Teaching Assistant with Literacy Specialism


Company:	Teaching Vacancies
Salary:	Not specified
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	London, SE25 6AE
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	12 Oct 2026
Closing date:	2 Nov 2026

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Summary

What skills and experience we're looking for

Harris Academy South Norwood is looking for a Higher Level Teaching Assistant to complement the professional work of teachers by taking responsibility for activities under an agreed system of supervision. The post holder will work as part of a thriving inclusion team, delivering a combination of in-class support and targeted small-group intervention in phonics and foundational literacy skills.

This post is central to our mission of ensuring that every child, no matter their starting points, is able to thrive at Harris Academy South Norwood. If you are an experienced teaching assistant or a graduate with a strong foundation in English and literacy and looking for an opportunity to join a truly thriving school where you can make a real difference, then this may be the role for you.

At Harris South Norwood we do things differently. Nurturing the unique talents and character of each individual is at the heart of what we do, and a genuine sense of school community rooted in trusting relationships between students and staff drives our success. As the highest performing mixed comprehensive school in Croydon and Bromley (Progress 8, Summer 2024) we provide an exceptional academic education alongside a fantastic student experience. Our school ethos of Diversity, Talent, Togetherness encapsulates the kind of school community we foster here.

The actual salary for this role will be £27,585 (37.5 hours per week, 38 weeks per year).

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Experience working with children of relevant age

• Experience of working with students with additional needs

• Experience of delivering literacy and reading/writing recovery programmes

• Evidence of fulfilling the Higher Level Teaching Assistant standards and or ability and potential to fulfil them within the first 6 months of the role

• Relevant qualifications that help demonstrate evidence towards the above

• Excellent numeracy/literacy skills – equivalent to at least NVQ Level 2 in English and Maths

• Relevant qualifications at A level or equivalent to at least NQF Level 3

• Evidence of specialism in specific curriculum areas or areas of particular learning difficulty

• Qualifications relevant to subject area they will be based in

• Training in relevant learning strategies e.g. literacy

• Specialist skills/training in curriculum or learning area e.g. bi-lingual, sign language, ICT Qualifications and experience relevant to the subject area they will be based in

A full person specification is available in the job pack.

What the school offers its staff

If you are looking for a diverse school with clear and effective behaviour policies and systems, a visible and supportive leadership team, useful but not onerous CPD, and frequent opportunities for promotion, then we are the school for you. We believe that our students need great outcomes to open doors that will help them make the best of their lives. Our students behave well, and so they achieve well. This is a product of our excellent behaviour systems. We have 6 non-teaching Heads of Year who support behaviour and welfare and run a fully centralised detention system. Exemplary behaviour can only be achieved through a highly visible Senior Leadership team, and they are constantly touring the Academy. CPD is bespoke, first and foremost in the subject and grounded in tried and tested methods of effective teaching such as modelling, questioning, literacy, practice and consolidation.

We are very fortunate to have excellent transport links to central London (some trains get to London Bridge in 11mins) and just 4 minutes on the train from East Croydon. The Clocktower campus is a 6 minute walk from Norwood Junction train station.

We also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, an Annual Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits.

Further details about the role

In your role you will:

• Support students in their learning, establishing productive working relationships and providing feedback

• Support teachers by teaching groups of students, planning lessons and administering and marking tests

• Support the curriculum by delivering learning activities in line with local and national learning strategies, and selecting and preparing resources necessary to lead learning activities

For a full list of responsibilities, please download the Job Pack.

Commitment to safeguarding

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

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