Fixed Term 31/08/2026 - Teaching Assistant 1:1

Closing date:     9 July 2025

Interview date:  14 July 2025

Start date:          03 September 2025 

An opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and experienced 1:1 teaching assistant to join our support staff at Upton Junior School, part of Hamwic Education Trust (HET).

HET is a large, fast-paced Trust with currently 37 academies across the South Coast. Linked to 6 community-based partnerships, there are 34 primary academies, 2 secondary and 1 hospital school.  Upton Junior School, awarded ‘Good’ by Ofsted in 2023, is seeking to recruit an experienced 1: 1 teaching assistant to join our friendly team. Wellbeing is at the heart of our leadership, and we strive for quality teaching and a healthy work/life balance.

‘All about the Child’

At HET, we aim to put the child at the centre of everything we do.  We believe that by doing this, it drives our ethos and values to do the best we can for our children.

‘What about Sam’

Sam is the name we have given to the notional Hamwic child.  By asking ourselves ‘What about Sam?’ we ensure that we put our pupils at the heart of our decision making.

JOB/PERSON SUMMARY:

The postholder will provide tailored support for an individual child and is linked to specific funding.  You’ll work closely with the class teacher and other staff to implement strategies that foster the child’s confidence, independence, and academic progress. Encouraging the child to engage with their learning and thrive within the classroom environment. The working environment for this role will include both indoor and outdoor areas, ensuring a safe environment is maintained at all times.

WE ARE SEEKING A PROFESSIONAL INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS:

• An understanding of how children learn and play
• Ability to support the child in accessing the curriculum and achieving learning goals.
• High expectations of what children can achieve and how they should behave
• Commitment to teamwork in a friendly school with a child centred ethos
• Resilience, enthusiasm, patience, flexibility and a caring manner
• Excellent in the classroom, with an outstanding ability to engage and enthuse children
• Ability to challenge, support and motivate all children to achieve high standards
• Ability to work under pressure with good time management skills
• Ability to think creatively and adapt learning to motivate and meet needs
• Ability to assist with personalised learning plans and activities.
• Ability to build a positive and trusting relationship with the child.
• Ability to communicate regularly with teaching staff, parents, and specialists as needed.
• The skills to encourage social interaction and engagement in class activities.

WE CAN OFFER YOU:

• Excellent CPD opportunities and Training and Development Programmes
• In-house Teaching School
• An individual induction programme supported by a mentor
• Networking groups for Teachers, Business Managers, Site Teams and IT staff
• Eligibility to join the Teachers’ Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme
• Generous holiday entitlement for staff working 52 weeks per year which increases with length of service
• Free eye tests up to the value of £25 for users of VDU equipment and contribution up to the value of £60 towards the purchase of glasses specifically for the use of display screen equipment (where all conditions are met)
• Opportunity to become a school workplace Health and Wellbeing representative, meeting with other schools on a termly basis and feeding into the Health and Wellbeing strategy
• Access to the Trust Health and Wellbeing pages
• Access to a staff benefits portal through Vivup
• Free confidential telephone and face to face counselling for staff and family members

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Should you wish to apply for this vacancy, please view the job description and complete the application form which can be found at www.hamwic.org and www.uptonjun.dorset.sch.uk and return to recruitment@uptonjun.dorset.sch.uk

Where applicable, potential candidates may benefit from a tour of the school.  Please note, any candidates requesting a tour will be asked for their current place of work which will allow the school to verify, where possible, the name and place of work given.  Potential candidates will be asked to bring their current school ID and/or photographic ID as proof when they visit the school for a tour.

Successful candidates will be subject to online searches.

Panel Members for School Appeals – Volunteer

We are looking to form a pool of volunteers to support our admission appeals in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch (BCP) area.
Why volunteer?

Volunteers become panel members for a variety of reasons:
• They are interested in education.
• They enjoy meeting and working with people with similar interests.
• They want to be of service to parents/carers and schools.
• They have relevant experience and skills that they wish to use.
• They may have been through the appeal process as parents themselves.
• They have a background in education or law from other roles such as a teacher or headteacher or as a school governor or  magistrate.
• Have time available on weekdays during term time.

