Teaching Assistant in Dumfries

Dumfries, United Kingdom | Posted on 02/09/2026

Our mission is to support young people to recover from trauma, live fulfilled lifestyles and engage in lifelong learning to transition on to positive destinations.

Our vision is to be the most trusted therapeutic care and education provider throughout the UK. We trust our staff to help support and nurture our young people to have the best outcomes.

Our difference is that we believe in a holistic approach: that the smallest details can mean a world of difference to a vulnerable young person.

We sweat the small stuff.

Job Description

Job Description – Teaching Assistant

Job Title: TeachingAssistant
Location: Greenleaf School, Dumfries, Scotland
Department: Education
Hours: 40 hours
Salary:£ 27,976 - £30,447

Job Purpose

TheTeaching Assistant will play an important role in supporting the delivery ofhigh-quality, nurturing and individualised education to children and youngpeople attending Greenleaf School.

Our youngpeople may have experienced trauma, disrupted education, care transitions andother barriers to learning. The Teaching Assistant will work alongsideteachers, education colleagues, care teams and other professionals to create asafe, predictable and engaging learning environment where every young person issupported to participate, achieve and progress.

The rolerequires a relationship-based and trauma-informed approach, recognising thatbehaviour is communication and that positive relationships are central tosuccessful learning.

Key Responsibilities

1. Supporting Learning and Teaching

• Supportteachers in the planning and delivery of engaging, differentiated andindividualised learning activities.
  
• Workwith individual young people and small groups under the direction of theteacher.
  
• Supportyoung people to engage with their individual learning programmes andagreed educational outcomes.
  
• Adaptactivities and resources to meet individual learning needs, abilities andcommunication styles.
  
• Encourageindependence, confidence, curiosity and participation in learning.
  
• Supportyoung people to develop literacy, numeracy, digital and wider life skills.
  
• Assistwith practical, vocational, outdoor and community-based learning whereappropriate.
  
• Providefeedback to teaching staff regarding engagement, progress and any barriersto learning.
  
• Contributeto the preparation and organisation of classrooms, learning resources andeducational activities.
  
• Developsafe, consistent and professional relationships with children and youngpeople.
  
• Promotea nurturing environment in which young people feel respected, listenedtoand valued.
  
• Supportyoung people who may experience emotional dysregulation, anxiety,frustration or difficulty engaging with education.
  
• Usetrauma-informed, relational and restorative approaches when responding tobehaviour.
  
• Recogniseindividual triggers, strengths, communication needs and strategiesidentified within young people's plans.
  
• Encourageyoung people to recognise their achievements and develop positiveaspirations for their future.
  
• Supportyoung people to make appropriate choices and increasingly takeresponsibility for their learning.
  

3. Additional Support Needs

• Provideappropriate support to young people with additional support needs inaccordance with individual plans and professional guidance.
  
• Supportcommunication, emotional regulation, sensory needs and learning needswhere required.
  
• Implementagreed strategies consistently across the school day.
  
• Workcollaboratively with teachers, psychology, care staff and otherprofessionals to ensure a coordinated approach.
  
• Contributeobservations and information to reviews of young people's progress andsupport needs.
  

4. Safeguarding and Wellbeing

AllGreenleaf employees have a responsibility to safeguard and promote thewellbeing of children and young people.

TheTeaching Assistant will:

• Remainalert to signs that a child or young person may be experiencing harm,abuse, neglect or exploitation.
  
• FollowGreenleaf's child protection and safeguarding procedures at all times.
  
• Immediatelyreport safeguarding concerns in accordance with organisational procedures.
  
• Supportyoung people to understand their rights and how to raise concerns.
  
• Promotea culture where young people feel safe to speak and know that adults willlisten and respond.
  
• Maintainconfidentiality while recognising that safeguarding information must beshared appropriately.
  

5. Positive Behaviour and Regulation

• Supportyoung people to develop emotional regulation and positive copingstrategies.
  
• Usecalm, consistent and respectful communication.
  
• Applyagreed behaviour support and risk-management strategies.
  
• Usede-escalation and relational approaches wherever possible.
  
• Participatein Greenleaf's approved training relating to trauma, safeguarding,behaviour and crisis management.
  
• Contributeto post-incident reflection and learning where appropriate.
  
• Neveruse punitive, humiliating or unnecessarily restrictive approaches.
  

6. The Promise and Children's Rights

TheTeaching Assistant will contribute to Greenleaf's commitment to keeping ThePromise and promoting children's rights.

Thisincludes:

• Listeningto and respecting the views of children and young people.
  
• Supportingyoung people to participate in decisions affecting their education.
  
• Recognisingthe importance of relationships, belonging and consistency.
  
• Avoidingunnecessary stigma associated with being care experienced.
  
• Promotinginclusion, dignity, respect and equality.
  
• Helpingyoung people understand and exercise their rights.
  
• Supportingmeaningful participation rather than making decisions for youngpeople wherever possible.
  

