Learning Support Assistant

Wigan & Leigh College and University Centre; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 3,300 - 4,400; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Dedicated wellbeing support

Enhanced DBS check provided

Job summary

Wigan & Leigh College and University Centre is seeking a Learning Support Assistant to help learners participate, build confidence and move towards independence. The role is based at Wigan Athletic Academy and supports the L3 BTEC Sport delivery.

You’ll work with learners with varied needs, following Individual Learning Support Plans, and collaborate with staff to adapt materials and provide targeted assistance. DBS check will be completed after offer.

Qualifications

• Must have Level 2 English and Maths or be willing to achieve within agreed timeframe.
• Experience supporting learners of different ages and needs.
• Familiarity with assistive tech and record-keeping.
• Willingness to undertake safeguarding training and DBS checks.

Responsibilities

• Support individual learners and groups as per Additional Learning Support Plans.
• Help learners access lessons, practical sessions and wider college activity.
• Adapt support and materials with teaching staff as needed.
• Take notes for learners as part of agreed support.
• Support learners with assistive technology and enabling equipment.
• Provide personal care where required, maintaining dignity and respect.
• Record relevant information using college systems such as ProMonitor.
• Provide feedback to Learning Support Officers about progress and changing needs.
• Contribute to review and assessment activities as directed.
• Support learners across college sites, external venues, trips and residentials.

Skills

English Level 2

Maths Level 2

Experience supporting learners

Good communication

Patience

IT skills

Flexible working

Education

Learning support qualification

Job description

Description

Help learners take part, build confidence and move towards independence. Learning support can change how a student experiences college.

Application Deadline: 13 November 2026

Department: Sports

Location: Wigan & Leigh College

Compensation: £3,840 / year

7.5 hours per week

Fixed Term for the 2026/27 academic year, Term Time Only (36 Weeks)

Help learners take part, build confidence and move towards independence. Learning support can change how a student experiences college.

For some learners, the right support helps them understand a task. For others, it helps them communicate, move safely around college, use equipment, manage anxiety or take part in practical learning for the first time.

This role will be based at Wigan Athletic Academy to support Sports staff teaching the L3 BTEC Sport.

As a Learning Support Assistant, you’ll provide support to students with learning difficulties, disabilities, medical needs or other additional support needs. You’ll work in classrooms, workshops, realistic working environments, visits and wider college activities, helping learners participate fully and progress with confidence.

You’ll work closely with Learning Support Officers, teaching staff and wider college colleagues. Support will be guided by each learner’s Additional Learning Support Plan and may include practical help, note-taking, personal care, assistive technology, communication support or encouragement to develop independence.

This role suits someone who is patient, observant and respectful. You do not need to have all the answers on day one. You do need to care about inclusion, follow agreed support plans and understand that the goal is not to do everything for learners, but to help them build the skills and confidence to do more for themselves.

What you'll do

• Support individual learners and groups in line with Additional Learning Support Plans.
• Help learners access lessons, practical sessions and wider college activity.
• Work with teaching staff to adapt support and materials where needed.
• Take notes for learners where this is part of agreed support.
• Support learners with assistive technology and enabling equipment.
• Provide personal care where required, maintaining dignity and respect.
• Record relevant information using college systems such as ProMonitor.
• Provide feedback to Learning Support Officers about progress, engagement and changing needs.
• Contribute to support reviews and assessment activity where directed.
• Support learners across college sites, external venues, trips and residentials.
• Raise safeguarding, wellbeing or safety concerns promptly.

What you’ll bring

• Level 2 English and maths, or willingness to achieve these within an agreed timeframe.
• Experience supporting young people, adults, learners or people with additional needs.
• Awareness of learning difficulties, disabilities and barriers to learning.
• Good communication skills and the ability to adapt your approach.
• Patience, reliability and a respectful approach to support.
• Basic IT skills, including confidence using records or digital systems.
• The ability to work flexibly across different learning environments.
• A qualification in learning support, youth work, childcare, equality and diversity, health and social care or a related area would be helpful.

What you’re like

• Patient. You understand that progress can take time.
• Supportive. You help learners feel confident enough to try.
• Respectful. You protect dignity and encourage independence.
• Observant. You notice when support is working and when something needs to change.
• Calm. You stay steady in busy, practical or sensitive situations.
• Inclusive. You believe learners should be able to take part fully in college life.
• Reliable. You follow plans, share information and keep records accurate.
• Team-minded. You work well with tutors, Learning Support Officers and wider colleagues.

Essentials

• You’ll need an enhanced DBS check. If you get the job, we’ll do this for you.
• You’re committed to safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion.
• You can work across college sites and external venues.
• You’re flexible and happy to support learners in different settings, including trips, residentials and realistic working environments.
• You’re willing to undertake training and professional development.
• You’re willing to provide personal care where required.

Nice to have

• A qualification in learning support, youth work, childcare, equality and diversity, health and social care or a related area would be a great addition, but not essential.

Why work with us?

Every learner deserves the chance to take part.

Sometimes that takes practical support. Sometimes it takes encouragement. Sometimes it means helping someone use technology, understand a task, move safely through a learning environment or feel confident enough to try something new.

At Wigan & Leigh College, Learning Support Assistants are central to that work.

You’ll support learners across different courses and settings, helping them build confidence, independence and a sense of belonging. You’ll work with staff who care about inclusion and who understand that the right support can help students stay engaged, achieve and prepare for their next step.

This is a role where small moments matter. A learner completes more of a task independently. A student joins in where they might once have held back. A support plan starts to make a visible difference. You’ll see the impact of your work every day.

Time to recharge

• Generous annual leave entitlement, including bank holidays (depending on your role)
• Family-friendly leave policies

Wellbeing as well as work

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Medicash healthcare plan
• Occupational health support
• Confidential counselling
• Specsavers eye test vouchers
• A culture where people look out for each other

Financial peace of mind

• Teachers’ Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme
• Salary sacrifice schemes (Cycle to Work, buy tech)
• Railcard & Tusker Green car scheme
• Local and national discount schemes

Clear progression routes

• Opportunities to step up, specialise, or move across departments
• Leadership pathways
• Support to gain teaching qualifications

Read more about our benefits.

If you take pride in delivering great service and enjoy variety in your work, then this is the role for you.

This role involves working with children in a regulated activity (which means any activity with close or unsupervised contact with children on a frequent or intensive basis). This covers things like teaching, training, supervising and advising children. It's a criminal offence to apply for this post if you're barred from engaging in regulated activity with children.

Before you apply, please read our policies on child protection policy and employing people with criminal convictions. You'll find both on our website.

We can interview and appoint before the closing date if we receive suitable applications.

If you’re offered the role, we’ll need to do some checks before you start, including verifying any qualifications, a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and a medical questionnaire. We use Protocol National Ltd & E-Safeguarding Ltd, so they may contact you.