Posted 12 days ago

Teaching Assistant

Aspris
Pay £12.6 per hour GBP per hour
Location Stoke-on-Trent

The Breakroom Take

5.7

Rated 5.7 out of 10, based on 73 employees who took the Breakroom Quiz

See all job reviews

  • People enjoy this job
  • Recommended by parents
  • Respectful managers

About Aspris

Aspris provide healthcare and specialist education services for adults and children.

Job description from Aspris

There is no better time to start a career within our Education team than now!
Would you like secure employment where you can progress your career?
If you would like to build a career that gives you a genuine sense of achievement and fulfilment knowing that you can have a positive impact on the young people we support, then look no further and apply today!

Strathmore College is recruiting for a Teaching Assistant to join our Education team now! We are looking for versatile, resilient and committed Learning Support Assistants, who can adapt their practice wherever necessary to support across all key stages. The successful candidate will work alongside the class teacher, assisting the children with their work and supporting with pupil behaviour while establishing good relationships with pupils, acting as a role model and responding to individual needs.

Our benefits include exclusive access to a reward and discount scheme, comprehensive induction, commitment to your ongoing training and career progression, pension scheme, paid for enhanced DBS, wellbeing support, cycle to work scheme and more!

Strathmore College is an SEN college for students aged 19 to 25.

This role will include:
  • Working in the college setting
  • Assisting Tutors and helping students.

This may involve working on-site or off-site accessing the community or on student work placements.

The working hours for this role are:
  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 8.45am-4pm
  • Wednesday: 8.30am-5pm

As part of Aspris Children’s Services, we are immensely proud of the career pathway and training we can offer you. As long as you can demonstrate the values needed for a role, transferable skills, and life experience, we will give you all the training and support you need to progress!

The successful candidate will have previous experience supporting in a classroom setting, a Level 2 qualification (or equivalent) which is appropriate to the teaching and learning environment of learners and young adults, along with the following characteristics:

  • Resilience: We support some of the most vulnerable children in society who have varying degrees of emotional behavioral difficulties, autism, ADHD, and associated difficulties so there will be times where your resilience is challenged.
  • Communication: Communicating with our young people is vital to understand their needs. Good teamwork and communication play a key part in ensuring important information is relayed to other staff.
  • Organisation: Strong organizational skills are important to support the class teacher and young people with educational activities.
  • Caring: Our young people require the best care we can offer. If you are a naturally caring and compassionate person, this is the role for you.
  • Attentive: No two tasks will be the same, so being attentive to understand them and identify areas where we can support is important.

Above all, we provide a supportive and collaborative working environment where you can flourish in your career and feel incredibly rewarded by helping those who need it most.

Aspris is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All applicants must be willing to undergo safeguarding screening appropriate to the post, including checks with the Disclosure & Barring Service and at least 2 references which cover the last 3 years; for all our services, we will request references from where you have worked with either Children or Vulnerable Adults. Please be advised that references may be requested prior to the interview for roles within our Schools.

Job insights from Breakroom

Teaching assistants

Teaching assistants support teachers and help children with their educational needs

What you’ll do as a teaching assistant:

  • Support teachers in the classroom
  • Support children with their educational needs
  • Be responsible for the health and safety of children
  • Listen, support and teach children

Is it right for you?

This job may involve:

  • Standing
  • Sitting
  • Physical activities
  • Using a computer
  • Emotionally demanding duties

Map

Stoke-on-Trent

A map of the rough location for this vacancy

What employees say

Pay

    Okay
  • Only some people are paid a living wage

    Do Aspris pay learning support assistants enough to live on?

    Some people are not paid a living wage.

    How we know this

    67% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone should be paid enough to live on.

    The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.

    The current rates are £12.60 per hour, and £13.85 per hour in London.

    Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.

  • Okay
  • Only some people are paid market rates

    Do Aspris pay learning support assistants market rates?

    Only some people are paid above average for their job.

    How we know this

    44% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.

    Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get paid breaks

    Do learning support assistants at Aspris get paid breaks?

    Sometimes. Only some people get paid breaks.

    How we know this

    40% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job should have paid breaks.