To maintain the impartiality of the independent appeal panel, the panel member role is entirely voluntary and not paid, however, travel expenses will be reimbursed, and we will provide refreshments at appeal hearings (including lunch where appeal hearings last a full day).

Please note that we work in partnership with HISP Multi Academy Trust and therefore volunteers may hear appeals for Hamwic Education Trust (HET) schools and also Highcliffe School, part of HISP.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:
If a child is refused a place at a school, due to the year group being full/oversubscribed, a parent/carer can appeal that decision. You will be volunteering to hear cases and reaching a decision with panel member colleagues as to whether the case made by a parent, guardian or carer should result in a successful (upheld) appeal, or an unsuccessful (dismissed) appeal, based on a balance of the evidence of prejudice heard from all parties.

These panels can sit throughout the year, although the busiest period is between June and July. During this peak period in the summer, appeals may take more than 1 day if there is a high number of appeals for the school/year group; these must be heard by the same panel members.
 

Appeal hearings will be held during the day, face-to-face, in schools in and around the BCP area. In exceptional circumstances they may be conducted online.
 

We are seeking ‘lay’ (no experience of being employed within the education sector) and ‘non-lay’ (experience of employment within the education sector) panel members to sit on our appeal hearings.
 

SUPPORT AND TRAINING:
Ideally, we are looking for panel members who are experienced in this role with up-to-date training. However, comprehensive training will be provided to all new volunteers.
 

Ongoing support and training will also be available from HET to all panel members throughout the year.
 

TASKS AND DUTIES:
Panel member duties include:
• Reading appeal packs prior to hearings in order to understand the case being put forward by the admission authority and the parent, guardian or carer.
• Considering the written evidence in advance of the meeting and drafting questions you may wish to ask at the hearing.
• Attending appeal hearings until all appeals have been heard and taking part in pre-meeting briefings and post-meeting deliberations. Listening to both cases made during the appeals hearing and making a judgement on the evidence heard and previously received.
• Taking an active part in appeal hearings with panel member colleagues, including making notes, asking questions, and contributing the outcomes of appeals.
 

WE ARE SEEKING A PROFESSIONAL INDIVIDUAL WHO:
• Would be able to put nervous parents at ease and make balanced decisions to ensure that parents and schools receive a fair appeal hearing.
• Can ask clear and relevant questions in a calm, non-confrontational manner to elicit the relevant information and facts.
• Will fully participate in the decision-making process by considering all the relevant information, to form reasoned decisions based on the relevant law and facts.
• Can understand and apply the rules of natural justice (fairness).
• Will be sensitive and respectful of the need for confidentiality.
• Can recognise and disclose any potential conflict of interest.
• Has excellent attention to detail.
• Has good interpersonal skills.

• Can travel to appeal venues.
 

WE CAN OFFER:
• Training relevant to this volunteer position.
• Hard working and supportive HET colleagues.
 

If you would like to discuss the role further, please contact our HR team by emailing recruitment@hamwic.org to arrange an informal chat.
 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Should you wish volunteer please complete our School Panel Member application form which can be found at www.hamwic.org/vacancies/managed-services, and return to recruitment@hamwic.org CVs will only be accepted with a completed application form.

SAFEGUARDING:
All schools within HET are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young
people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful
candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment
checks.

THE HILLARY PARTNERSHIP
The Hillary Partnership is part of an umbrella Trust called the Hamwic Education Trust. At the Hamwic
Education Trust we offer unique opportunities for those individuals that excel in education.

We aim to deliver an outstanding education to our pupils and to do so we must employ outstanding people.
We offer a training pathway for all employees including teachers, support staff and our middle and senior
leaders.

Our staff have opportunities to work on cross phase projects and to work in other schools within the Trust
in order to gain invaluable experience and enhance their skills.