Many of our Teaching Assistants have progressed into roles such as Teachers, Assistant SENDCO, Assistant Head of Year, or moved into Health & Care, Social Work, or Educational Psychology.

‘I worked as a Teaching Assistant before becoming a Teacher, and it was a great experience!’ (MARK Education Trust Teacher testimonial)

Benefits

• Flexible working approach
• Staff recognition initiatives
• Eligibility to join the Local Government Pension Scheme/Teacher’s Pension Scheme
• Generous annual leave entitlement (support staff)
• Access to Wellbeing Support through our Employee Assistance Programme, which includes free confidential telephone and face-to-face counselling
• Opportunities to share your views through staff surveys and forums
• Eligibility to access Blue Light Card and discounts
• Discounted use of Gym & Exercise Classes at Uplands Academy
• Free parking available onsite or within close proximity to all our schools

About Beacon Academy

Beacon Academy is a split site, semi-rural, mixed 11-18 non-selective converter academy with approximately 1600 students, including over 300 students in our Sixth Form. We are situated centrally in Crowborough on the outskirts of the Ashdown Forest, an area of outstanding natural beauty. We are close to Tunbridge Wells and the south coast. The vast majority of our staff travel to Beacon from a variety of locations within the southeast, including Brighton, Eastbourne, Lewes, and Tunbridge Wells.

In September 2022, Beacon Academy, together with Uplands Academy in Wadhurst, became a member of the MARK Education Trust (formerly Beacon Community College Academy Trust). The acronym, MARK, was selected because staff who work in the Trust are motivated, ambitious, resourceful, and knowledgeable. We were pleased to expand our Trust further in September 2025 with the addition of Hailsham Academy. This continued growth reflects our shared commitment to educational excellence, collaboration, and supporting the success of all students across our Academies.

We work meticulously to secure a culture of unapologetically high expectations that are underpinned by our collective, uncompromising belief and ambition for our students, and for the experienced, loyal, highly skilled, and highly effective team of staff that teach them, allowing teachers to teach and students to learn in a school where leadership, management, behaviour, and welfare are all judged as outstanding. MARK Education Trust is committed to the development of both its staff and students.

For further details, please contact the Human Resources department on 01892 603000 or email cburgess@markeducationtrust.org. Please be advised that we do not accept curriculum vitae.

Safeguarding

MARK Education Trust (Beacon, Uplands, and Hailsham Academies) is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants.

NB: we advise applying promptly for this post as we reserve the right to close and interview early if sufficient suitable applications have been received.

Additional Information

The Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All staff will be expected to hold or be willing to obtain an enhanced DBS check or Enhanced check for Regulated Activity with the Disclosure & Barring Services (previously the Criminal Records Bureau). For further information about what is required in this process, please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-check-applicant-criminal-record.

All school-based staff have the responsibility for promoting the safeguarding and welfare of children. All school staff should be aware of the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and work in accordance with this document at all times.