KS1 Teaching Assistant
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
Year 1 Teaching Assistant – Thornton – September Start
Teaching Personnel is currently seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Year 1 Teaching Assistant to join a welcoming primary school in Thornton from September 2026.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a supportive and proactive TA who is passionate about helping children thrive in the early stages of their education. The successful candidate will work closely with the class teacher to support learning and development across the classroom.
The Role:- Supporting pupils within a Year 1 classroom
- Assisting with phonics sessions and early literacy development
- Providing general classroom support and helping to maintain a positive learning environment
- Working with small groups and individual pupils where required
- Supporting behaviour management and pupil engagement
- Have previous experience working within a primary school setting
- Have knowledge of phonics programmes (beneficial but not essential)
- Be patient, nurturing, and enthusiastic
- Be able to build positive relationships with pupils and staff
- Hold an enhanced DBS on the update service or be willing to obtain one
There is also the opportunity for the successful applicant to start before the end of the summer term should they be available sooner.
If you are looking for a rewarding role within a supportive school environment, we would love to hear from you.
All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ’s on the Teaching Personnel website for details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.
Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer all our registered candidates FREE child protection and prevent duty training. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.
For details of our privacy policy, please visit the Teaching Personnel website.
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your KS1 and Year 1 experience prominently as this role specifically targets early years foundation stage transition
📊 Quantify your phonics support: "Supported 8 pupils through Phase 2-3 phonics, improving reading confidence by 40%"
🌐 Emphasise your enhanced DBS status and safeguarding training as these are mandatory requirements
🎯 Showcase small group and individual pupil support experience as the advert specifically mentions this requirement
🤝 Demonstrate your ability to build positive relationships with both pupils and teaching staff in primary settings
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Supported 12 Year 1 pupils through daily phonics sessions, achieving 85% pass rate in Phase 2-3 assessments within one term
- •Managed behaviour interventions for 6 individual pupils using positive reinforcement strategies, reducing classroom disruptions by 60%
- •Collaborated with 3 class teachers to deliver small group literacy support, helping 15 pupils improve reading levels by 2 stages
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Letter preview — tailored to Teaching Personnel
Dear Hiring Manager,
Teaching Personnel's Year 1 Teaching Assistant position in Thornton perfectly matches my passion for early years education and my experience with KS1 phonics support and classroom management.
My background in primary education has equipped me with the patience and nurturing approach essential for Year 1 pupils, particularly during their crucial transition into formal learning. I have extensive experience supporting phonics sessions and early literacy development, working with both small groups and individual pupils to ensure every child reaches their potential.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How would you support a Year 1 pupil struggling with Phase 2 phonics?
- ›What strategies do you use for early literacy development in KS1?
- ›How do you adapt your support for different learning styles in Year 1?
- ›What experience do you have with phonics programmes like Read Write Inc or Letters and Sounds?
- ›How would you support behaviour management in a Year 1 classroom?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you helped a reluctant learner engage with phonics
- ›Describe a situation where you had to adapt your approach for an individual pupil
- ›Give an example of how you've built positive relationships with young children
- ›Tell me about a challenging behaviour situation you've managed in KS1
- ›Describe how you've worked collaboratively with a class teacher
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you helped a reluctant learner engage with phonics
Describe how you've worked collaboratively with a class teacher