Teaching Assistant in Chatham

At St John’s Church of England Infant School, Chatham, we are a small school with a big heart, where every child is known, valued and encouraged to flourish. Rooted in our Christian vision, “From the smallest of seeds fed with faith and love, our St John’s family will flourish and grow,” we are committed to providing a nurturing, inclusive and ambitious learning environment for all. Our most recent Ofsted inspection (March 2024) recognised the school as Good in all areas, highlighting the quality of education, personal development, behaviour and leadership across the school.

Staff at St John’s benefit from being part of a supportive and dedicated team that places relationships, wellbeing and professional development at its core. If you are looking for a school where you can make a genuine difference, work closely with children and families, and be part of a caring community that strives for excellence, St John’s is the place for you.

We are looking to appoint a highly motivated and experienced Teaching Assistant with experience of supporting children, who is passionate about children’s learning, has a positive attitude and is able to fit in with our hardworking staff team to nurture, target and enable all of our children to thrive. If you are well qualified, enthusiastic and passionate about helping all children, supporting and encouraging them as they strive to achieve their goals and want to work in a well-resourced setting and share our school values (learning together in Faith & Love, we will flourish and grow), we would love to hear from you.

The successful candidate will be required to set up learning areas, lead intervention groups and support children with learning needs as well as occasionally being responsible for the whole class, working in partnership with class teachers and other teaching assistants.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Previous experience of working with children in a school or childcare setting.
• A desire and enthusiasm to make a positive difference to children's lives.
• High expectations of themselves and all pupils.
• Good subject knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics to support teaching and learning.
• Strong teamwork skills and the ability to communicate effectively with staff, pupils, parents and external agencies.
• The ability to work effectively with whole classes, small groups and on a one-to-one basis.
• A commitment to the highest standards of teaching, learning and pupil achievement.
• A nurturing, patient and caring approach, building positive relationships with children and families.
• Experience of supporting children with a range of learning needs, including SEND, or a willingness to develop these skills.
• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to use initiative when working independently.
• A willingness to contribute to the wider life of the school and support enrichment opportunities for pupils.
• An understanding of, and commitment to, the Christian vision and values of the school.
• A positive attitude, flexibility and a good sense of humour.

In return, the school can offer:

• Dedicated, supportive and friendly staff, governors and leadership team.
• Happy, enthusiastic children who enjoy coming to school and are eager to learn.
• A welcoming and inclusive school community where every child is known and valued.
• Coaching, mentoring and opportunities to learn from highly skilled colleagues.
• An attractive, well-resourced and well-maintained learning environment.
• A strong commitment to staff wellbeing and work‑life balance.
• The opportunity to make a real difference to pupils within a caring and nurturing school.
• A school rooted in its Christian vision where relationships, inclusion and belonging are at the heart of everything we do.
• The chance to be part of an ambitious school that is continually striving for excellence for all children.

If you are passionate about helping children flourish academically, socially and emotionally, and would like to be part of a supportive and dedicated team, we would love to hear from you. This is a fixed term contract role for 1 year. Informal visits to the school are both welcomed and encouraged. Please contact the school office on 01634 844135 to arrange an appointment for a school tour with the Headteacher, who can give you more details about what the role entails.

If you would like a snapshot view of what you can expect to find when you come for your visit please look at our school website St John's Church of England Infant School - Home. Closing date: Friday 19th June, interviews on Monday 29th June.