ELSA Senior Teaching Assistant

What skills and experience we're looking for ELSA SENIOR TEACHING ASSISTANT

Inspiring Learning. Shaping Futures.

Making a Difference Every Day.

32.92 hours per week, plus 1 training day a year of 6.5 hours. Term-time only (37 weeks per annum).Pay scale 4 (Points 19 - 22) £33,847 - £35,655 full time equivalent.

Actual salary (74.49% pro rata) £25,213 - £26,559 per annum

Preferred hours:
Monday - Friday 8.30am to 3.40pm (Flexibility considered)

Start date:

October 2026

We are seeking a motivated, confident, and highly capable Emotional, Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) to join our passionate and inclusive team at Catmose College, a high-performing secondary school within the Rutland and District Schools' Federation.

This is a varied, rewarding, and highly visible role, suited to someone with relevant experience (typically a minimum of two years) and an appropriate professional qualification. The successful candidate will work closely with young people in a secondary school setting and will be committed to supporting students’ learning, wellbeing and personal development.

The Senior Teaching Assistant’s primary focus is on student support and intervention for ELSA. This role emphasises inclusion, wellbeing, and removing barriers to learning. If you have prior training in ELSA, or equivalent, this would be an advantage.

• Providing targeted one-to-one and small-group ELSA interventions, including support for:
• Students with additional learning needs
• Anxiety and emotional regulation
• Social, emotional and mental health support (ELSA-informed approaches)
• Keeping accurate records and trackers relating to ELSA
• Working closely with teachers, SEND, and pastoral teams to support student progress and wellbeing
• Promoting positive behaviour for learning and inclusive classroom practice

• Aclear step-up rolewith responsibility and professional trust
• Acomprehensive induction programmeand high-quality continued professional development
• Term-time working withall Federation school holidays
• Opportunities to work across schools within the Federation for broader experience

Above all, we are looking for someone who isresilient, reflective and deeply committed to supporting young people to succeed.

Catmose College offers amodern, technology-rich learning environment,including:

• A culture of high expectations, professionalism and collaboration

As part of the Rutland and District Schools’ Federation(Catmose College, Catmose Primary and Harington School), staff benefit from:

• Excellent opportunities forcareer development and progression
• The chance to work across different age ranges and settings

In addition to a welcoming and inclusive workplace, we offer:

• A strong commitment to professional development
• Priority admissionfor staff children to Catmose College
• Membership of the Government Pension Scheme
• A subsidised restaurant, refectory and orangery
• Complimentary lunch on staff training days
• Wide opportunities to supporttrips, enrichment and extracurricular activities

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome applications from candidates looking for a variety of flexible working arrangements.

If you have any questions regarding the role, please contact Claire Pugh (Vice Principal) via email

The Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students in our care and expects all staff to share this commitment. We provide safeguarding training to all staff on an annual basis, and all staff are responsible for ensuring safeguarding, health and safety policies are implemented in line with Federation policy and current legislation. Please familiarise yourself with our Safeguarding Policy, available online at

This position advertised is a ‘regulated position’ which means it will involve regular contact with children and young people; under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 it is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. This position is also ‘exempt’ from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students in our care and expects all staff to share this commitment. We provide safeguarding training to all staff on an annual basis, and all staff are responsible for ensuring safeguarding, health and safety policies are implemented in line with Federation policy and current legislation.