Special Needs Teaching Assistant
Contract: Permanent
Closing date for applications: 29 June 2026, 12.00pm
TEACHING ASSISTANTS – PCD5 + Allocation of 70 JWC’s.
PG No 4961 – Final Salary: £28598 - £29540 (Pro-Rata)
32 ½ Hours weekly / over 39 weeks (i.e. Term Time + 1 week in service training).
The school is seeking to appoint a number of full time suitably qualified, enthusiastic and skilled teaching assistants to work with our amazing young people. We are a special needs school with pupils with severe and complex learning difficulties.
An opportunity is available to join our outstanding team. Mayfield school is an amazing school with a creative and inspirational curriculum. We provide amazing opportunities and experiences for our young people and it is a fantastic school to be part of.
Mayfield offers many opportunities for continuing professional development.
To apply, please complete the application form only CV’s WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED and return these to recruitment@mayfield.cumbria.sch.uk
Mayfield School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff to share this commitment.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; pre-employment checks will be carried out, references will be sought and successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and other relevant pre-employment checks; including health and identity.
Interviews – 3rd and/or 6th July, 2026
Other Information
Mayfield is a unique special school located on the West Coast of the Lake District. The school now operates across two sites, with the main campus in Whitehaven and a second site in Cockermouth which supports our sixth form and Year 11 pupils.
The Whitehaven site has been transformed as part of the new development, Campus Whitehaven, which represents a 32-million-pound investment in the future of Education and Community facilities for West Cumbria.
The school offers amazing learning spaces and is purpose built to meet the needs of a wide range of pupils. The bespoke design has created the best possible learning environment with spacious classrooms and a wide range of specialist facilities across both sites.
The design was developed around the best examples from schools around the country and the result is exceptional. Careful preparation and involvement ensured that pupils made the transition exceptionally well and continue to respond positively to the opportunities for learning available across the two sites. Pupils are very proud of their school communities.
Spacious classrooms have been created with small group rooms, mobility equipment bays, storage, cloakrooms and toilet access.
Each room has a full coverage hoist system linking directly into the assisted changing rooms. This means that staff time can be focused on learning.
The specialist facilities are state of the art and the school is everything that was hoped for and more.
Including:
Hydrotherapy Pool – excellent changing facilities (hoist access into the water)
Rebound Therapy Room
Low Impact Gym
Library – a home for sensory stories, fiction and non-fiction promoting a love of reading
Food Technology Room
Therapists Room
Medical Room
Family Room
Life Skills Flat
Relaxation room with acoustic water bed
Project Spaces
Soft play
Traditional Sensory room and Immersive Room
The Whitehaven campus-wide facilities are open to the community outside school hours and increase participation in sport and accessibility for all.
Mayfield is one of 3 special schools in Cumberland and meets the needs of pupils aged 4–19 years. The school population has risen from 87 to 274 in the last 8 years and there continues to be a strong demand for places.
All pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan reflecting either severe or profound learning needs or additional needs. Co-existing conditions are typical and 54% of pupils have a diagnosis of ASD.
The school was deemed Outstanding by Ofsted in November 2023, recognising the high aspirations and achievements of the pupils.
There is a positive culture of reflection and development throughout the school following the “Everyone Thinking, Everyone Learning” vision.
Mayfield staff and governors are relentless in the pursuit of excellence for all and use the latest research, information technologies and strategies available to unlock the potential of every learner.
The school strives to lead the way in learning for pupils with special educational needs. Mayfield has close links to the Local Authority and works in partnership with many organisations to improve outcomes for pupils across the locality.
The school has an established team of highly skilled staff. The school is strongly committed to the MOVE (Movement Opportunities via Education) programme and is accredited as a MOVE Centre of Excellence.
Team Teach is the approach used for behaviour management and all staff are trained as a priority. There are five trainers across the school. Mayfield is well supported and has a high profile in the local community, with the expansion to a second site in Cockermouth further enhancing opportunities for older pupils and post-16 provision.