Key Role Information

Salary
£15,241.43
Job type
Full Time
Contract type
Fixed Term
Closing
20/02/2026 16:00
Interview
17 March 2026
Contract term
TTO - Term time only
Pay grade
Teaching Assistant & Gap Student | Gap 2025-2026
Department
Pre-Prep
Key stage
Early Years, Key Stage 1
Hours per week
37.50
Weeks per year
39.460
Visa sponsorship
No

Your Role

Pre-Prep Gap Student


Full Time - 5 days per week

 

St Michael's term time plus INSET days (total 34 weeks pa)

 

Are you planning a career working with children or teaching? Or need experience to get your first job or get onto a course? Then look no further. Come and join the fantastic team at St Michael’s as one of four St Michael’s Gap Students. In this dedicated Pre-Prep role, you will have the unique opportunity to work closely with the Pre-Prep PE & Sports teacher, collaborate with our fantastic Prep-based PE & Sports team, assist in our afterschool club and support the wider Pre-Prep team to demonstrate the impact you can have on children’s lives. The “gapper” role is a one-year post which gives you an insight into a range of roles on offer in schools. No two days are the same.

 

Your working hours will be 10.30 am to 6.30pm. From 10.30am to 3.30pm you will help with PE lessons, administrative work, lunch and catering duties, and assist in the classrooms with children from 2 to 7 years old. Our Pre-school Nursery and Kindergarten are particularly popular so if you can create animals out of playdoh and build sandcastles you may be the Gap Student for us! You will learn to be a reliable team player, and plan, organise, support, progress, nurture and enrich the lives of our youngest children.

Between the hours of 3.30pm and 6.30pm you will assist in our after-school club located in the Pre-Prep building, with children from Reception up to Year 8, helping with administration tasks, managing children and facilitating games and craft projects.


We are on the lookout for individuals with a genuine interest in working with children, a passion for sports, and preferably, have some experience in sports coaching and/or refereeing. You should enjoy working as part of a team and have basic IT skills. This isn't just a job; it's an opportunity to grow and develop in a vibrant and supportive environment.


The post is a one-year fixed term contract helping you gain valuable insights to working in the teaching profession.

 

Informal visits welcome; please contact the HR department for further details.

 

Salary: £15,241.43 based on FTE salary of £20,085

Application deadline: 20th February 2026 at 4.00pm

Interview Date: 17th March 2026

 

St Michael’s Prep School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and the successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced disclosure through the Disclosure and Barring Service and online digital presence checks if invited to interview.

Benefits

Parking
Free onsite staff parking
Pension
Support staff pension scheme with employer contribution (subject to qualifying criteria)
Sick Pay Scheme
Staff Sick Pay Scheme

Qualifications

Minimum five GCSEs grade 4 or aboveessential
Including Maths and English Grade C/4 or above
Safeguarding/Prevent qualification or willing to work towardsdesirable
First Aid Certificatedesirable

Skills

Abilities, Skills and Knowledge

Strong people skills with the ability to demonstrate a confident and effective rapport with all staff, being assertive where necessaryessential

Experience

Previous experience working in a school
Current first aid certificate

Experience/Knowledge

Understanding of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) and safeguarding in schools
Knowledge and experience of Microsoft programs including Word and Outlook

Personal Attributes

Self-motivated and able to use initiative to forward plan to meet deadlines, with a flexible approach to accommodate changing priorities.essential
Sympathetic with the Christian ethos and values of the school
Ability to work collaboratively and lead a team
Ability to maintain confidentiality with sensitive and confidential information.

St Michael's Prep School

HR Department

recruitment@stmichaels.kent.sch.uk

Otford Court
Row Dow
Otford
Kent
TN14 5RY

Safeguarding Information

St Michael's Prep School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and the successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced disclosure through the Disclosure and Barring Service and online digital presence checks if invited to interview.

Please ensure that all mandatory fields are completed otherwise you will not be able to progress with your application, and any changes may be lost.