27/02/2025

Attend our event to discover how to become a Teaching Assistant

Becoming a Teaching Assistant is a highly rewarding and valued role in the schools at South Lincolnshire Academies Trust. Due to expansion, we are looking for even more Teaching Assistants to join our SEN team.

Jack Mason (pictured above) is only 20 years of age and has already made the transition from working in a primary school to working at both Giles Academy and Cowley Academy. He started his education career by completing Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeships at a local primary school with aspirations to be a PE teacher. As a former Giles Academy student, he returned back to school as a member of staff by working as a Teaching Assistant.

He said “Working as a Teaching Assistant has given me so much experience and helped me reaffirm my desire to become a PE Teacher, especially within a secondary school. I have learnt so many invaluable skills in this job already as when you are in the classroom you get to observe different teachers and then pick up techniques for classroom management and teaching styles that I plan to use myself. As a former student at Giles Academy, it has been fascinating to see ‘behind the scenes’ and how the schools are run as there are so many similarities to how each school operates. As I enjoy working with young adults to inspire them learn and be active, I plan on continuing to work as a Teaching Assistant while gaining a degree and teaching qualifications.”

We have Teaching Assistants at the school with staff who have joined after Sixth Form, currently studying or want to fit in a job around their personal commitments. There is no typical Teaching Assistant, but they all share one thing in common and that is they all find it rewarding to help students. See below to find out more about some of our other Teaching Assistants who work in the Trust.

Working in the SEN team, you will provide additional support in the classroom for students and have the opportunity to be involved in extra-curricular activities at the school.

On Wednesday 12th March 2025, we will be holding a ‘Become a Teaching Assistant’ information evening at Spalding Academy where you can drop-in anytime between 5.30pm to 7.00pm for the opportunity to speak to our staff for more information about the role and how it can also further develop your career in our Trust.

You can also find out more about the Teaching Assistant Responsibility allowance (TAR) which can be worth up to £2,000 for suitable candidates.

No formal qualifications are required and for the appropriate candidates full training will be given. We do however, prefer a minimum grade C in GCSE English, Maths and Science.

This event is for those who are interested in working at ANY of our Trust schools (Bourne Academy, Spalding Academy, Giles Academy and Cowley Academy).

By attending, you will have the chance to make a positive impression and get a head start in working for our highly successful Trust to progress your career.

To attend, please visit www.slat.org.uk/vacancies to register in advance.

We also have vacancies advertised for Teaching Assistants on this website so you can even apply today.

Teaching Assistant Profiles

Sarah Holland spent two years working as a Teaching Assistant at Spalding Academy before being promoted to Cover Manager at Bourne Academy. Prior to starting a family, she had gained a wealth of experience within the retail sector in HR, finance and management, but after have a break in employment she found that working as a Teaching Assistant has opened up new opportunities.

She said “With both my children in Key Stage 2 and 3, it was the right time for me to get back into full-time employment. The chance to work as a Teaching Assistant happened at just the right time as the Trust were looking for someone who could start immediately. I knew education was a secure sector to work in, and I had experience being involved in a primary school PTA so jumped at the opportunity. I enjoyed working with young adults as a Teaching Assistant as you get to form a relationship where they trust you and you can engage with each other on a mature level. I mainly worked with Year 10 and 11 students, and I still get to see the same students who have now progressed to Sixth Form. My role as Cover Manager gives me the opportunity to interact with students as I cover subjects such as Geography, History and Mathematics so I can utilise the classroom management skills learnt as a TA. I had heard that the Trust like to promote from within and I am proud that they recognised my skills and potential.”

Izzy Gurry started as a Teaching Assistant at Bourne Academy straight after achieving top grades at Sixth Form and was a great mentor to younger students during this time as an Art Ambassador and lead for the Reading Ambassadors scheme. She always knew she wanted to work in education and the role is helping her explore the future options so she chooses the right degree for her desired career path.

She said “While I was at school, I never actually noticed Teaching Assistants in my classrooms, but since being part of the SEN team and seeing the amazing job everyone does, it has been so eye-opening to an incredible side of the school. Since day one, I have been fully supported and whilst it took a few terms to make the transition from student to staff my confidence has really grown. Because the school has strategies in place to deal with any behaviour issues in the classroom, the Teachers and Teaching Assistants are able to completely focus on students teaching and learning. I have found it incredibly rewarding that I am able to help young people as being a Teaching Assistant can make a massive difference to personal, social and academic development. Being involved in different subject classrooms has been so interesting as I am continuing to learn through other students’ lessons. As art is my passion, I’ve also been given further opportunities to be involved with the art department, which is an area where I see my future career.”

Nikki Maynard is now firmly settled as she has put down roots in Spalding after serving in the Royal Navy as a Medic and Police Officer and since running a successful furniture refurbishment and upholstery business. It was whilst in the Navy serving in Diego Garcia (a small island in the Indian Ocean) that she met her husband, but with family as a priority, she has found that working as a Teaching Assistant has provided her stability as a job that works with being a mum.

She said “Moving to a completely new area, I wanted to be involved in the local community and get to know new people, plus have a job with hours that fits in with my daughter who is at primary school, so working in the local school made perfect sense. As a Teaching Assistant, I have been able to bring my previous skills of discipline and respect from the military police and working in education has been the perfect match. As you get to work with different students across the Year groups, every day is different, and you learn so much when being absorbed as part of the classroom. After the Royal Navy, I gained a Fine Art degree as a mature student, so I have been able to mix being a Teaching Assistant with being an Art Instructor. As it won’t be long before my daughter is in Year 7, now is the right time to progress my career by gaining a teaching qualification with the Trust as I would love to eventually become a full-time Art Teacher.”