Teaching Assistant (Years 3 & 4)

Job Introduction

Required for: September 2026

Location: Vincent Square - Westminster Under School

Contract: Full-time (term-time only), permanent

Hours of Work: 8.00am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (term-time only) with 30 minutes unpaid lunch break. 

Salary: £25,124.62 (actual) equating to a full-time equivalent of £33,548.76 per annum. This is a term-time only role.

Benefits of Working at Westminster Under School

• Free school lunches when on site
• Generous School pension scheme
• Private medical insurance (opt-in)
• Free access to the School’s leisure facilities, including a fitness gym (restricted hours)
• Access to the School’s Cycle to Work Scheme and season ticket loans following completion of the standard probation period

Deadline for applications is 09:00 on Tuesday 28th April 2026. Interviews will take place in-person shortly after the closing date.

We are looking for a bright, caring and positive individual who enjoys working with children and who will relish the opportunity to help with the pastoral and academic development of our able pupils.

The successful candidate will be part of a friendly team supporting three Year 3 co-educational forms (20 pupils per class) and two Year 4 all boy forms (22 pupils per class). They will enjoy being involved in all aspects of busy school life and work closely with teachers to support pupils both in the classroom and more broadly within the school community.

The Teaching Assistant will help teachers with lesson preparation and provide extra support for pupils, both individually and within small groups. Outside of lessons, the Teaching Assistant will supervise pupils at break and lunch times and on educational visits. They will also fulfil a range of administrative tasks, such as creating displays and preparing inspiring and engaging resources.

Westminster Under School is a supportive and inspiring working environment, with exceptionally motivated pupils and teachers.

This is an exciting time to join the Under School as we prepare to become a fully co-educational school for children aged four to 13 from September 2026. The Year 3 cohort supported by this role will be among the first co-educational year groups in what has historically been a boys’ school. The successful candidate will therefore play an important role in helping to foster a positive, inclusive and supportive classroom environment as the school welcomes girls and further develops its co-educational culture.

Role Requirements

Supporting the Learning of Pupils

• Support pupils’ learning by assisting Junior teachers in the classroom.   
• Assist with the preparation of materials for lessons, including setting up classroom equipment and resources. 
• Help to maintain an orderly, well-organised classroom environment.
• Provide additional support to pupils who need help completing tasks, both individually and within small groups.
• Assist with basic marking and feedback on pupils’ work where appropriate.

Supporting the Class Teachers

• Assist with classroom administrative tasks, such as labelling books and trays, organising resources and ordering supplies.
• Liaise regularly with class teachers to support lesson delivery and pupil development.
• Assist with the preparation and display of pupils’ work around the classroom and school.
• Support staff and pupils on school trips, outings, drama productions and school events, some of which may occasionally take place in the evenings.
• Support Junior pupils more generally, including helping them to develop organisation, independence and confidence, as well as providing appropriate pastoral support.
• Contribute positively to the development of a welcoming and inclusive co-educational environment for pupils.
• Undertake any other tasks as may reasonably be required by the Head of Juniors.

Playground Supervision

• Supervise pupils in accordance with school policies and procedures, including playground and lunchtime supervision and during school break times.
• Liaise with the Day Matron and First Aiders to support any first aid or minor medical needs as necessary.

Holidays

This is a term-time only post (including INSET days) and holidays are therefore taken during the School’s main holiday periods.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender identity, sex or sexual orientation.

Safeguarding and Child Protection

Westminster Under School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Working at Westminster Under School

Westminster Under School is a busy, purposeful and vibrant place to be and an excellent workplace. The community is made up of around 292 pupils, 43 teaching staff and 50 support staff.

Westminster Under School is a friendly and welcoming place to work. There is a real sense of community here and staff members quickly become part of the rhythm of life, both inside and outside the classroom. Social events are regular and varied, with plenty of opportunity to socialise outside working hours. Support staff as much as teaching staff are encouraged to embrace the School’s day-to-day activities, whether that be attending a concert or a sports fixture.

At Westminster we will always select the best candidate for every position. We do know, however, that we can only truly choose the best person on every occasion if a broad and diverse pool of candidates see the job advertised and are encouraged to apply.

As such, we continue to work on how our job roles are encountered, and particularly welcome applications from groups who have traditionally been underrepresented here.

Westminster Under School is for everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. We hope you are encouraged to apply.

The School

Westminster Under School is a happy, ambitious, nurturing and inspiring world-class preparatory education for seven to 13 year olds. Pupils who love to learn are offered a supportive, dynamic and inspirational environment to fuel their curiosity. 

Located in the heart of London, the School overlooks the beautiful school playing fields in Vincent Square and is just a few moments’ walk from Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. It is closely connected to Westminster School; in 1943, Westminster expanded its educational scope by forming the Under School, and the two schools share the same Governing Body and the same ethos of a liberal education. 

Westminster Under School's curriculum is broad and diverse, aiming to foster a sense of wonder and inquisitiveness in children and encourage independent thought. The teaching programme goes above and beyond the National Curriculum and teachers are not tightly bound by syllabus. Pupils are taught a wide range of subjects by expert teachers who embrace opportunities for growth and promote diverse thinking, and who encourage them to ask questions about the world around them. 

While the School's standard of our education is of the highest quality, the School’s focus is not only on academic achievement. Westminster pupils receive a full and rounded education that includes sport, the arts and many opportunities to engage in community outreach; pupils frequently take part in concerts, plays and in both internal and external competitions, and the School hosts festivals and events throughout the year. Like its older counterpart, Westminster Under School is fully committed to each pupil’s spiritual, moral, emotional and physical development and wellbeing – with a particular emphasis on drawing out individual talent wherever it lies – and to prepare young people for fulfilled private and public lives.

From September 2026, Westminster Under School will have opened its brand new pre-prep for girls and boys at 4+ and girls will have joined boys in Years 3 and 7, at the 7+ and 11+ entry points. By 2030, with the introduction of girls into Year 9 at Westminster School in 2028, all year groups across the two schools, from ages four to 18, will be fully co-educational, reflecting the School’s dedication to inclusivity and excellence.