Teaching Assistant (no experience needed, training provided)

Full Job Description

At OFG we allow for greater work life balance and extra time to do the things you love outside work

Role:        Teaching Assistant  (no experience needed, training provided)
Location: Park School, Chipping Norton, OX7 5QH
Salary:     £22,160.62 per annum (not pro rata)
Hours:     37.5 hours per week | Monday to Friday | 8:30am - 4:30pm
Contract: Permanent, Term-Time plus training days
Start:        October 2026

About the Role

Looking for a career with more purpose? You don’t need previous Teaching Assistant or SEN experience to join us. We’ll provide the training and support you need.

At Park School, you’ll help young people overcome barriers, build confidence and discover what they’re capable of. Working alongside experienced teachers and a supportive wider team, you’ll provide the encouragement, structure and individual support pupils need to engage with learning and make progress.

No two days are the same, and every achievement, however big or small, gives you another reason to feel proud of the difference you’re making.

What you'll do

• Provide 1:1, small group and classroom support, helping pupils access learning and achieve individual goals.
• Work alongside teachers to deliver engaging and personalised learning activities.
• Build positive and trusting relationships that help pupils feel safe, understood and ready to learn.
• Encourage pupils to develop confidence, independence, communication and social skills.
• Provide calm and consistent support for pupils’ emotional wellbeing and positive behaviour.
• Adapt your approach to individual needs, recognising that every pupil learns and communicates differently.
• Get involved in activities across the wider school day, both inside and outside the classroom.
• Recognise and celebrate progress, helping pupils see just how much they can achieve.

What you will bring

You could already be working in education and looking for a new challenge, or you might be considering a complete career change.

Perhaps you’ve worked in care, support work, youth work, hospitality, retail, customer service, sports or coaching, or you simply know that you’re good at connecting with young people and want a career where that ability really matters.

We’ll provide the training. You bring the attitude, patience and determination to make a difference.

We’re looking for someone who:

• Holds GCSE English and Maths at Grade 4/C or above, or equivalent (essential).
• Compassionate, patient and able to build positive relationships.
• Calm, positive and resilient when faced with challenging situations.
• Flexible and able to adapt their approach to individual pupil needs.
• Enthusiastic, proactive and willing to get involved in a range of activities.
• Enjoys working as part of a team and learning from experienced colleagues.
• Willing to undertake training and develop their skills within specialist education.
• Genuinely passionate about helping young people build confidence, independence and achieve their potential.

About us

Park School is an independent specialist day school for boys and girls aged from 7 to 18, catering for pupils with a wide range of social, emotional and mental health needs. Our dedicated team work together to ensure successful outcomes for pupils who often arrive at the school with a troubled view of education and life.

We pride ourselves in steering pupils in the right direction, nurturing aspiration to progress them both academically and socially to encourage them to take pride in their achievements. Socially, we build confidence in our students, so they are able to have a greater understanding of the wider community in which they live.

Acorn Education offers rewarding careers and meaningful challenges while making a real difference in young people’s lives. As a leading UK provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs, and part of Outcomes First Group, we deliver innovative, evidence-based approaches that support measurable progress and lasting impact.

We are really proud to say that in 2025 Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.

Why Join Us?

We place pupils and vulnerable young adults at the heart of everything we do, so every day brings the satisfaction of making a real difference. We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – mental health support and physical health checks
• Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista), including:
• Health, wellbeing and insurance benefits
• Hundreds of UK and international discounts
• Cycle to Work Scheme & Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity/paternity leave and paid fertility treatment support

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.

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