Specialist Teaching Assistant; Lower KS2

Specialist Teaching Assistant Vacancy

Newbold Church School is a one‑form entry primary on the outskirts of Chesterfield. The school is part of a close‑knit group of academies in Derbyshire, working under the direction of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT), that offer great support and work collaboratively to deliver outstanding outcomes.

We are now seeking an enthusiastic, caring and experienced Special Needs Teaching Assistant to work 5 days a week with children in Lower Key Stage 2 (Y3). We are keen to welcome a talented professional to our team, who can promote our school ethos of ‘Nurture, Cherish, Succeed’ and play their part in nurturing and cherishing our children, within a supportive and inclusive environment, to lead them to be successful in being the best they can be.

The temporary post is to begin on Monday 13 April 2026. Working hours are term time only (10‑1pm Monday to Friday).

• creative, energetic and fun, bringing learning to life through humour, imagination, play and spontaneity
• able to use playfulness, curiosity and shared problem‑solving to reduce anxiety
• flexible and adaptable, confident in thinking on their feet and changing plans moment‑by‑moment
• emotionally resilient, able to remain regulated, patient and positive during challenging moments
• able to use low‑demand, indirect and playful strategies to encourage engagement
• a skilled communicator, including the use of humour, visuals, stories, role‑play or creative language as well as explaining choices in a clear, logical manner
• adaptable in setting expectations and tasks to suit the child’s emotional state on the day

• Can work collaboratively with the child’s afternoon 1:1 support to ensure the needs of the child are fully met
• Have an understanding of Pathological Demand Avoidance as an anxiety‑driven profile
• Have experience supporting children with special educational needs, particularly autism and/or PDA (or a strong willingness to learn)
• Have a clear understanding that traditional reward/consequence or demand‑led approaches may not be effective
• Can offer support to a child that feels like a team effort, not an instruction
• Are naturally warm, calm and emotionally attuned, able to build a strong, trusting relationship with the pupil
• Can evidence skills in recognising signs of anxiety and dysregulation and proactively supporting emotional regulation
• Have the ability to work independently with initiative, while also following guidance from teachers and SEN staff
• Are able to celebrate small successes and recognise progress that may not be academic

We pride ourselves at Newbold Church School as being described as a very warm and welcoming school, whose staff team work closely together and are a family both in and out of school. Visits to the school are warmly welcomed and can be arranged directly with the school office. More information about NCS as well as application forms and job descriptions / person spec can be found on our school website.

Nurture, Cherish, Succeed – Job Vacancies at NCS

DDAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to satisfactory references, online checks, completion of a probationary period, pre‑employment and Disclosure Barring Service checks. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from obtaining this post, as all cases are judged individually according to the nature of the role and information provided.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare any cautions, convictions, reprimands and final warnings that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020).

To apply please find all documentation and application forms at  Completed applications should be returned to headteacher@n by the closing date.

We will only accept applications made on DDAT application forms. Applications are invited as soon as possible, we reserve the right to close applications early.

Week commencing 2 March 2026