School support staff roles

Types of support staff jobs

These vary depending on the exact needs of the school. Each school decides on their own job titles, which appear when vacancies are advertised.

Technical jobs:

Technicians eg in science, ICT, Design and Technology
Caretakers, site supervisors
Librarians
Administrators
Finance assistants
School bursars
Cleaners (sometimes schools may be part of a wider contract)
Caterers (sometimes schools may be part of a wider contract)

Supporting teaching and learning roles:
These can be based inside or outside the classroom, can include work with whole classes, small groups or even 1-2-1 sessions with pupils or students. For example:

Classroom assistant or Teaching assistant (TA)
Supporting children with special needs or Learning Support Assistant (LSA)
Nursery nurses
Higher level teaching assistants, including specialist subjects or Key Stages
Cover supervisors
Pastoral support

Other roles:

Lunch time supervisors (or SMSAs)
Welfare assistants
Exam invigilators
Gardeners (sometimes schools may be part of a wider contract)
Cleaners (sometimes schools may be part of a wider contract)
Clerks to governing bodies

Remember
There will be other roles; new ones are being created as schools continue to develop.

Term time only jobs
Term time jobs are very popular. To improve your chances think about gaining a relevant qualification through a local college or gaining some relevant work experience, paid or unpaid, with the age range of pupils/students you want to work with. Talk to college staff about the options. Please expect to be police checked (Criminal Records Bureau cleared).