Key Role Information

Salary
32,597.00 - 35,412.00
Job type
Full Time
Contract type
Permanent
Closing
20/02/2026 12:00
Interview
5 March 2026
Contract term
TTO - Term time only
Pay grade
Support Staff | SCP20 - SCP24
Department
Support Staff (MAT)
Key stage
Not Applicable
Hours per week
37.00
Weeks per year
39.000
Visa sponsorship
No

Your Role

Pay Range: N6 scale point 20 - 24 FTE: £32,597 - £35,412

£27,989 - £30,407 actual salary pro-rata (£16.90 - £18.36 per hour)

Working Pattern: 37 hours per week, term time + 5 additional training days

 

We are seeking to appoint a highly motivated, inspirational member of support staff to support young people in their education at our Kenton school site. The successful candidate will contribute to supporting some of the most vulnerable young people within the city and surrounding areas, striving to make a difference to their lives.


We would like to hear from candidates who feel that they can demonstrate the characteristics and skills we are looking for and hold the relevant qualifications to meet the demands of this post.


This role is perfect for a positive and professional individual with:

  • 5 GCSEs Grade C+/4+ (or equivalent) including Maths and English
  • NVQ Level 4 DfE recognised Teaching Assistant SEND Assistant, EYFS or Childcare qualification or higher qualification with relevant experience  
  • Training in relevant learning strategies and specialist knowledge in a particular curriculum areas


Does this sound like the role for you?


Newcastle Bridges School provides excellent educational opportunities to young people whose education has been interrupted by mental or physical ill-health or school based non-attendance. We seek to support each young person's access to a full-time, broad and balanced education appropriate to their potential and their educational needs and encourage reintegration into mainstream whenever relevant. The successful candidates with therefore contribute to supporting some of the most vulnerable young people within the city and surrounding areas, striving to make a difference to their lives.


Newcastle Bridges School was judged by Ofsted to be once again ‘Outstanding’ in May 2022.

 

Ferndene Hospital at Prudhoe (Redburn, Stephenson (MSU), Fraser, and Riding Wards): provides regional and national Tier 4 Child and Adolescent Services (CAMHS) for children and young people between the ages of 13 and 18. Tier 4 CAMHS are for patients with more complex needs usually requiring inpatient treatment.


The Great North Children’s Hospital is a regional hospital for many specialised services within paediatrics. The intake of patients covers a wide Geographical area; north to the Scottish Borders, west to Cumbria and south to North Yorkshire. It also serves the national and international community as a centre of excellence. The Children’s Heart Unit at the Freeman Hospital provides care for children who need medical or surgical help for conditions involving the heart, lungs and airways. It is one of two units in the UK to carry out heart and lung transplants on children.

 

Newcastle Bridges School at Kenton offers education to pupils aged 11-16 years old who are unable to access mainstream school due to medical and mental health needs. It offers a smaller and more nurturing environment than most mainstream secondary settings. A secondary curriculum is followed and pupils sit external exams.

 

The Medical Pathway Team are based within this provision and provide education to pupils in the community who are unable to access the Kenton Provision for medical reasons, supporting them in a transition back to an education setting appropriate to the individual learner.

 

To learn more about Newcastle Bridges School and Prosper Learning Trust, please visit our websites.

 

Prosper Learning Trust was established in January 2018 to help vulnerable young people succeed against the odds. Four core values underpin everything we do as a Trust, these are Aspiration, Integrity, Resilience and kindness. We are looking for staff who share those values and want to support our young people.


The Trust currently have 5 schools in the region: 

  • Newcastle Bridges School – Alternative Provision academy offering education to pupils unable to access mainstream school due to medical needs including hospitalised children and young people (3-19 years) 
  • Mary Astell Academy – Alternative Provision academy offering education to permanently excluded pupils and pupils who are struggling in mainstream school (11-16 years) 
  • Thomas Bewick Special School – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (3-19 years) 
  • Harry Watts Academy – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (5-16 years) 
  • Gilbert Ward Academy – Special School academy for pupils with SEMH or a diagnosis of autism (11-16 years) 


Prosper Learning Trust was also recently named as the lead partner in the opening of a new Free School in Jarrow, South Tyneside. This school will be a Special School academy for pupils with SEMH (4-11 years).


The successful candidate will be deployed initially at Newcastle Bridges School but will be expected to work at any Prosper Learning Trust site should the need arise.


Benefits of working for Prosper Learning Trust


The Trust is proud to say that we match the Real Living Wage and we also offer successful candidates:

 

  • A friendly and supportive team of staff who are willing to share expertise and learn from one another 
  • Opportunities for career development and support with development through Trust wide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes 
  • Access to an Employee Assistance Programme and support from the Trust's Wellbeing Network Group 
  • Access to either Teacher's Pension or Local Government Pension Scheme, each with favourable employer contribution rates.  
  • Employee centred policies that support you in and beyond the workplace 
  • Funded eye tests for DSE users (subject to T/Cs) 
  • Bike 2 Work scheme

 

For more information on why we think you should work for us see our Trust website, where you will also find videos of what our current staff think. 


The successful candidate will be welcomed into the Trust, so if this sounds like the job for you please don't hesitate to apply.  

 

Please note that all successful candidates will be required to complete an online pre-employment medical questionnaire.

Qualifications

5 GCSEs Grade C+/4+ (or equivalent) including Maths and English essential
NVQ Level 4 DfE recognised Teaching Assistant SEND Assistant, EYFS or Childcare qualification or higher qualification with relevant experienceessential
Training in relevant learning strategies and specialist knowledge in a particular curriculum areasessential

Newcastle Bridges School

Anna Wilson

Anna.Wilson@bridges.newcastle.sch.uk


Drayton Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
Tyne and Wear
NE3 3RU

Safeguarding Information

Prosper Learning Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, as well as vulnerable adults, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to apply for Disclosure from the DBS.

 

The Trust actively promotes equality of opportunity with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcomes applications from a wide range of candidates. The Trust selects all candidates for employment based on their skills, qualifications and experience, in comparison against the person specification.

 

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. If you are invited for interview, you will be required to disclose convictions that would not be filtered, prior to the date of the interview. Certain spent convictions and cautions will be ‘protected’ and do not need to be disclosed. Full details on protected convictions and information about which convictions must be declared during job applications can be found on the Ministry of Justice website. You will be asked for further information about your criminal history during the recruitment process. If your application is successful, this self-disclosure information will be checked against information from the Disclosure and Barring Service before your appointment is confirmed. This role will include Regulated Activities and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure is required for this post. Please note that in all cases written references will be taken up and made available to interviewers before the final selection stage; even if you indicate otherwise.


Online vetting checks will be carried out for candidates who are shortlisted.