SEN Teaching Assistant

Tes is supporting the appointment of a passionate and dedicated Teaching Assistant and Learning Mentor with a genuine commitment to make a true impact by supporting neurodiverse pupils achieve positive outcomes in their education. You will provide the necessary support for pupils to engage in learning, and develop their social, employment and life skills. Teaching Assistants are resilient role models to young people.

You will support pupils with very complex neurodiverse needs, including Autism (ASC) and/or Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, who require intensive nurturing and therapeutic approaches to enable them to gain positive learning and social outcomes.

About the Group

This is an independent social enterprise, providing specialist therapeutic education; based in London, supporting exceptional neurodiverse children and young people aged 7 to 19 who have special educational needs and disabilities typically associated with autism, social emotional and mental health needs and associated disorders. Most of them will have experienced multiple placement breakdowns and significant trauma, often resulting in behaviour that challenges. On average pupils will have been excluded from other provisions up to three times before reaching us and had significant periods out of education.

Pupils learn at one of two independent day schools, within the Create or Home Learning service; Create in the Community and Create Learning Primary support the most complex and vulnerable pupils, with the East London and North West London locations supporting those who are able to access learning within a school environment. When they are ready, the group aim for pupils to step down from Create into one of the main schools or Sixth Form.

This role is based in an Ofsted Good rated day school specialising in the Arts, with all pupils encouraged to find and express their creativity and supported to achieve awards alongside traditional subjects

Essential requirements to be successful in the role are: 

• Hold Literacy and Numeracy qualifications at level two or above (or equivalent qualifications).    
• Recent experience of direct working with neurodiverse young people, including Autism (ASC) and/or Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH), with an understanding of the implications for behaviour and communication.
• Experience of engaging pupils with learning, through effective communication and full understanding of a pupil’s needs.    
• Ability to work independently and in a task-focused way as directed or guided, according to set targets drawn from pupil’s Individual Education Plan.
• Resilient, committed and a hard worker - able to keep going in the face of adversity and never giving up.
• Ability to work in a child focused way and support them and their families to have genuine voice and participation in meetings, decisions and choices with impact their own lives. 

In return the group offer: 

• Competitive salary and terms and conditions, including school holidays and consistent monthly pay.
• An opportunity to make a real difference and join a leading provider of specialist education, directly contributing towards positive outcomes for pupils with SEMH and ASC.
• Excellent CPD opportunities with all staff provided an individual Learning & Development Plan to support career development, including education qualifications at all levels (QTS / QTLS / NPQs) and options to take progressive Ofqual registered Level 3 – 5 qualifications in Therapeutic Education.
• Comprehensive induction process, including all pupil-facing staff supported in receiving the Level 3 Award in Therapeutic Education and Group Process.
• Regular half termly staff wellbeing days.
• A range of employee support and wellbeing benefits including an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), counselling and contributions towards medical costs and an exclusive rewards platform.

All applicants need to have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for the role.

By applying to this job advertisement you are providing consent for the Tes Recruitment team to propose and discuss your application with the employer.

Tes Recruitment Services (UK) represent Schools and Academies across the globe, supporting them to secure a great teacher/leader for every role. 

To learn more about this role please email managedrecruit@tes.com for an information pack that includes school name, role specifics and context. 

Please include REF: LC1777291 in the email subject line.