Hiring: SEND Secondary Classroom Teaching Assistant

25th November 2025Website Admin

Hiring: SEND Secondary Classroom Teaching Assistant

Required for: ASAP

Hours and Pay: Monday-Friday,  8am-4pm, competitive salary.

We are looking for a highly motivated and dynamic individual for a Secondary Teaching Assistant role at Gesher. As a Teaching Assistant you will work collaboratively with teaching staff to deliver an inclusive, engaging, and nurturing educational experience rooted in our relational ethos and commitment to Project-Based Learning (PBL). You will support the holistic development of the individual pupil both in and outside the classroom, helping them grow as confident, independent learners and active members of the school community.

The post holder will:
  • Work under the instruction and guidance of teaching staff to implement agreed programmes of work with the individual pupil, in or out of the classroom
  • Provide care and support for the pupil, to ensure their safety and well-being
  • Encourage enjoyment, enthusiasm, and independence in learning
  • Contribute to the development of confident, caring pupils who show a sense of responsibility and pride in themselves and the school
  • Assist in the provision of a welcoming, stimulating environment
  • Assist in the smooth running of the school
  • Have access to a wide range of CPD across the school to support growth and self development which can be applied in classrooms

Gesher School is a unique all-through school providing a specialist, meaningful and functional learning environment for young people with special educational needs. This includes language, communication and social pragmatic difficulties. We have a specialism in autism spectrum challenges (ASC).

Young people are at the heart of Gesher School, where we foster a sense of belonging and community. Our school offers a happy, safe, friendly, and stimulating environment in which young people are supported to learn, interact and have fun. We believe that all young people have the potential to achieve, but that every child is individual and requires a tailored, young person-centred approach to learning.

The Gesher approach is warm, friendly and nurturing. Emotional health and resilience, developing young people’s independence and learning, is at the core of our vision.

At Gesher we provide:

  • Opportunities that enable young people to thrive as we want our children to be ambitious about achieving their full potential
  • A collaborative learning team around every young person to support each young person’s learning needs and maximise meaningful learning opportunities
  • A therapeutic team that works together with families to nurture and support young people’s emotional, social, and academic development
  • A partnership with families to improve the lives and life chances of young people with SEND by ensuring that they are healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and experience the wider community

Being part of our learning community, you will be able to use your creativity and shape the way our school provides excellent learning opportunities for our young people.

For further information, please visit www.gesherschool.com.

To apply, please complete an application which can be found here.

Please, complete and return your application to [email protected]. CVs will not be accepted.

Interviews will be organised on a rolling basis. This ad may be withdrawn as a suitable candidate is identified.

Diversity is a core value of Gesher School.  We believe the power of diversity enriches all of us by exposing us to a range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions. As such, we actively encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to apply for roles at our school. 

Gesher School is committed to safeguarding young people and staff. Successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Autism Is Not Political – It’s Human

17th October 2025Website Admin

Autism Is Not Political – It’s Human

by Danielle Petar – Assistant Headteacher: Inclusion/SENDCo at Gesher

Like many people working in education and in the wider neurodiverse community, I was dismayed to hear recent comments by global political administrations linking autism to the use of Tylenol (paracetamol) during pregnancy. These claims have been strongly refuted by experts across the world.

Over the years, we’ve seen far too many myths about autism and other neurotypes such as ADHD—many of which have thankfully been debunked. But the persistence of misinformation is damaging. It undermines science, years of research, and, most importantly, the tireless work of the autistic community who have fought to break down stereotypes and have their voices heard.

Prominent autistic content creators spoke to Sky News after the claims went viral. Chelsea Webster, founder of The Autism Support Group, warned that such comments risk shifting the narrative around autism—from one of support and understanding to one that promotes fear and avoidance of diagnosis.

This is a dangerous path—one that views autism as something to “cure” or “eradicate.” As Ellie Middleton, autistic author and content creator, powerfully stated:

“I can’t take my autism out of me and have it fixed.”

Her words remind us that being autistic is not separate from who a person is—it’s how they think, feel, and process the world. It’s intrinsic to identity and should be recognised and valued, not “fixed” or “treated.”

This highlights the importance of understanding autism through the voices of those with lived experience. We should amplify autistic voices, not speak over them.

At Gesher, we hold that belief at the heart of everything we do. Our community—students, staff, families, and governors—celebrates the richness of neurodiversity. Every neurotype, whether neurotypical or neurodivergent, brings something valuable to our collective experience.

As part of our ongoing commitment to inclusion, all staff receive regular training throughout the year to deepen their understanding of neurodivergence. This training is delivered by people with lived experience—voices who can speak authentically about their strengths and needs. Whether through listening to our students, colleagues, or guest speakers, we ensure our learning is guided by those who truly know what it means to be neurodivergent.

This work extends to our students too. At Gesher, we support young people to understand who they are, find their voice, and advocate for themselves—first within school, and later as adults in the wider world.

So, what can we all do?

We can listen. We can learn. And we can give young people the tools and space to do the same—to be proud of who they are, to speak up for themselves, and to know we will always be their champions.

Ofsted rates Gesher School as Outstanding in every area for the third time

30th September 2025Website Admin

Pupils excel at this exceptional school.

We are thrilled to announce that Ofsted has for the third time rated us as Outstanding in every area. Inspectors highlighted that “pupils excel at this exceptional school,” acknowledging the highly personalised and holistic support we provide for our students. This achievement is a testament to the incredible dedication of our staff and the hard work of our students, as well as the strong relationships we foster with our parents and the wider community.

The inspectors noted, “the school has developed an ambitious curriculum that expertly meets the varied needs of its pupils.”

We’re proud that the report reflected our Project-Based Learning approach, stating that “most subjects are taught through well-considered projects that engage and excite the pupils”, and noting how our projects “offer real-world contexts and practical experiences, helping our students develop crucial language and communication skills”.

We believe every child deserves an outstanding school experience; a huge thank you goes out to everyone in our community who has supported us on this journey so we can make this happen.