    You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get sick pay

    Do Aspris pay learning support assistants sick pay?

    No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.

    How we know this

    93% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.

    At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.

    This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.

  • Okay
  • Some people do unpaid extra work

    Do learning support assistants at Aspris do extra work that they don't get paid for?

    Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.

    How we know this

    60% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.

    Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.

Hours and flexibility

    Needs improving
  • Hard to book holiday

    How easy is it for learning support assistants to book a holiday at Aspris?

    Most people find it hard to book holiday.

    How we know this

    85% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.

    Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.

  • Okay
  • Some people find it hard to take sick leave

    How easy is it for learning support assistants to take sick leave at Aspris?

    Some people find it hard to take sick leave.

    How we know this

    36% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.

    Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.

    A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.

Workplace

    Okay
  • Only some people feel treated with respect

    Do learning support assistants at Aspris feel treated with respect by their managers?

    Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.

    How we know this

    43% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.

    Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get proper breaks

    Do learning support assistants at Aspris get proper breaks?

    Most people don’t get proper breaks.

    How we know this

    100% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.

    Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people are stressed

    Is it stressful for learning support assistants to work at Aspris?

    Most people feel stressed here.

    How we know this

    86% of people say they often feel stressed at work.

    Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.

    Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.

  • Good
  • Most people enjoy their job

    Do learning support assistants at Aspris enjoy their jobs?

    Most people enjoy their job.

    How we know this

    73% of people report they enjoy their job.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

  • Okay
  • Only some people recommend their team

    Do learning support assistants at Aspris recommend working with their team?

    Only some people recommend working with their team.

    How we know this

    38% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.

    Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job means enjoying the place where you work.

    The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.

    If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get enough training

    Do learning support assistants get enough training when they start at Aspris?

    Some people didn’t get enough training when they started.

    How we know this

    60% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.

    This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.

    It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get support to progress

    Are learning support assistants given support to progress at Aspris?

    Only some people are given support to progress here.

    How we know this

    In the last year, 67% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.

    This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.

  • Needs improving
  • Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening

    Do learning support assistants think Aspris head office understands what's happening where they work?

    Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.

    How we know this

    86% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.

    Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.

    To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t feel well informed by head office

    Do learning support assistants feel well informed about how Aspris is doing?

    Most people don’t feel well informed about how the company is doing.

    How we know this

    91% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.

    Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.

    Why this matters

    At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.

    You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.

Find out more about working at Aspris

What Aspris employees say about their job

  • Best thing

    The other TAs

    Worst thing

    Management and double standards (if your face fits)

    2.1

    Teaching assistant at Aspris, March 2025

  • Best thing

    Shifts
    The kids

    Worst thing

    Management
    The people
    The money

    7.1

    Employee at Aspris, January 2025

See more reviews
  • Best thing

    Rewarding sometimes

    Worst thing

    Getting injured, poor management, no appreciation

    4.2

    Teaching assistant at Aspris, October 2024

  • Best thing

    The people we work with

    Worst thing

    Hours

    2.6

    Team leader at Aspris, March 2024

  • Best thing

    The children

    Worst thing

    Unorganised, managerial issues, lack if staff

    2.5

    Senior support worker at Aspris, February 2024

  • Best thing

    The kids

    Worst thing

    Being forced to take a NVQ

    8.5

    Residential support worker at Aspris, November 2023

  • Best thing

    On the ground level, the places are good.

    Worst thing

    Like any care company, those at head office that get paid the big money don’t understand what happens with those on minimum wage.

    4.9

    Base tutor at Aspris, October 2023

  • Best thing

    Working with the young people

    Worst thing

    I feel under paid for the hours I have to do

    6.4

    Support worker at Aspris, July 2023

  • Best thing

    My colleagues
    The service users

    Worst thing

    The pay
    Lack of communication from management

    3.3

    Learning support assistant at Aspris, September 2022

  • Best thing

    It’s rewarding

    Worst thing

    Hours/shifts, shift patterns, poor overtime rates, poor sleepin rates, lack of gratitude from managment

    2.0

    Senior support worker at Aspris, May 2022

  • More reviews from Aspris employees

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