Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)

Overview

Job Title: Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA). High Close is a successful special school catering for pupils with a complex range of needs including ASD, SEMH and ADHD. We are seeking to appoint enthusiastic and suitably qualified individuals to provide support to the growing number of young people in our thriving School. This role offers the successful candidate the opportunity to become part of a highly skilled team and to work with a range of other professionals. Subject specialisms welcome in English, Science, Art and Maths but not essential.

We are looking for people who are able to use initiative and work independently, be firm but fair and build strong relationships with children who have a complex range of special needs. A bright and resilient personality and a resourceful approach to working with difficult young people are essential. Candidates need a calm disposition, willingness to listen and the ability to be assertive when the situation demands it. In this post, we are looking for enthusiasm, high expectations of learning and behaviour and a belief in the capacity of every child to achieve.

So, are you:

• Creative in the ways you engage with young people?
• Calm and patient at all times?
• Able to build positive relationships at all levels?
• Wanting to make a difference to the lives of young people?

If so you could be the person we are looking for!

This is an exciting opportunity to join the staff team at High Close School in Wokingham, Berkshire.

If you are considerate, a great team player, enthusiastic, flexible, caring and a great communicator then what are you waiting for? Apply now!

When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification and Job Description. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described.

We may interview before the closing date.

Safeguarding, Recruitment and Equality

Barnardo\’s Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Our safer recruitment processes mean that the safety and welfare of the child is paramount at every stage of the process and therefore we adopt rigorous scrutiny in our pre-employment checking. Applicants must be willing to undergo relevant pre-employment checks, including references being taken up prior to interview and for the successful candidate, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, in line with the Keeping Children Safe in Education Statutory Guidance.

As part of your application, you will need to provide full details of your employment since leaving secondary education, starting with your current or most recent employment first and then by working backwards, including reasons for leaving. Please also include any periods of voluntary work and/or training, providing reasons for any periods not in employment, education or training.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

About Barnardo\’s

At Barnardo\’s we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Barnardo\’s is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is reflected in our values and our practice, and we have invested in this area of our work to ensure that we can deliver on our commitments to be an inclusive employer. EDI is a key enabler of our purpose as a charity and we want to ensure that the diversity of our teams is reflective of the communities we serve and that we continue to learn and develop our work with a focus on inclusion. We particularly encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic Communities, candidates who are LGBT+ and Disabled candidates.

Job Details

• Reference number: 21503
• Location: High Close School
• Contract type: Permanent
• Hours: 32.5
• Salary: £23,239 plus £1,264.06 Learning Support Allowance Term Time only over 39 weeks (Actual £19,713.82 plus £1,072.31)
• Closing Date: 25 September 2025
• Interview Date: To be confirmed

Benefits

• Discounts at 100\\\’s of retailers
• Employee suggestion scheme
• Company pension
• Employee Assistance Programme

Find out more about our safeguarding commitments and our applicant information sheets in the sections above. Please read about our basis and values following the link below as part of the recruitment process.

How to Apply

Apply by submitting your application referencing your skills, knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification and Job Description.