Personal Care Assistant

Woodlands School; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

Woodlands School in Plymouth is seeking dedicated Personal Care Assistants to join our compassionate team. You will support pupils with complex physical, sensory and medical needs, providing care with dignity and respect throughout the day.

This active, hands-on role includes helping with feeding, hygiene, mobility, and safeguarding, with full training provided. You’ll work closely with teachers and support staff to enable pupils to thrive in a modern, adapted environment.

Qualifications

• Caring and patient approach to pupils
• Ability to follow training and guidance
• Good communication with pupils, families and staff

Responsibilities

• Provide personal care with dignity, respect and sensitivity
• Support pupils using communication tools, including sign language and communication aids
• Assist with postural changes and moving pupils safely
• Help with feeding and using specialist feeding equipment
• Supervise pupils during meals and playtimes in a safe environment
• Maintain a clean, hygienic dining and learning environment
• Take responsibility for safeguarding and promoting pupil wellbeing

Skills

Caring attitude

Patience

Team player

Strong communicator

Job description

We have a wonderful opportunity for dedicated andcompassionate Personal Care Assistants to join us at Woodlands School —an inspiring, modern and fully adapted learning environment designed to supportour pupils to thrive. Woodlands is a foundation special school serving nearly100 children and young people aged 2–19 with complex physical, sensory andmedical needs.

About therole - This is a varied, hands‑onand deeply rewarding role. A big part of our pupils’day is their care and lunch so the people that support them at these times arecrucial to their wellbeing.

• Provide personal care with dignity,respect and sensitivity
• Support pupils using communication tools,including sign language and communication aids
• Assist with manual handling such asmoving pupils into chairs, walkers or specialist equipment
• Help with postural changes, includingstanding frames and Acheeva beds
• Provide 1:1 feeding support and usespecialist feeding equipment
• Encourage positive eating habits andsocial interaction at mealtimes
• Supervise pupils during lunch and outdoorplay
• Maintain a clean, safe and hygienicdining environment
• Take responsibility for safeguarding andpromoting pupil wellbeing
• Carry out other duties appropriate to therole

This is an active, physicalrole. You’ll need to be comfortable with:

• Being on your feet throughout the day
• Lifting and moving pupils safely (fulltraining provided)
• Moving dining room furniture and cleaningtables between sittings
• Staying alert to pupils’ needs andbehaviour
• Managing occasional emotional orchallenging situations with calm confidence

What We’re LookingFor

• A caring, patient and resilientindividual
• A team player with a positive attitude
• Someone committed to helping pupilsthrive

About You

We’re looking for someone who is passionate aboutsupporting children with complex needs, nurturing and able to build positiverelationships. You should be a strong communicator, emotionally resilient,flexible, and committed to high standards of care and safeguarding. A willingnessto learn is essential — experience in special needs settings is helpful but notrequired, as full training is provided.