Education & Pastoral Assistant in Norwich

As part of The Wensum Trust, we believe that our shared duty is to help every child to develop into high achieving, confident, healthy, caring and resilient members of their family and community. We want our schools to be healthy environments where both children and staff can develop and where strong, positive relationships are key. Our school, therefore, practices a relational approach with children, our families and our communities. We are particularly interested in working with people who share Our Qualities; who will work effectively and flexibly as part of a team.

Roots to Rise is a nurture-based, highly structured specialist provision supporting up to eight pupils who require additional help with emotional regulation, social communication, and readiness to learn. The provision offers a calm, inclusive, and adaptable environment in which children can develop confidence, coping strategies, and independence, enabling them to access the curriculum in line with their year-group expectations.

Being based within the Kinsale building ensures that Roots to Rise remains fully inclusive, maintaining strong links with the wider school community while providing a bespoke environment tailored to individual needs.

Roots to Rise is designed to support pupils who:

• Struggle to stay regulated throughout the school day
• Find the mainstream classroom environment overwhelming
• Require targeted emotional, social, and communication support
• Benefit from smaller, sensory-friendly learning spaces

What the provision offers:

• A dedicated classroom, sensory room, breakout/soft play area, craft and messy play room, office, meeting room, and accessible toilet
• A safe, enclosed outdoor space designed for regulation, movement, and therapeutic play
• Support from a qualified specialist teacher, alongside skilled Education & Pastoral Assistants
• A curriculum aligned with mainstream expectations, with a strong focus on emotional literacy, communication, independence, and resilience
• Daily structured opportunities for pupils to practice self-regulation strategies, recognise emotions, and learn how to seek support appropriately

Being a part of The Wensum Trust’s family of schools offers employees unique experiences to work alongside our strategic partners and to collaborate with a wider network of staff. We believe in investing in employees as individuals, by providing training opportunities that help to develop both existing and new skill sets, to encourage career progression at all levels.

We value our staff and are committed to supporting their wellbeing. We have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which all staff can access 24 hours a day. The EAP provides counselling services, legal information and guidance, musculoskeletal services and online resources such as nutrition diaries, healthy eating plans, personal coaching questionnaires and tools and fitness programmes.

We care about bringing together the most able people, to help us achieve our vision of providing a rounded education for children, quality support for their families and opportunities to enrich our communities.

For further information on this vacancy and our school, please contact Kelsey Wright on office@kinsalejunior.norfolk.sch.uk

The Wensum Trust is committed to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of children and young people, we expect all trustees, staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The Wensum Trust is exempt from the Rehabilitations of Offenders Act 1974 and all convictions, cautions and bind-overs, including those regarded as 'spent' must be declared. All successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced Criminal Record Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service, along with other relevant employment checks, including overseas criminal background checks.