EYFS Teaching Assistant

Salary: NJC 3-5 £18,366 - £18,947 (Actual) £24,796 - £25,583 (FTE) + well-being cash plan + pension scheme (LGPS) + additional Lift Schools benefits
Hours: 32.5 hours a week, 38.4 weeks per year
Contract: Permanent
Closing date: 12th April
Interview date: 17th April
Start date: ASAP

Looking to make a difference every day?

Lift Meadstead is looking for a nurturing, enthusiastic Early Years Teaching Assistant to join our team. We embrace outdoor play and forest school learning, so a love of play, nature and adventure is a must!

Key responsibilities:

• Support the delivery of engaging, play-based learning activities
• Work closely with the class teacher to support children's development and progress
• Foster a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment for all children
• Support children with additional needs, including SEN where required
• Encourage curiosity, independence, and a love of outdoor learning
• Assist with observations and contribute to children's learning journeys

What we're looking for:

• Early Years experience (essential)
• SEN experience (advantageous)
• A positive, proactive, and caring attitude
• A genuine enthusiasm for outdoor play and forest school approaches
• Join us in creating a vibrant, supportive environment where every child can thrive.

We value the skills and dedication of our teaching assistants. To support the best outcomes for our students, we require a Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification (or equivalent). If you don't yet hold this qualification, don't worry! We'll invest in your development by enrolling you in our Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship Programme, helping you gain the behaviours, skills and experience you need to thrive in the role.

To be eligible for the Apprenticeship, applicants must have resided in the UK or EEA for 3 years prior to the start of the Apprenticeship. Please note: applicants must not have already completed a Level 3 Teaching Assistant apprenticeship.

About the school:

Lift Meadstead is a proud and ambitious school serving a diverse community in Barnsley. We're dedicated to creating an inspiring, inclusive learning environment where children thrive emotionally, socially and academically.

We have a strong EYFS and SEND offer and are committed to ensuring every child is ready to flourish across all levels of the school and beyond. Our team is close-knit, committed and passionate about improving lives through education.

Who is Lift Schools?

We're a diverse and inclusive network of schools with one clear mission; to provide an excellent education to every child - in every classroom, every day. And we do this across each of our 58 schools. As with our students, we want our team to be empowered to do their best work, supported by the best leadership they've ever had.

We acknowledge and appreciate the exceptional efforts of everyone here in making this an incredible organisation.

We offer you:

• Comprehensive training: Access a wide range of developmental training to boost your career.
• Generous benefits: From your pension plan to healthcare and financial support, we've got you covered.
• Lifestyle perks: Enjoy discounted gym memberships, travel deals, and even electric vehicle incentives.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response. All candidates are advised to refer to the job description and person specification before making an application.

Lift Schools are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our people and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair and consistent recruitment process which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

Lift Schools embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and there is a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.