Life Skills Teaching Assistant – SEND

Senploy; Bolton; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Senploy in Bolton is seeking a Life Skills SEN Teaching Assistant to support students aged 16-19 with a range of complex needs in a specialist school setting. You will work closely with teachers to deliver practical life skills and ensure safeguarding and inclusive practice.

Role focuses on independent living, cooking, money management and community access, widening participation and preparation for adulthood.

Qualifications

• Experience with SEN and post-16 settings.
• Understanding of autism and learning difficulties.
• Ability to support practical activities and community-based learning.

Responsibilities

• Support independent living skills and daily tasks.
• Assist with cooking and food preparation.
• Support money management and budgeting activities.
• Provide community access and travel training.
• Support communication and social interaction.
• Contribute to preparation for employment and independence.

Skills

SEN experience

Post-16 setting

Behaviour management

Independent living support

Communication skills

Job description

Setting: Specialist SEN School - Post-16 Provision (Ages 16-19)

About the Role

We are recruiting for a Life Skills SEN Teaching Assistant to join a specialist SEN school in Bolton, supporting young people aged 16-19 with a wide range of special educational needs.

The school supports students with varying levels of need, including Autism (ASD), Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), ADHD and communication difficulties.

This role is focused on helping young people develop the practical, social and independent living skills they need to prepare for adulthood.

Rather than following a traditional academic timetable, much of the learning is centred around functional life skills, independence, community engagement and preparation for life beyond education.

What You'll Be Doing

• Independent Living Skills: Supporting students with everyday tasks such as preparing simple meals, making drinks, cleaning, organising personal belongings and developing personal hygiene routines.
• Independent Living Skills: Supporting students with everyday tasks such as preparing simple meals, making drinks, cleaning, organising personal belongings and developing personal hygiene routines.
• Cooking & Food Preparation: Helping students follow recipes, understand kitchen safety, use equipment appropriately and build confidence preparing meals independently.
• Cooking & Food Preparation: Helping students follow recipes, understand kitchen safety, use equipment appropriately and build confidence preparing meals independently.
• Money Management: Supporting students with recognising money, budgeting, understanding prices, making purchases and practising transactions in real-life situations.
• Money Management: Supporting students with recognising money, budgeting, understanding prices, making purchases and practising transactions in real-life situations.
• Community Access: Accompanying students on supervised trips to local shops, supermarkets, cafés and community facilities, helping them develop confidence in public environments.
• Community Access: Accompanying students on supervised trips to local shops, supermarkets, cafés and community facilities, helping them develop confidence in public environments.
• Travel Training: Supporting students with road safety, recognising transport routes, understanding timetables and developing safe travel awareness.
• Travel Training: Supporting students with road safety, recognising transport routes, understanding timetables and developing safe travel awareness.
• Communication & Social Skills: Encouraging appropriate social interaction, decision-making, expressing needs and building positive relationships with peers and adults.
• Communication & Social Skills: Encouraging appropriate social interaction, decision-making, expressing needs and building positive relationships with peers and adults.
• Preparation for Employment: Supporting practical work-related activities, following instructions, completing tasks independently and developing workplace routines.
• Preparation for Employment: Supporting practical work-related activities, following instructions, completing tasks independently and developing workplace routines.
• Personal Development: Promoting independence, emotional regulation, confidence and resilience while encouraging students to complete tasks with reduced adult support where appropriate.
• Personal Development: Promoting independence, emotional regulation, confidence and resilience while encouraging students to complete tasks with reduced adult support where appropriate.

Supporting Students with Complex SEN

Students will have different abilities and levels of independence. Some may be working towards completing everyday tasks with minimal support, while others will require more structured guidance, visual prompts, repetition or hands‑on assistance.

You may be supporting students who are non‑verbal, use alternative communication methods such as PECS or Makaton, or require additional support with sensory regulation and challenging behaviour.

The main objective is to encourage independence wherever possible, while recognising each student's individual abilities, EHCP targets and personal development goals.

What We're Looking For

• Previous experience working with young people with SEN, ideally within a specialist school or post‑16 setting.
• Previous experience working with young people with SEN, ideally within a specialist school or post‑16 setting.
• A good understanding of Autism, learning difficulties and different communication needs.
• A good understanding of Autism, learning difficulties and different communication needs.
• Confidence supporting practical activities and community‑based learning.
• Confidence supporting practical activities and community‑based learning.
• A patient, proactive and encouraging approach.
• A patient, proactive and encouraging approach.
• Strong behaviour management skills and an understanding of emotional regulation.
• Strong behaviour management skills and an understanding of emotional regulation.
• The ability to adapt activities to suit students with varying levels of ability.
• The ability to adapt activities to suit students with varying levels of ability.
• A genuine interest in helping young people develop independence and prepare for adulthood.
• A genuine interest in helping young people develop independence and prepare for adulthood.
• An Enhanced DBS on the Update Service or willingness to apply for one.
• An Enhanced DBS on the Update Service or willingness to apply for one.

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS (child and adult workforce), satisfactory references, and full compliance with KCSIE (2026) guidance and safer recruitment standards. Overseas police checks may be required where applicable.

Educato Limited is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Educato Limited acts as an employment business in relation to this vacancy.