7. Recording and Assessment

• Maintainaccurate, factual and timely educational records.
  
• Contributeobservations to assessment and progress monitoring.
  
• Recordachievements and evidence of learning where required.
  
• Supportteachers to identify progress against individual educational outcomes.
  
• Contributeinformation to reviews, meetings and reports where requested.
  
• Ensureinformation is managed confidentially and in accordance with Greenleafpolicies and data protection requirements.
  

8. Partnership Working

TheTeaching Assistant will work as part of a wider multidisciplinary team.

This mayinclude working alongside:

• Teachersand education staff
  
• Residentialcare teams
  
• GreenleafPsychology
  
• Socialworkers
  
• Healthprofessionals
  
• Parents,carers and other significant adults
  
• Externaleducation and support professionals
  

TheTeaching Assistant will communicate professionally and ensure that relevantinformation is shared appropriately to support consistent outcomes for youngpeople.

9. Health, Safety and School Environment

• Supportthe maintenance of a safe, welcoming and well-organised schoolenvironment.
  
• Followall health and safety, fire safety and risk-management procedures.
  
• Participatein risk assessments relating to learning activities where required.
  
• Maintainappropriate supervision of young people.
  
• Supportsafe participation in educational visits, outdoor learning and communityactivities.
  
• Reporthazards, accidents, incidents or concerns promptly.
  
• Supporthigh standards of cleanliness, presentation and readiness within learningenvironments.
  

10. Professional Development

• Participatein Greenleaf induction and mandatory training.
  
• Engagepositively with supervision, appraisal and professional development.
  
• Participatein team meetings, training days and development activities.
  
• Reflecton practice and respond constructively to feedback.
  
• Maintainknowledge relevant to supporting children and young people within aScottish education and care context.
  
• Contributeto the continuous improvement of Greenleaf School.
  

Requirements

Professional Expectations

Thepostholder will be expected to:

• DemonstrateGreenleaf's organisational values in everyday practice.
  
• Maintainprofessional boundaries at all times.
  
• Treatchildren, colleagues and external professionals with dignity and respect.
  
• Bereliable, consistent and emotionally available to young people.
  
• Maintainconfidentiality.
  
• Communicateconcerns appropriately and professionally.
  
• Workflexibly according to the needs of the school and its young people.
  
• Promoteequality, diversity and inclusion.
  
• Challengediscriminatory, unsafe or inappropriate practice.
  

Person Specification

Experience

• Experienceof working with children or young people in education, care, youth work,community services or another relevant setting.
  
• Abilityto develop positive and appropriate relationships with children and youngpeople.
  
• Experienceof working effectively as part of a team.
  

Knowledgeand Skills

• Understandingof safeguarding and child protection responsibilities.
  
• Understandingthat children's behaviour can communicate underlying needs.
  
• Abilityto remain calm and professional in challenging situations.
  
• Goodverbal and written communication skills.
  
• Abilityto follow individual plans, risk assessments and professional guidance.
  
• Abilityto maintain accurate records.
  
• Abilityto work collaboratively with colleagues and other professionals.
  
• Commitmentto children's rights, inclusion and relationship-based practice.
  

PersonalQualities

• Patientand compassionate.
  
• Consistentand reliable.
  
• Emotionallyresilient.
  
• Curiousrather than judgemental about behaviour.
  
• Reflectiveand willing to learn.
  
• Ableto maintain clear professional boundaries.
  
• Positiveand solution focused.
  
• Committedto helping young people achieve.
  
• Experiencesupporting care-experienced children and young people.
  
• Experiencesupporting young people affected by trauma or disrupted attachment.
  
• Experienceworking with additional support needs.
  
• Experiencewithin residential childcare, specialist education or alternativeeducation.
  
• Knowledgeof Scotland's education and children's services landscape.
  
• Knowledgeof GIRFEC and SHANARRI wellbeing indicators.
  
• Understandingof The Promise.
  
• Understandingof trauma-informed and relational practice.
  
• Relevantqualification in education, childcare, social care or additional supportneeds.
  
• FullUK driving licence.
  

Registration / Membership

Thesuccessful applicant must meet any registration or professional requirementsapplicable to the duties of the post. Greenleaf will determine the appropriateregistration requirements based upon the final duties and responsibilitiesattached to the role.

Safer Recruitment

Appointmentwill be subject to Greenleaf's safer recruitment procedures, includingsatisfactory references, identity and right-to-work checks and appropriate PVGScheme membership/checking requirements for regulated roles involving children.

With greater expectations come greater rewards. If you’re selected to become part of the Greenleaf family, you’ll not only enjoy a salary that’s higher that the sector average, but you’ll also enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• 29 days holiday entitlement, increasing with every two years of service
  
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) with a 24/7 wellbeing line and free counselling
  
• Health Cash Plan, which includes dental and optical cover, physio therapies, and a 24/7 GP helpline.
  
• A range of savings including discounts, offers, and money back on vouchers
  
• Progression pathways and opportunities to develop and progress in your career