Nurturing SEN Teaching Assistant - Specialist School

Tradewind Recruitment; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Ongoing SEN Consultant support

Opportunities to develop SENExperience

Job summary

Tradewind Recruitment in Sheffield is seeking a warm, patient SEN Teaching Assistant to support pupils with additional needs in a specialist school setting. The role focuses on building trust, providing consistent support, and enhancing learning opportunities for students with autism, SLD, SEMH, and other needs.

You will work 1:1 and in small groups, assisting with communication, social development, and emotional regulation while collaborating with teachers and the wider school team.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children or young people.
• Genuine passion for working within SEN.
• Calm, patient and nurturing personality.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Confidence supporting pupils with additional needs.
• Ability to remain consistent when faced with challenging behaviour.
• Willingness to learn and adapt.

Responsibilities

• Provide 1:1 and small-group support.
• Build strong, trusting relationships with pupils.
• Support pupils with their learning and development.
• Help pupils manage emotions and regulate behaviour.
• Provide reassurance and encouragement throughout the day.
• Support communication and social development.
• Encourage independence and confidence.
• Help manage behaviours of concern calmly and consistently.
• Work closely with teachers and wider support staff.
• Follow individual education, behaviour and support plans.

Skills

Experience with children/young people

SEN passion

Calm, patient, nurturing

Strong communication skills

Confidence with additional needs

Consistency with challenging behaviour

Willingness to learn

Job description

Nurturing SEN Teaching Assistant - Specialist School

Tradewind Recruitment - Sheffield

Location: Sheffield

Pay: £95-£125 per day, depending on experience

Contract: Full-time | Term Time Only

Tradewind Recruitment is currently looking for a warm, patient and nurturing SEN Teaching Assistant to join a specialist school in Sheffield. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is passionate about working with children and young people with additional needs and understands the importance of building trust, creating strong relationships and providing consistent support.

The successful candidate will support pupils who may have autism, severe learning difficulties, communication needs, SEMH needs and complex behavioural needs.

The Role

You will play an important role in helping pupils feel safe, supported and able to engage with their education.

• Providing 1:1 and small-group support
• Building strong, trusting relationships with pupils
• Supporting pupils with their learning and development
• Helping children manage emotions and regulate their behaviour
• Providing reassurance and encouragement throughout the school day
• Supporting communication and social development
• Encouraging pupils to develop independence and confidence
• Helping manage behaviours of concern in a calm and consistent manner
• Working closely with teachers and wider support staff
• Following individual education, behaviour and support plans

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who is naturally caring, patient and nurturing and who genuinely wants to make a difference. Previous SEN experience would be highly desirable, particularly experience supporting children with complex or severe additional needs.

We would also welcome applications from candidates with transferable experience in:

• Teaching Assistant roles
• Care and residential support
• Youth work
• Healthcare
• Childcare
• Support work
• Behavioural or emotional support

You will need to be resilient, remain calm under pressure and understand that building a relationship with a pupil can be just as important as supporting their academic progress.

What We're Looking For

• Experience working with children or young people
• A genuine passion for working within SEN
• A calm, patient and nurturing personality
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Confidence supporting pupils with additional needs
• The ability to remain consistent when faced with challenging behaviour
• A positive attitude and willingness to learnPrevious SEN experience is desirable but not essential for the right candidate

What We Offer

• £95-£125 per day, depending on experience
• Full-time, term-time working
• The opportunity to work within a specialist SEN setting
• Ongoing support from your dedicated SEN Consultant
• Opportunities to develop your SEN experience
• A rewarding role where your support can make a genuine difference