Higher Level Specialist Teaching Assistant

South West Community Chaplaincy; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Ambitious College is seeking a Higher Level Specialist Teaching Assistant to join the West Thames campus, supporting autistic young adults aged 16–25. You will work with the class Lecturer to plan, deliver and assess learning and mentor Learning Support Workers to develop skills and confidence.

You will support individual learner plans, adapt learning for diverse needs and collaborate with therapists and other professionals to uphold safeguarding and high standards of practice.

Qualifications

• Strong practical experience in education.
• Significant experience working with young people, ideally autistic learners or those with additional needs.
• Experience adapting learning to meet individual needs.
• The ability to model best practice and mentor colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Support the planning, delivery and assessment of learning.
• Develop accessible resources and personalised learning activities.
• Deliver lessons and activities in the Lecturer's absence.
• Monitor and contribute to learner progress and achievement.
• Model effective strategies for supporting autistic learners, including communication, engagement, independence and positive behaviour support.
• Mentor and provide practical guidance to support staff.
• Support colleagues to implement individual learner plans and strategies.
• Work collaboratively with Lecturers, therapists and other professionals.
• Promote high expectations, independence and participation.
• Maintain high standards of safeguarding, health and safety and professional practice.

Job description

Are you an experienced Teaching Assistant ready to take the next step in your career?

At Ambitious College, we are looking for a Higher Level Specialist Teaching Assistant to join our West Thames campus, supporting autistic young adults aged 16–25.

Working alongside the class Lecturer, you will play an important role in planning and delivering high-quality education, supporting learner progress and modelling excellent practice. You will also mentor and develop Learning Support Workers and other support staff, helping colleagues build their skills and confidence.

About the role

You will:

• Support the planning, delivery and assessment of learning.
• Develop accessible resources and personalised learning activities.
• Deliver lessons and activities in the Lecturer's absence.
• Monitor and contribute to learner progress and achievement.
• Model effective strategies for supporting autistic learners, including communication, engagement, independence and positive behaviour support.
• Mentor and provide practical guidance to support staff.
• Support colleagues to implement individual learner plans and strategies.
• Work collaboratively with Lecturers, therapists and other professionals.
• Promote high expectations, independence and participation.
• Maintain high standards of safeguarding, health and safety and professional practice.

About you

We are looking for someone with strong practical experience in education who is ready to take on greater responsibility.

You will have:

• Significant experience working with young people, ideally autistic learners or those with additional needs.
• A strong understanding of effective teaching and learning.
• Experience adapting learning to meet individual needs.
• The confidence to support or deliver lessons.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• The ability to model best practice and mentor colleagues.
• A positive, person-centred approach and high expectations for learners.
• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting young people's welfare.

Experience of working with autistic young people is highly desirable, but we welcome candidates with strong transferable skills and a genuine commitment to developing their specialist practice.

Why join Ambitious College?

At Ambitious College, we believe autistic young adults should have the opportunity to develop their skills, build confidence and prepare for a fulfilling adult life.

You'll join a passionate and skilled team where your experience can make a real difference — while developing your own specialist and leadership skills.

If you're ready to lead by example, develop others and make a greater impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Join Ambitious College and help us transform the lives of autistic young adults.

Start Date- November 2026

Closing Date- Monday 28 September 2026

Interview date-Friday 2nd October/ Monday 5th October 2026

Ambitious about Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.