Higher Level Teaching Assistant - HLTA (Maidstone) - Term Time - Special Needs Position

Five Acre Wood School, Maidstone

• Ref:KCC886-7056-862S
• Posted:15/01/2026
• Pay:KSE (Actual salary is £24,226.00 inc. SEN)
• Start Date:Immediate
• App Close Date:02/02/2026 at 10:00
• Interviews:TBC

Advert

An inspirational Higher Level Teaching Assistant is required at this very special school. This is a varied and rewarding role, working across a range of classes and age groups to support pupils with additional needs.

The successful candidate will play a key role in maintaining continuity of learning by planning, delivering, and leading lessons during teacher absence, as well as supporting teaching and learning alongside class teachers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead whole-class lessons across different classes when the teacher is absent
• Plan, prepare, and adapt learning activities to meet the needs of pupils
• Support pupils’ academic, social, emotional, and behavioural development
• Work flexibly across the school, responding to the needs of different classes and learners
• Assist with assessment, recording progress, and providing feedback
• Support behaviour management in line with school policies
• Work collaboratively with teachers, therapists, and other support staff
• Ensure a safe, inclusive, and nurturing learning environment at all times

The Ideal Candidate Will Have

• HLTA qualification or equivalent experience and willingness to work towards one
• Experience working with children or young people with special educational needs
• Confidence in leading lessons and managing a classroom independently
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• The ability to adapt teaching approaches to suit a wide range of needs
• A calm, patient, and resilient approach
• A strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting pupil wellbeing

The working hours are either 8:00am-3.30pm or 8.30am-4.00pm, term time only, Monday to Friday. 

In addition to your salary, SEN allowance and pension benefits, we have excellent additional staff benefits including:

• Employee Assistance Programme and confidential staff counselling service
• A wellbeing app and platform
• Discounted gym membership
• Annual flu vaccinations

 Although the advert has a close date, applications may be shortlisted and interviews held sooner.

You will benefit from opportunities for further professional development and career progression as we value and support staff in all aspects of school life. The successful candidate will also have a strong commitment to inclusive principles and be committed to safeguarding children and young people.

We are an innovative school and have worked on a number of unique projects to provide pupils with unique and diverse learning opportunities. This includes our train carriage café, coffee roastery, shop, lifeboat that is used as a counselling space, aeroplane which has been converted to a library, soft-play bus and radio station. We have also released a number of music singles and videos and hold an annual music festival. It may need to be seen to be believed! Please click this link to view our videos:

https://www.youtube.com/@FiveAcreWoodRecords

Five Acre Wood is committed to the safeguarding of all its pupils, you will therefore be subject to an enhanced disclosure process. As part of our responsibility for safeguarding, in addition to the Kent policy of one employment and one personal reference, the school will request additional employment references. The school will also, as outlined in Keeping children Safe in Education 2025, complete an online search for shortlisted candidates.

Information about the school

Five Acre Wood is an “Outstanding", forward looking school with an international reputation. We are ambitious for our pupils, and we pride ourselves on working with many leaders in the field of special education.

We play an important role in our community and enjoy strong local links which give our pupils opportunities to play active and meaningful roles in their own communities.

We are an innovative school and have worked on a number of unique projects to provide pupils with unique and diverse learning opportunities. These include; FAWrient Express café in a train carriage, giving pupils hands-on experience in hospitality training; 7FAW7 - a library inside a real plane fuselage designed to meet the diverse needs of our pupils; FAWtilus - a dedicated counselling space for pupils and staff; FAWbulous Bus - a soft-play facility that also teaches pupils how to safely board a bus; Platform FAW - our new coffee roastery where pupils can learn to roast and bag their own coffee; Peggy’s FAWtique - a shop space where pupils can develop valuable sales techniques; Radio FAW All - our very own radio station, which offers pupils exciting opportunities to get involved in radio broadcasting and research; FAW Records - our own record label. We have released a number of singles and music videos; Five Acre Woodstock Festival - our annual festival created especially for pupils to experience the sights, sounds and atmosphere of a real performance.

It may need to be seen to be believed! Please click this link to view our videos: https://www.youtube.com/@FiveAcreWoodRecords

Five Acre Wood is committed to the safeguarding of all its pupils, you will therefore be subject to an enhanced disclosure process. As part of our responsibility for safeguarding, in addition to the Kent policy of one employment and one personal reference, the school will request additional employment references.

Job Contact Information

• Name:Nicola Devereux
• Address:Boughton Lane, Maidstone , Kent, ME15 9QF
• Telephone: (01622) 743925
• Email: hr@five-acre.kent.sch.uk

Fax: 01622 744828

Documents

Below are documents that have been added to this vacancy.

• HLTA job description