Early Years Learning Support Assistant – Level 3

Walkergate Community School is seeking to appoint a Level 3 Learning Support Assistant to collaborate closely with our teaching and senior colleagues in our wonderful Early Years provision. You will work in our 2-3 year old provision alongside the class teacher and lead a key worker group independently.

We are looking for a colleague who has:

• Level 3 Early Years qualification, approved as full and relevant by the DfE.
• Experience of working in a school environment or Early Years setting.
• An ability to develop good relationships with children and to work with them to help promote high standards of behaviour and co-operation.
• The ability to work with minimal supervision and use their own initiative, whilst also working well as part of a team.

Applicants must hold a qualification that meets the approved ‘full and relevant’ criteria for Early Years qualifications and inclusion in staffing ratios. You can find out more about whether your qualifications meets the Department for Education requirements here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-qualifications-achieved-in-england

The post is part time, 13 hours per week, Thursday – Friday 8:20-3:20pm, fixed term until 31st August 2026 and term time only plus 5 training days.

Interested in finding out more? Please contact Faye Waterhouse on 0191 820 4611 to find out more information about this exciting opportunity.

At Walkergate Community School, we strive to provide the best possible education catering for every child’s individual needs. We celebrate the individual talents of our pupils and it is our job to build upon these and encourage new opportunities by providing a broad, well balanced and creative curriculum.

Our school is one of eight primary and secondary schools within the NEAT Academy Trust family of schools. At the heart of our trust is the aim to nurture, educate, achieve and transform the lives of all young people within the communities we serve across the North East. We have a national research school, which aims to build and strengthen networks of schools throughout the region and help them access effective education research and implement it in everyday practice.

In return we offer:

• Great opportunities for continuing professional development and a career pathway across our trust.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), delivered by Health Assured – the UK and Irelands leading wellbeing provider.
• National living Wage, meaning everyone at NEAT Academy Trust receives a minimum hourly wage of £12.60 per hour.
• Cycle to work scheme offering savings on a range of bikes and safety equipment via salary sacrifice.
• Access to free eyes tests for DSE users.
• Opportunities for flexible working. Discounts for large national retailers and local businesses in a wide range of categories including holidays, cars, days out, fashion, insurance and much more.
• Membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme or Local Government Pensions Scheme which the trust also contributes to on your behalf.
• Recognition of previous service with other schools, academies, local government etc.
• Family friendly schemes such as maternity, paternity, shared parental and emergency dependent leave.

Interested in applying? If you would like to join us and feel you could thrive here, then please read the accompanying Job Description and Person Specification and complete an application form by clicking ‘apply now’ no later than midnight on Tuesday 20th January 2026.

Click here to apply

NEAT is committed to safer recruitment practice and promoting the welfare of children and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and a satisfactory Enhanced DBS from the Disclosure and Barring Service is required as part of pre-employment checks. For shortlisted candidates, we will conduct an online search as part of our screening.