Midday Supervisory Assistant (MDSA) / Relief Learning Support Assistant (Relief LSA)

Overview

Due to the ever increasing number of pupils ,we are seeking enthusiastic and highly motivated people with warm personalities, to join the very friendly and supportive team at our all-age special school, for pupils with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties. We have 89 children on roll.

Midday Supervisory Assistants (MDSAs) may be required to work with pupils of any age and ability. Emotional and physical resilience, the ability to stay calm in challenging situations, patience and a good sense of humour are all very important.

Personal attributes

You may have skills already, or be keen to develop skills, in working with pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), including complex medical and health needs, and Autism.

You will have:

a flexible attitude
a positive approach
strong communication skills
enthusiasm about supporting pupils to develop their skills in:
- eating
- socialising
- playing
- communication (verbal and non-verbal, as appropriate)
enthusiasm to develop your own skills to use the school's strategies to support all pupils appropriately
the ability to work co-operatively and to develop positive relationships
patience
the ability to stay calm in challenging situations
emotional and physical resilience
a sense of humour

Salary

MDSA Pay Scale and Points: Grade 1, Point 2

MDSA Salary: £12.65 per hour

Relief LSA Pay Scale and Points: Grade 3, Point 4

Relief LSA Salary: £13.05 per hour

Contract Type and Working Hours

Required from: March 2026

Contract type:

Permanent (subject to a six-month probationary period).

Contracted working hours:

6 hours 40 minutes per week, 38 weeks per year, term time only.

This is broken down as 1 hour 20 minutes each day (12:00 – 13:20) Monday to Friday.

Additional hours:

You will be required to attend some statutory training sessions and/or meetings after school and on P.D. Days; for these occasions you would claim additional hours.

MDSAs may also have the opportunity to work additional hours as Relief Learning Support Assistants (Casual Contract). This can be any amount of hours over the course of a week assisting pupils in the classroom.

Location

Hillside Special School
Hitchcock Place
Sudbury
Suffolk
CO10 1NN

Job Description and Application Form

Closing date and how to apply

Closing Date: Friday 27th February 2026 at 10:00am

Interview Date: Thursday 12th March 2026 (all day including duration of lunch)

We actively encourage applicants to see our school in action before applying for vacancies. If this post is of interest to you and you would like to know more, please contact us via email to admin@hillside.suffolk.sch.uk including your full name and 'MDSA vacancy' in the subject line and we will be pleased to arrange a mutually convenient time for you to visit.

If you think you have the qualities to fulfil this role and you want to make a real contribution to our school, we would welcome an application from you. Please send your completed application form to admin@hillside.suffolk.sch.uk or in the post to Mrs. Lizzi Murphy, Headteacher, Hillside Special School, Hitchcock Place, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 1NN.

All applications must be made on an official application form. CVs cannot be accepted.

Job reference: MDSA Feb26

Hillside Special 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 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. It is also subject to a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and children’s barred list check. Our commitment to safeguarding is underpinned by robust processes and checks which are in place across the school.

We expect all candidates to have read the following two documents:

No recruitment agencies, thank you.