Student Support Assistant
| Posting date: | 20 November 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Grade 5/6 (£32,064 to £36,579 FTE) |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 03 December 2025 |
| Location: | Croydon, Greater London, CR0 9AZ |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | eTeach UK Limited |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 1518859 |
Summary
Salary: Grade 5/6 (£32,064 to £36,579 FTE) Actual salary - £27,456.37 to £31,322.56
Location: Addington Valley Academy, Field Way, New Addington, CR0 9AZ
Working Pattern: Monday – Thursday 8.30am – 4.15pm and Friday 8.30am – 4.00pm
Are you looking for somewhere truly special to work? A place where you can help make special happen every single day for students with autism and severe learning difficulties? Addington Valley Academy is a special free school in Croydon for children and young people aged 4 to19 with autism and complex learning needs. Since opening, we have grown into a vibrant community, offering places for students with a wide range of social communication, cognitive, sensory, emotional, and behavioural needs.
The new purpose designed school is equipped to meet the needs of students and includes sensory gardens, indoor sensory rooms, soft-play area, and a large cookery room along with other facilities to encourage students to learn skills to live independently. Students access specialist support enabling them to learn and achieve in a nurturing and aspirational environment.
At Addington Valley Academy, special happens through the passion of our staff, the progress of our students, and the shared commitment to creating the best possible outcomes for every learner. It’s a rewarding, inspiring place to work – where your dedication can truly make a difference.
We are seeking to expand our capacity to support students across the school by employing a skilled and enthusiastic Student Support Assistant to join our Student Support Team, with a focus on supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The successful candidate will work closely with students and class teams to promote positive engagement, regulation, and learning.
Key Responsibilities:
-To assess the LIDS data (Learning Interruptions and Dysregulations), liaising with class teams to identify behaviours of concern and advise accordingly.
-To work across education and therapy teams to build an effective pupil profile for all students.
-To challenge practice & attitudes which do not align with ASD best practice and the values of the school as well as model best practice within your own profession.
-To promote positive and proactive strategies so that individuals are enabled to live active and rewarding lives that are not limited by a restrictive risk prevention approach.
-To model best practice in de-escalation, Autism strategies, and communication approaches, and provide coaching and guidance to less experienced staff.
Key Requirements:
-Educated to GCSE standard level 4 and above in English and Maths
-Safeguarding training
-Extensive experience working across education / adult services for Autistic individuals and within the SEND sector
-Experience of working with students with challenging behaviour.
-Good people skills to enable you to assist with liaison between student and school or other agencies
OHCAT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:
Rewards & Benefits:
• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)
Find out what makes OHCAT a truly rewarding place to work - visit our ‘Work for Us’ page to hear from our Chief Executive Officer, John Prior, and watch inspiring messages from students and parents about the difference our staff make every day.
Our Trust
Addington Valley Academy is part of Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust. We are a family of specialist education providers from pre-school through to further education across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire and fully represent all designations of special education needs and disabilities (SEND). To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit our website.
We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.
Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.
As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.
It is an exciting time to be part of OHCAT and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.
If you wish to discuss this opportunity before or after submitting an application form, please get in touch with the School directly. Visits to the School in advance of applications are encouraged.
Your application form will be scored according to each of the requirements laid out in the person specification for this role. Please demonstrate in your statement how your experience, skills and knowledge match the criteria that are required for the role.
To apply for this role, please click ‘Fast Apply’, you will then be directed to a ‘Login’ page, once signed in, please complete and submit the Application Form.Please note that CV applications cannot be considered.
Closing Date: 3rd December 2025
Interviews will take place week beginning: 8th December 2025
Location: Addington Valley Academy, Field Way, New Addington, CR0 9AZ
Working Pattern: Monday – Thursday 8.30am – 4.15pm and Friday 8.30am – 4.00pm
Are you looking for somewhere truly special to work? A place where you can help make special happen every single day for students with autism and severe learning difficulties? Addington Valley Academy is a special free school in Croydon for children and young people aged 4 to19 with autism and complex learning needs. Since opening, we have grown into a vibrant community, offering places for students with a wide range of social communication, cognitive, sensory, emotional, and behavioural needs.
The new purpose designed school is equipped to meet the needs of students and includes sensory gardens, indoor sensory rooms, soft-play area, and a large cookery room along with other facilities to encourage students to learn skills to live independently. Students access specialist support enabling them to learn and achieve in a nurturing and aspirational environment.
At Addington Valley Academy, special happens through the passion of our staff, the progress of our students, and the shared commitment to creating the best possible outcomes for every learner. It’s a rewarding, inspiring place to work – where your dedication can truly make a difference.
We are seeking to expand our capacity to support students across the school by employing a skilled and enthusiastic Student Support Assistant to join our Student Support Team, with a focus on supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The successful candidate will work closely with students and class teams to promote positive engagement, regulation, and learning.
Key Responsibilities:
-To assess the LIDS data (Learning Interruptions and Dysregulations), liaising with class teams to identify behaviours of concern and advise accordingly.
-To work across education and therapy teams to build an effective pupil profile for all students.
-To challenge practice & attitudes which do not align with ASD best practice and the values of the school as well as model best practice within your own profession.
-To promote positive and proactive strategies so that individuals are enabled to live active and rewarding lives that are not limited by a restrictive risk prevention approach.
-To model best practice in de-escalation, Autism strategies, and communication approaches, and provide coaching and guidance to less experienced staff.
Key Requirements:
-Educated to GCSE standard level 4 and above in English and Maths
-Safeguarding training
-Extensive experience working across education / adult services for Autistic individuals and within the SEND sector
-Experience of working with students with challenging behaviour.
-Good people skills to enable you to assist with liaison between student and school or other agencies
OHCAT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:
Rewards & Benefits:
• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)
Find out what makes OHCAT a truly rewarding place to work - visit our ‘Work for Us’ page to hear from our Chief Executive Officer, John Prior, and watch inspiring messages from students and parents about the difference our staff make every day.
Our Trust
Addington Valley Academy is part of Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust. We are a family of specialist education providers from pre-school through to further education across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire and fully represent all designations of special education needs and disabilities (SEND). To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit our website.
We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.
Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.
As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.
It is an exciting time to be part of OHCAT and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.
If you wish to discuss this opportunity before or after submitting an application form, please get in touch with the School directly. Visits to the School in advance of applications are encouraged.
Your application form will be scored according to each of the requirements laid out in the person specification for this role. Please demonstrate in your statement how your experience, skills and knowledge match the criteria that are required for the role.
To apply for this role, please click ‘Fast Apply’, you will then be directed to a ‘Login’ page, once signed in, please complete and submit the Application Form.Please note that CV applications cannot be considered.
Closing Date: 3rd December 2025
Interviews will take place week beginning: 8th December 2025