pupils.
This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of our pupils. You will play an important role in creating a safe, supportive and inclusive environment where every child and young person is encouraged to thrive, develop their independence and reach their full potential.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support pupils during classroom activities, breaks, transitions and other aspects of the school day.
- Assist with personal care needs, where required, ensuring this is always provided in a respectful and dignified manner.
- Help prepare and organise learning materials, equipment and classroom resources.
- Support teaching and support staff in maintaining a safe, clean and welcoming learning environment.
- Supervise pupils during lunchtime, playtimes and off-site activities.
- Encourage positive behaviour, communication and social interaction.
- Provide reassurance and support to pupils, helping them feel safe, valued and included.
- Work closely with teachers, therapists and other support staff to meet the individual needs of pupils.
- Follow school policies and safeguarding procedures at all times.
The Ideal Candidate:
We are looking for someone who is caring, patient and committed, with a genuine desire to support children and young people with additional needs. Previous experience of working within a school or specialist setting would be beneficial, but a positive attitude, willingness to learn and the ability to work as part of a team are equally important.
St Andrew’s is a day special school for pupils with severe learning difficulties and ASD aged 11 -19 years. Our Special settings cater for children and young people with a wide range of Special Educational Needs from children with profound medical needs and life limiting conditions, those with severe, moderate and sensory needs through to young people with social emotional and mental health needs that require support and understanding to help them to navigate their world.
Please note, St Andrew’s Academy is a school that is based over two sites. During your employment at our school, you may be asked to work at either site, but any moves would be discussed with yourself prior.
Our main site is based at St Andrew’s View, Breadsall Hilltop, Derby, DE21 4EW and most students on site are in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 with a small number of students who are aged 16-19.
Our FE (Further Education) Campus is based at 66 Whitaker Road, Derby, DE23 6AR. All students here are aged 16-19 and this site is based close to the city centre.
All candidates are required to provide a supporting statement on the formal application forms which states clearly your reasons for applying, skills and experience for this position.
At
Shaw Education Trust, we believe every role has the power to transform a life.
Whether you’re supporting behind the scenes, inspiring in the classroom, or
leading with vision, you will be part of something truly meaningful.
Our
values—opportunity, integrity, community, and equity—guide everything we
do. Our vision is “Opening doors to the world through the power of
learning.” We bring this to life through our mission: working
together to inspire communities where every school is valued, every voice
matters, and every learner thrives.
We
are a dynamic and growing family of primary, secondary, and special schools,
proudly serving communities from Birmingham to Bury.
Our
people are our greatest asset, and we are deeply committed to their development
through high-quality training, apprenticeships, talent development programmes,
and research opportunities, we empower our staff to thrive as skilled,
confident professionals. We champion wellbeing, value every voice, and foster a
culture where you feel supported, motivated, and inspired to make a real
difference.
You
will join a collaborative network of schools where shared expertise and a
strong professional community drive success. Every academy within our Trust has
an equal voice, and every colleague plays a vital role in shaping tailored
learning experiences that raise aspirations and build brighter futures.
If
you have the passion, dedication, and drive to help shape lives and create
futures filled with promise, we would love you to join our team.
Together,
let’s make the remarkable happen.
We
believe every child has the potential to be extraordinary.
Make
a life-changing difference in one of our special schools
Our
special schools are inspiring, welcoming and truly life-changing places to
work. Every day, our dedicated teams help children and young people with a wide
range of special educational needs and disabilities to discover their
strengths, achieve their ambitions and live happy, fulfilling lives.
Our
pupils include children and young people with profound and multiple learning
disabilities, complex medical needs, sensory impairments, moderate and severe
learning difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Every
pupil is unique, and every achievement and milestone is recognised and
celebrated.
Join
us and help transform lives, including your own.
Shaw
Education Trust offer the following employee benefits with your Teaching or
Support Staff employment:
- An
excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (Support Staff) / Teachers
Pension (Teaching Staff)
- Support Staff only based on
working full time, all year - Generous holiday entitlement from your first
day of employment (37 days holiday rising to 39 days after 5 years’
service including Bank Holidays)
- Access
to Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan: Enjoy health services designed to
support your well-being.
- Free
DiscountForTeachers Scheme for all staff (Support and Teaching), Exclusive
discounts to save money with a wide selection of discounts and exclusive offers
from hundreds of the biggest brands.
- Free
Eye Tests
- Cycle
to work scheme
- Access to our Institute of
Education and fantastic opportunities to help you grow, contribute and
flourish in your role and in the Trust.
We know our people are the key to our success and so we’re
committed to ensuring the employment experience at Shaw Education Trust is a
rewarding one.
Colleagues
within the Trust benefit from: Access to a full range of courses both
in-house and professionally accredited. These courses include a variety of the
National Professional Qualifications and the Early Carer Teacher Programme
delivered by Shaw Education Trust as a delivery partner for Ambition
Institute.
- Experienced
leadership and subject-specific support.
- Guidance
from former HMIs and serving Ofsted Inspectors within the Trust.
- Access
to the Trust’s Institute of Education and SCITT.
- Opportunities
to work with different schools within the Trust as a Professional
Advocate.
- Participating
in peer reviews.
- Access
to a suite of online courses.
- Placement
projects within our family of schools.
Actual Salary: £11,882 - £12,068
Working Hours: 20 hours per week – Term Time only 38 weeks plus 5 Inset days (39 weeks)
St Andrews Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment, click here to review Safeguarding and Pupil Protection Policy https://www.shaw-education.org.uk/our-trust/key-information
This position is subject to robust vetting procedures, including an online search for all shortlisted candidates, successful candidates will be subject to a fully Enhanced DBS check along with other relevant employment checks. You will be asked to disclose all relevant unspent and, where applicable, unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions, and convictions.
As part of our safer recruitment and pre-employment checking process, all shortlisted candidates are required to provide original documentation to verify their identity, qualifications and RTW in the UK. Shaw Education Trust requires all applicants to be eligible to work in the UK with no restrictions as we are unable to offer sponsorship/work visas.
This role involves working with children and young people and therefore carries specific safeguarding responsibilities, details of these responsibilities are set out in the JD. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the successful applicant will be required to disclose relevant criminal history information in accordance with current legislation and guidance.
Check if you need to tell someone about your criminal record: https://www.gov.uk/tell-employer-or-college-about-criminal-record/what-information-you-need-to-give
SET is an Equal Opportunities employer, we are fully committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection processes promote EDI at every stage.
In accordance with our safer recruitment policy CVs alone will not be accepted.
We reserve the right to appoint before the closing date as we review applications on an on-going basis and interviews may be arranged as suitable candidates are identified.