Psychology Graduate / SEN Teaching Assistant

Teaching Personnel Ltd.; West of England; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Teaching Personnel Ltd. in Bristol is recruiting a Psychology graduate to join specialist schools as a SEN Teaching Assistant. You will support pupils with a range of needs, including autism and SEMH, under the guidance of teachers and support staff.

This exciting role offers hands-on experience in education and SEND, with opportunities to develop practical skills in communication, behaviour support and student development in a dynamic learning environment.

Qualifications

• Psychology graduates seeking practical experience in SEN education
• Experience or exposure to SEN, SEMH or behaviour support is beneficial
• Willingness to work across South Bristol specialist schools

Responsibilities

• Provide 1:1 and small-group support to pupils with additional needs
• Support pupils with SEN, autism and SEMH needs
• Help pupils with emotional regulation, communication and social development
• Support engagement with lessons and activities
• Build positive relationships and encourage confidence and independence

Skills

Psychology graduate

Compassion

Patience

Empathy

Job description

Psychology Graduate / SEN Teaching Assistant

South Bristol | Specialist Schools | Full-Time

Are you a Psychology graduate looking to gain hands‑on experience supporting children and young people with special educational needs?

We're looking for enthusiastic and compassionate graduates to work as SEN Teaching Assistants and Learning Support Assistants within specialist schools across South Bristol.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in SEN, SEMH, autism, mental health, child development or educational psychology who wants practical experience working directly with children and young people with a range of additional needs.

You don't necessarily need previous school experience. We're interested in people with the right attitude, resilience and genuine motivation to support young people, whether your experience comes from care, support work, youth work, mentoring, sports coaching, volunteering or other people‑focused roles.

What will you be doing?

Working alongside teachers and specialist support staff, you could be:

• Providing 1:1 and small-group support to pupils with additional needs
• Supporting children and young people with SEN, autism and SEMH needs
• Helping pupils with their emotional regulation, communication and social development
• Supporting engagement with lessons and activities
• Building positive, consistent relationships with pupils
• Encouraging confidence, independence and positive behaviour
• Helping to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment

Every day can be different, so being patient, adaptable and able to build strong relationships is key.

Who are we looking for?

This role would be particularly suited to:

• Psychology graduates looking for practical experience
• Graduates interested in careers within educational psychology, SEND, teaching, counselling or mental health
• People with previous SEN, SEMH or behaviour support experience
• Support workers, care workers, youth workers and mentors looking to move into education
• Individuals who are confident, compassionate and comfortable supporting pupils with a variety of needs
• People who genuinely want to make a difference within specialist education

Previous experience with children or young people is beneficial, but school-based experience isn't essential if you can demonstrate relevant transferable skills.

Why consider specialist education?

Working within an SEN setting can give you valuable experience supporting young people with a wide range of individual needs.

For a Psychology graduate in particular, it's an opportunity to take what you've learnt academically and experience first‑hand how behaviour, communication, emotional regulation and individual differences can present within an education setting.

It's also a chance to develop practical skills that can help you decide where you'd like to take your career next.

Interested?

If you're a Psychology graduate, experienced support worker, or someone looking to begin a career within SEN and specialist education, we'd love to hear from you.