Apprentice Teaching Assistant
Talbot Specialist School
Sheffield (S8 9JP)
Closes in 24 days (Saturday 28 March 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 4 March 2026
Contents
Summary
If you are looking to build a career within a specialist school setting, then this is the perfect opportunity to launch your career. We are currently seeking enthusiastic apprentice Teaching Assistants who have a desire to work with young people with Severe and Complex Learning Difficulties and/or ASD.
- Wage
-
£12,759.50 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Teaching assistant (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday – Friday 8:30am start, 3:40pm finish (Friday 8:45am start) – once a fortnight, one day 4:30pm finish to allow for training.
32 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 13 April 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
3
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Do you have:
- Desire to work with young people with Severe and Complex Learning Difficulties and/or ASD
- The ability to work with other staff teams and agencies as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Good communication and interpersonal skills and a positive outlook
If you are the type of person who fits with our culture, you will love working here, and we will offer you:
- The opportunity to work with our amazing students and their families to have a real impact on their lives
- Support and leadership from highly experienced senior and middle leaders
- On-going professional development (including Moving and Handling, Makaton and Team Teach - Positive Handling Strategies)
- A committed and enthusiastic team who work together to find solutions
Each day will be different; however, the main duties will remain the same and you will be required to:
Provide support for pupils:
- Attend to their personal needs
- Build positive relationships and interact with pupils
- Promote the inclusion & acceptance of all pupils
Provide support for the teacher:
- Assist with the display of pupils' work in the classroom
- Assist with the learning activities
- Promote good pupil behaviour
- Provide admin support
Support for the curriculum:
- Support the use of IT in learning activities
- Develop pupils’ competence & independence in its use
- Prepare, maintain & use equipment/resources required to meet the lesson plans/relevant learning activity & assist pupils in their use
Support for the school:
- Be aware & comply with policies & procedures relating to child protection, health & safety, confidentiality & data protection
- Contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the school
- Attend & participate in relevant meetings as required
- Participate in training & other learning activities and performance
- Accompany teaching staff and pupils on visits, trips and out-of-school activities
Where you'll work
Talbot Specialist school
Lees Hall Road
Sheffield
S8 9JP
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL
Training course
Teaching assistant (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Apply strategies to support and encourage the development of independent learners.
- Adapt communication strategies for the audience and context.
- Apply behaviour management strategies in line with organisational policy.
- Adapt resources to support all learners.
- Communicate with teachers to ensure clarity of the TA’s role.
- Apply teaching strategies to deliver learning activities or interventions.
- Build relationships with learners, teachers, other professionals and stakeholders.
- Comply with legislation, guidance, and procedures for Prevent, safeguarding and health & safety.
- Support the well-being and mental health of learners.
- Observe, record, and report on learners in line with organisational procedures.
- Apply methods of formative assessment.
- Use up to date technology safely, to support learning.
- Encourage safe use of technology by learners.
- Adapt teaching strategies to support all learners (for example, scaffolding, open questioning).
- Identify and respond to pastoral and academic behaviours in learners.
- Provide feedback to learners.
- Apply strategies to support and encourage the development of independent learners.
- Adapt communication strategies for the audience and context.
- Apply behaviour management strategies in line with organisational policy.
- Adapt resources to support all learners.
- Communicate with teachers to ensure clarity of the TA’s role.
- Apply teaching strategies to deliver learning activities or interventions.
- Build relationships with learners, teachers, other professionals and stakeholders.
- Comply with legislation, guidance, and procedures for Prevent, safeguarding and health & safety.
- Support the well-being and mental health of learners.
- Observe, record, and report on learners in line with organisational procedures.
- Apply methods of formative assessment.
- Use up to date technology safely, to support learning.
- Encourage safe use of technology by learners.
- Adapt teaching strategies to support all learners (for example, scaffolding, open questioning).
- Identify and respond to pastoral and academic behaviours in learners.
- Provide feedback to learners.
Training schedule
Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship Standard:
- Level 2 functional skills in maths and English (if required)
- The apprenticeship will be delivered through a day-release programme at our training centre in Sheffield to support the learning in the workplace
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English Language (grade 4)
- Maths (grade 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- caring & compassionate
Other requirements
Due to the nature of the working environment, the role will be very varied, challenging & demanding, however it will also be highly rewarding. You will need to support students with personal care (including toileting, feeding, changing) and you will need to get in the hydrotherapy pool to support students with their therapy. You will need to be physically fit and emotionally resilient. You will be supported by an amazing team and will be given all the training necessary to fulfil your role.
About this employer
Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of our students and their families?
We are expanding our staffing team to better meet the needs of our amazing students and have some exciting opportunities to become part of our highly skilled and supportive staff team. We are looking to appoint inspirational and energetic practitioners who are willing to go above and beyond to support our students and their families to achieve:
‘Beyond Expectations’
Talbot Specialist School is a recently inspected good school for students aged 11-19 with Cognition and Learning Difficulties – including emotional needs, behavioural needs, profound and complex learning difficulties and autism. We are based in the South of Sheffield, serving approximately 250 young people and their families from across the city. Situated on the same site as Newfield School, we offer high quality facilities which enable our students to be as independent and prepared as possible to have purposeful and fulfilled adult lives. We actively seek opportunities to promote inclusion and work closely with outside organisations and other Sheffield Special Schools.
After this apprenticeship
- On successful completion of the apprenticeship the candidate may have the opportunity to apply for a permanent role should a vacancy arise
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL
Tony Robinson
tony.robinson@sheffield.gov.uk
07917067388
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000019174.
Apply now
Closes in 24 days (Saturday 28 March 2026 at 11:59pm)