Learning Support Assistant – Specialist SEN Provision

Senploy; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Job summary

Senploy is recruiting Learning Support Assistants to work in a specialist SEN provision in Hartlepool, supporting students aged 11-19 with diverse learning difficulties and additional needs. You will work alongside teachers and professionals, providing targeted support throughout the school day.

We welcome applicants with prior experience as a Learning Support Assistant, SEN Teaching Assistant, Support Worker, Behaviour Mentor or Specialist Teaching Assistant who can build trust with students,

Qualifications

• Experience working with children or young people with additional needs (SEN).
• Ability to build trusting relationships with students and colleagues.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual and small-group support to students.
• Adapt approaches for different learning needs and abilities.
• Support communication, confidence and social development.
• Help students engage with learning at an appropriate level.
• Support classroom activities and wider learning experiences.
• Promote student wellbeing, participation and achievement.
• Collaborate with teachers and specialist support staff.

Skills

Experience with SEN

Trust-building

Calm under pressure

Teamwork

Job description

Start: September 2026

Contract: Temporary / Supply

For one student, progress might mean completing a piece of work independently. For another, it could be communicating what they need, managing a difficult transition, joining a group activity or developing the confidence to try something new. That's what makes working in specialist education different.

We are recruiting Learning Support Assistants to work within a specialist SEN provision in Hartlepool, supporting young people aged 11-19 with a wide range of learning difficulties, disabilities and additional needs.

If you're someone who takes the time to understand the individual behind the need, this could be an incredibly rewarding place to use your experience.

There is no single approach that works for every young person.

You’ll get to know the students you support - how they communicate, what motivates them, where they need additional help and when they are ready to be encouraged towards greater independence.

Working alongside teachers and other professionals, you’ll provide support throughout the school day, including:

• Providing individual and small-group support.
• Helping students engage with learning at an appropriate level.
• Adapting your approach around different learning difficulties and disabilities.
• Supporting communication, confidence and social development.
• Helping young people develop practical skills and greater independence.
• Supporting emotional regulation and positive behaviour.
• Recognising when a student needs reassurance, space or a different approach.
• Building positive and consistent relationships.
• Supporting classroom activities and wider learning experiences.
• Working collaboratively with teaching and specialist support colleagues.
• Promoting student wellbeing, participation and achievement.

The aim isn’t to do everything for a young person.

It’s to provide the right level of support so they can gradually do more for themselves.

We’re particularly interested in people who already have experience working with children or young people with additional needs.

Your background could be in:

You may currently be a Learning Support Assistant, SEN Teaching Assistant, Support Worker, Behaviour Mentor or Specialist Teaching Assistant.

Whatever your previous job title, you’ll need to be someone who can:

• Build trust with young people.
• Remain calm when situations become challenging.
• Adapt rather than expect every student to respond in the same way.
• Be patient without lowering expectations.
• Communicate effectively with colleagues.
• Work confidently as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Understand the importance of consistency and boundaries.
• Recognise and celebrate progress that other people might overlook.

Most importantly, you’ll need a genuine commitment to helping young people with additional needs participate, develop and become more independent.

There are both full-time and part-time opportunities available, giving you the flexibility to find work that fits your circumstances.

Supply work can also be an excellent way to broaden your specialist experience.

You could use it to explore a different education environment, develop your understanding of additional needs or decide whether specialist SEN education is where you’d like to build the next stage of your career.

You’ll have access to:

• Flexible full-time and part-time opportunities.
• Competitive rates of pay.
• Experience within a specialist SEN environment.
• Temporary and longer-term positions.
• Support from a dedicated consultant throughout your placement.
• Further opportunities as your experience develops.

Working with young people with additional needs isn’t always predictable.

Some days will challenge you.

Others will remind you exactly why you chose this kind of work.

And sometimes the biggest achievement of the day will be something that would seem incredibly small to somebody who doesn’t know that young person’s journey.

You’ll know why it matters.

If you’re an experienced Learning Support Assistant in Hartlepool, or you have relevant experience from SEN, education, care or support work and want to bring those skills into specialist education, we’d love to hear from you.