Teaching Assistant (Reception to Year 2) -Devonshire House Preparatory SchoolHampstead London

Start January or February 2025

Interviews to be confirmed.

We encourage you to apply before the closing date as we reserve the right to arrange interviews and close this advert before the closing date if we receive applications from exceptional candidates. We may close the vacancy earlier than the specified deadline if the right candidate is found.

School Context

Devonshire House is a large co-educational prep school (550 on roll) in Hampstead, North London. On the cusp of a transformational period of positive change, intent on offering an outstanding education in every sense for its pupils and their parents. The school has just acquired a fifth building, giving more scope for outdoor play and sport, as well as doubling specialist teaching room capacity. The values of the school are unashamedly traditional, whilst its outlook on teaching pedagogy is very much modern. Devonshire House aims to recruit the best teachers and leaders available and retain them by providing an attractive package and huge scope for career advancement. This is augmented by its engaged governance as part of Dukes Education, which promotes inter-school collaboration and collegiality.

Summary of the role

In this role we are seeking an enthusiastic and inspirational Teaching Assistant to support the class teacher in all aspects of educating our pupils, alongside other specialist teachers and other teaching assistants at Devonshire House School.

We are looking for an Early Years Teaching Assistant to work with Reception to Year 2.

The main focus is to support our class teachers to:

• provide a happy, stimulating environment in which our children can learn;
• prepare the classroom and all learning materials needed;
• work with children individually and in groups to support their learning;
• participate in the active assessment of the children’s learning;
• participate enthusiastically in all aspects of school life, including assemblies, break times, lunchtimes, story times, sport, music drama and our after school enrichment programme.
• work with all school staff to achieve educational and other goals for the pupils and the school
• attendance at staff meetings as reasonably required;
• run a before or afterschool enrichment session for the children.
• attendance at official staff development and training days in School;
• attendance and participation in official school events, including school fair, and other school events as required by out of normal school hours including evening events relevant to the year group in which you are working;
• any other reasonable duties as required to further the educational and business aims of the school;

Devonshire House Preparatory School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Devonshire House Preparatory School is an equal opportunities employer. If the candidate has lived in a country other than the UK for a period of 3 months or more since the age of 18, a foreign criminal policy check will be required irrespective of whether they worked in those countries. All applicants need to have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for the role.

In addition, the school may carry out an online search as part of our due diligence on the shortlisted candidates. This may help identify any incidents or issues that are publicly available online, which we want to explore with the applicant at interview. The online check forms part of the school’s wider safeguarding due diligence which aims to prevent and/or deter individuals who may be unsuitable to work with children from working in a school environment.

Devonshire House Preparatory School is situated in the heart of Hampstead. The School has five Victorian premises with charming grounds and walled gardens. The Early Years starts in the Oak Tree Nursery (ages 2 – 3 ½ ) and is based at 6 Arkwright Road.

Devonshire House School provides an excellent education for pupils from Nursery age through to Common Entrance for senior schools. It is a safe, warm and happy place providing interest, challenge, encouragement and understanding at every stage. The school pursues high academic standards whilst developing enthusiasm, initiative and a strong sense of personal responsibility. It is through these things that good self-esteem and confidence are built and it is with these that come generosity of spirit and fulfilment in life.