Level 3 Apprentice Teaching Assistant 

Oakwood School

Apprentice Teaching Assistants Level 3

Required for September 2025

Contract: Apprenticeship period - 24 months

32.5 hours a week, term time only

Oakwood School is a school for children with severe learning needs (SLD) and profound and multiple learning needs (PMLD).

We are currently seeking Level 3 apprentices to train as a teaching assistants in our school. This post will be Monday to Friday, term time only plus 5 training days, from 8.30 am-3.30 pm each day (1/2 hour lunch). The apprenticeship period will be 24 months. 20% off job training will be required which will be included within your working hours.

Governors want to appoint committed, highly motivated, well organised and enthusiastic practitioners, who will embrace our inclusive and creative philosophy and help us further develop an environment where ‘Every child is given the opportunity to sky rocket!’

The successful candidates will join a dedicated and hardworking team of teachers and TAs in an innovative, creative and supportive school with the most inspirational children.

Salary: The current National Minimum Wage for an apprentice from April 2025 is £7.55 an hour. Apprentices will be paid at least the minimum wage rate for their age if they are aged 19 or over AFTER completing their first year. Apprentices are paid for their normal working hours and training that is part of their apprenticeship.

Qualifications required: GCSE English and Mathematics Grade A-C/4 to 9 or equivalent is preferred but not essential if you do not have the relevant grades you will be required to undertake Level 2 Functional Skills.

Desired skills and personal qualities

· Be fully supportive of the inclusive ethos of the school

· Be willing to learn

· Be a positive role model in terms of dress, punctuality and attendance

· Have the ability to organise and prioritise your own workload whilst working alone or as part of a team

· Give attention to detail

· Have the capacity, drive, passion and energy to succeed

· Hold yourself to high personal standards

· Have excellent communication skills

· Be committed to helping and supporting children from all backgrounds

· Follow safeguarding and child protection procedures including the ability to handle confidential information

· Have an excellent health and attendance record.

· Have an adaptable and professional approach to the responsibilities of the post

· Have an understanding of and commitment to the equal opportunities policy

· Have sound ICT skills

Oakwood School is highly committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The post is subject to an enhanced DBS Disclosure check along with relevant employment checks.

These will require you to disclose details of all unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions as part of the recruitment process. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Shortlisted candidates will also be asked to complete a self-declaration of their criminal record or information that would make them unsuitable to work with children

A copy of our Safeguarding Policy is available to view on our school website.

We ask potential candidates to download an application form from our school website – vacancy page

Please return completed application forms to: postbox@oakwood.walsall.sch.uk

Closing Date: 12th May 2025

Interview process: W/C 19th May 2025

Juniper are an innovative and flexible skills provider with over 35 years’ experience delivering youth and adult programmes. We have held an ESFA contract for many years and are immensely proud of our Apprenticeship offer, Traineeships and Study Programme. We have established active links with hundreds of employers, it’s through our commitment to understand employer needs which puts us in a strong position to be able to support businesses to grow, plan for the future and remain competitive. We operate from centres across the Black Country, East Midlands and Cheshire and have created a flexible approach in our delivery model to ensure we are able to personalise our offer based on individual business needs. We are graded as excellent on the Apprenticeship service website and pride ourselves in our ability with achieving a significantly high number of distinctions on our Apprenticeship programme. Website: https://www.junipertraining.co.uk/