Job Introduction
Teaching Assistant Sept 2025 - June 2026 Leading to an Apprentice Teacher (PGTA) - June 2026
Teaching Assistant - Sept 2025
From September 2025 you will work in the school as a Teaching Assistant (OCC Grade 6 pro-rota) and build up your confidence to work with small pupil groups, teach lessons, support class teachers and manage primary school pupils.
Learn how we teach and understand all of the policies and procedures of the school, a year to ground you in Church Cowley St James preparing for access to the Post Graduate Teaching Apprentice (PGTA) in year two. We will give you feedback throughout the year with regular catch ups and if we think you have gained the knowledge and skills to complete the course we will then help you to apply for the OTT SCITT PGTA in June 2026 at our school. Sometimes candidates may complete another year as a TA to help them maximise their chances of being successful as a PGTA student.
Apprentice Teacher - June 2026
From July 2026 once you pass the skills tests and meet the requirements of the application procedure, you will start The Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA). It is a salaried, employment-based route to QTS. You receive the benefit of being paid approx. £22,000 in your training year and having all of your course fees (£9,000) paid by the school through the Apprentice Levy.
We will fully support you through the course. The benefit to you is that CCSJ pay all of your salary, fees and you'll recieve high quality training and mentorship with our experienced teachers - there is NO cost to you.
We are looking to recruit two colleagues to the PGTA programme in June 2026.
The PGTA role is:
Suitable for individuals with classroom experience (you may already have this or you will get this during your first year with us), it combines practical, on-the-job training with tailored professional development.
The specific course requirements for your second year at CCSJ can be found here:
- OTT SCITT Website: www.ott-scitt.org.uk - information and guidance for applicants.
- You need to ensure that you meet the course requirements for PGTA in July 2026 before you apply for the Teaching Assistant role in September 2025.
The Course:
Church Cowley St James has a history of training teachers to be great practitioners, almost all of all those trained go on to teach at the school - several with now 10 years + experience are still teaching at the school.
● Duration: Minimum of 12 months, starts end of June 2026
● Salary: Minimum UQ1 scale (approx. £22,000 in 2026), course funded by CCSJ using Apprentice Levy.
● Mentoring Support: Weekly mentor meetings and one observation per week
● Second Placement: A six-week contrasting placement and ITAP period to broaden experience
● Completion: QTS awarded in July 2027, followed by a 3-month End Point Assessment (EPA) period
OTT SCITT being the provider;PGTA is Post Graduate Teaching Apprentice course.
Personal Attributes
You may have many years of experience in classes and want to take the next step in your career, be a recent graduate looking to go into the teaching profession or wish to have a career change. You need to hard working, positive and willing to receive and enact on feedback and meet all of the requirements of the PGTA SCITT course.
Salary & Benefits
Year One: Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) Grade 6 (approx £25,000 pro rata): Teaching Assistant in September 2025
Year Two: Post Graduate Teaching Apprentice (OTT SCITT), UQ1 (approx. £22,000 - actual) June 2026
We welcome you to look around our school. Please contact Kate Dew, Assistant Head for Inclusion to arrange a suitable time kdew@church-cowley-st-james.oxon.sch.uk
Please visit our website for more information https://churchcowley.com/Teaching-Assistant-2025-26-Postgraduate-Teaching-A/
Additional Application Instructions
Please complete an Oxfordshire County Council application form. This can be downloaded from our website. Completed applications should be emailed to kdew@church-cowley-st-james.oxon.sch.uk
The final date for applications is Sunday 29th June.
We will be interviewing applicants as they apply for positions and therefore may withdraw the position before the closing date.
Safer Recruitment
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.
Attached documents
