Graduate Semh Teaching Assistant

Teaching Personnel; Stretford; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive weekly pay

Full-time and long-term opportunities

Access to CPD courses

Dedicated support from a specialist

Job summary

Teaching Personnel is recruiting for a Graduate SEMH Teaching Assistant to work full-time in a Pupil Referral Unit in Salford. You will support pupils with SEMH needs, help them access learning, and work closely with teachers and pastoral teams to implement support plans.

This role suits recent graduates aiming to enter education, psychology, youth work or SEN support. Experience is not essential; a passion for helping young people and a willingness to obtain an enhanced DBS is required.

Qualifications

• Recent graduate with passion for education and SEMH support.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Reliable and adaptable with a resilient approach.
• Enhanced DBS on Update Service or willingness to obtain one through Teaching Personnel.

Responsibilities

• Support pupils with SEMH needs inside and outside the classroom.
• Build positive relationships with students.
• Assist with behaviour management and emotional regulation techniques.
• Provide one-to-one and small group intervention support.
• Encourage pupil engagement, participation and confidence in learning.
• Help create a safe, structured, and inclusive learning environment.
• Record and monitor student progress, behaviour, and wellbeing.
• Support students in developing social skills, resilience and independence.
• Work collaboratively with teaching staff and pastoral teams to implement individual support plans.

Skills

Communication skills

Resilience & adaptability

Empathy & patience

Job description

Graduate SEMH Teaching Assistant

Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) | Salford Full-Time | Immediate Starts Available Competitive Weekly Pay via Teaching Personnel

Are you a recent graduate looking to begin a rewarding career in education, psychology, youth work, social care, or mental health support? Teaching Personnel is currently recruiting for a Graduate SEMH Teaching Assistant to work full-time within a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) in the Salford area.

This setting supports young people with a range of Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, which may include anxiety, depression, trauma, attachment difficulties, low self-esteem, anger management challenges, emotional dysregulation, behavioural difficulties, and adverse childhood experiences. Many pupils may require additional support to engage positively with learning and develop the skills needed to succeed both academically and personally.

This is an excellent opportunity for graduates who are considering careers in teaching, educational psychology, clinical psychology, counselling, social work, youth work, mental health services, or SEN support. The role provides invaluable hands‑on experience working with vulnerable young people in a structured and supportive educational environment.

The Role

As a Graduate SEMH Teaching Assistant, you will work closely alongside teachers, support staff, and external professionals to help students access learning and achieve positive outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Support pupils with SEMH needs both inside and outside the classroom.
• Build positive and trusting relationships with students.
• Assist with behaviour management strategies and emotional regulation techniques.
• Provide one-to-one and small group intervention support.
• Encourage pupil engagement, participation, and confidence in learning.
• Help create a safe, structured, and inclusive learning environment.
• Record and monitor student progress, behaviour, and wellbeing.
• Support students in developing social skills, resilience, and independence.
• Work collaboratively with teaching staff and pastoral teams to implement individual support plans.

Requirements

• Passion for supporting young people and helping them overcome barriers to learning.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Resilient, patient, and adaptable approach to challenging situations.
• Ability to build professional relationships and act as a positive role model.
• Previous experience working with young people is desirable but not essential. This may include tutoring, coaching, mentoring, youth work, support work, care work, volunteering, or placement experience.
• Enhanced DBS on the Update Service (or willingness to obtain one through Teaching Personnel).

Why This Role is Ideal for Graduates

This position offers a fantastic foundation for graduates looking to gain meaningful experience before pursuing further study or professional training. You will:

• Gain hands‑on experience supporting young people with SEMH and behavioural needs.
• Develop behaviour management and safeguarding knowledge.
• Enhance communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills.
• Work alongside experienced education and pastoral professionals.
• Strengthen applications for PGCEs, teacher training programmes, psychology postgraduate courses, social work training, and other educational careers.
• Make a genuine difference in the lives of young people every day.

Why Work with Teaching Personnel?

As the UK's leading education recruitment agency, Teaching Personnel offers:

• Competitive weekly pay rates.
• Full-time and long-term opportunities.
• Access to a wide range of free and discounted CPD courses.
• Dedicated support from a specialist consultant throughout your placement.
• Opportunities to gain valuable experience across a variety of educational settings.
• Flexible pathways into teaching, SEN, and wider education careers.
• A straightforward registration process and ongoing professional support.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ’s on the Teaching Personnel website for details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.
Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer all our registered candidates FREE child protection and prevent duty training. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.
For details of our privacy policy, please visit the Teaching Personnel website.