Learning Support Assistant Level 2

ST MARY’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Newcastle upon Tyne

Headteacher: E Patterson. NOR c.1445

Support Assistant Level 2

BB03.  £25583 per annum pro rata (Actual salary £22,646 per annum)

Permanent

37 hours per week, term time plus 11 additional days as confirmed by the school (8.30am-4.30pm Mon, 8.00am-4.00pm Tues -Thurs, Fri 8.00-3.30pm)

This post attracts a Living Wage supplement. In addition to the hourly rate, this post will receive the Living Wage supplement to bring the hourly rate up to a minimum of £12.00 an hour

Required from September 2026

The Governors wish to appoint a passionate, energetic, and motivating Learning Support Assistant to join our existing staff team to support students throughout the school. We welcome applications from those who have experience or those who would be new to the role. Our Learning Support Assistant position presents a fantastic opportunity for candidates who are potentially looking to gain experience to progress into teaching, or for those who aspire to work within the areas of Social and Emotional Mental Health or SEND. There could also be opportunities for the successful candidate to be linked to subject areas of their interest. The development of our staff and students is of paramount importance to us and as such there will be further opportunities for the successful candidate. This would be an ideal position for someone looking to develop valuable skills towards a possible teaching career or other profession linked to education in the future.

As part of this role, you would support vulnerable learners in lessons across all school subject areas and would be involved in intervention and support these students. The successful applicant will be hard working, flexible, and have excellent communication skills. It is essential that any applicant enjoys working with and supporting young people, as this is an essential part of the role. Full training and unstinting support will be available, to allow the successful candidate to flourish in the post. English to GCSE or equivalent is required.

St Mary’s is a very popular and happy school, rated Outstanding by the Diocese and Ofsted. We became an academy in 2013 and enjoy outstanding facilities in a new building, which opened in 2011. We joined the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust in June 2020. We are also very popular with parents and are one of the most over-subscribed schools in the North-East. The roll has grown from around 1100 five years ago to over 1440 by September 2024, with 5 main school year groups of around 235 and a Sixth Form of approximately 270 students. We expect the Sixth Form to continue to grow in the next couple of years, as strongly academic year groups continue to move into Sixth Form. This is a wonderful opportunity to join a highly successful and forward-thinking school.

As an Outstanding school, St Mary’s plays a leading role within the Trust and more widely, leading significant school improvement, training and leadership development across other schools, as well as sharing good practice in academic achievement and teaching and learning across many other schools in the north-east. We also play a leading role in teacher training across the region. Many opportunities for professional development and further training would be available.

Please complete the application in full including the ‘Supporting Statement’ section which should be around 1 side of A4 in length. Please address the supporting statement to me, outlining the qualifications, experience, skills and attributes, which you will bring to the post. 

Could I ask all applicants to include in the qualifications section of the form, details of their degree class and division, as well as A Level grades.

Interviews will be held shortly after the deadline. If you would like to discuss this post further, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Danielle Largue, Deputy Headteacher.

The school is fully committed to safeguarding and the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check and an online search for shortlisted candidates, as part of our due diligence.