Special Support Assistant

Special Support Assistant 

30 hours per week, Part Time

Fixed Term

Term Time + 1 week (45.05 weeks per year)

We are seeking to appoint a Special Support Assistant to work with our wonderful children. All of the children at St Matthew's are special, with some needing additional, personalised support to help them to flourish. If you're the sort of person who can provide that level of support, and you're committed to ensuring the very best for our children and you share our vision of happy, successful and confident learners then we'd love to hear from you.

We serve a richly diverse, multicultural, multifaith and multilingual community. In our SIAMS inspection (June 2021) St Matthew's was described as "a place of hope and compassion", can you join us in providing hope to our community and be compassionate to those in need? Our vision leads us to ensure each member of our community can "Be blessed by God, be happy and aspire to be..." Are you the person we are looking for to join us in delivering this for our community?

St Matthew's has been serving the local community for 150 years. Our pastoral care for our families is described as “exceptional”. We are very pleased and humbled that our care for our children and families is recognised and we expect all who seek to work with us to share this dedication.

The successful candidate will:

• Have GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent) at grade C or above.
• Care passionately for all our children, no matter what their barriers are, or the challenges they bring into school
• Build professional relationships with children, staff, parents and outside agencies
• Have some knowledge and experience of safeguarding, behaviour support and pastoral support
• Lead groups and work with and support children for whom English is not their first language
• Liaise with teachers to support pupils and raise achievement

We can offer:

• A warm, friendly school, where children are at the heart of everything we do
• Delightful and polite children who are keen to learn
• Hardworking, caring and committed staff who all work to make a real difference for our children
• Supportive parents
• Opportunities to develop professionally
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Access to health and wellbeing support for you and your family
• Employment within a Trust committed to equality of opportunity and nationally and locally negotiated pay arrangements.
• Terms and conditions protected through a formal trade union recognition agreement with all the major education and support staff unions, and supported through regular JCNC meetings.
• Access to employee benefits & rewards through Perkbox
• Cycle to work scheme

Please ensure that you refer to the job description and person specification as only those candidates that meet the criteria will be considered for shortlisting.

Please note CVs are not accepted. To apply for this vacancy you need to complete the online Eteach application form. If successful, pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS clearance will be undertaken.

If you wish to discuss this role further, please contact Mr Mark Mackley (Headteacher).

Closing date: Friday 10th October 2025 at 12pm

Proposed interview date: Friday 17th October 2025 

Please note that in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024, an online search will be carried out as part of our safer recruitment pre-employment checks on shortlisted candidates.

We are a member of Cidari Multi Academy Trust, established in November 2013, a growing educational trust and part of the Blackburn Diocese. Cidari Education is committed to providing high quality education for all children in our academies based on clearly established Christian values and principles.

 Cidari Multi Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The above post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Any offer of employment will be subject to a satisfactory check supplied by the Disclosure & Barring Service. The check will include any cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions. Further information is available below.