SEMH Teaching Assistant

Connex Education; Bristol; On-site; GBP 12,915 - 18,450; Full time

Job summary

Connex Education is seeking passionate SEMH Teaching Assistants to support a network of specialist schools and alternative provisions in Bristol from September 2026. You will work with children and young people with SEMH needs, behavioural challenges and other SEND requirements, providing tailored support to help them engage with learning and developing positive relationships.

Roles are available on day-to-day, short-term and long-term bases, offering flexibility to fit your availability and

Qualifications

• Experience working with children or young people in education, care or support settings.
• Genuine passion for supporting children with SEMH needs.
• Strong communication, resilience and interpersonal skills.
• Calm, patient and adaptable approach to supporting pupils with additional needs.
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting welfare of children and young people.
• Enhanced DBS on Update Service or willingness to obtain one through Connex Education.

Responsibilities

• Support children and young people with SEMH needs in specialist education settings.
• Build positive relationships that promote emotional wellbeing and engagement.
• Support pupils with learning, behaviour and personal development in and out of the classroom.
• Work alongside teachers, SEND professionals and pastoral teams to deliver tailored support.
• Help create a safe, nurturing and inclusive learning environment where every pupil can thrive.

Skills

Experience with children

SEMH awareness

Communication

Calm demeanor

Safeguarding

DBS willingness

Job description

Connex Education is currently recruiting passionate and dedicated SEMH Teaching Assistants to support a variety of specialist schools and alternative provisions across Bristol from September 2026.

These roles involve working within specialist educational settings that support children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, behavioural challenges, trauma-informed needs and additional learning needs. You may also work with pupils with Autism (ASC), ADHD, communication difficulties and other SEND requirements, delivering tailored support to help them engage positively with education.

We are looking for compassionate, resilient and adaptable individuals who are committed to helping pupils overcome barriers to learning and achieve their full potential within supportive and nurturing environments. Opportunities are available on a day-to-day, short-term, and long-term basis, offering flexibility to suit your availability and career goals.

What You'll Be Doing

Supporting children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs in specialist education settings

Building positive, trusting relationships that promote emotional wellbeing and engagement

Supporting pupils with their learning, behaviour and personal development both in and out of the classroom

Working alongside experienced teachers, SEND professionals and pastoral teams to deliver tailored support

Helping to create a safe, nurturing and inclusive learning environment where every pupil can thrive

Why This Opportunity is Ideal

Gain valuable experience working within specialist SEMH provisions

Develop your behaviour management, communication and de-escalation skills

Build meaningful relationships with local schools and specialist education providers

Enhance your CV with rewarding and varied SEND experience

Access ongoing support from education specialists with expertise in SEND and SEMH

What We're Looking For

Experience working with children or young people, ideally within education, care or support settings (desirable but not essential)

A genuine passion for supporting children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs

Strong communication, resilience and interpersonal skills

A calm, patient and adaptable approach to supporting pupils with a range of additional needs

Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people

An Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, or willingness to obtain one through Connex Education

About the Schools

We work with a network of specialist SEMH schools and alternative provisions across the Bristol area, supporting children and young people with a range of social, emotional and mental health needs. These settings provide nurturing, supportive environments where staff work collaboratively to help pupils overcome barriers to learning and achieve positive outcomes both academically and personally.

Why Choose Connex Education?

Competitive daily pay rates

Weekly PAYE pay – no umbrella companies

Free access to our Classroom Teacher and SEND Toolkits for professional development

Career progression opportunities through our professional development pathways

Wellbeing support and refresher training for modern educational settings

A dedicated SEND specialist consultant to support your career journey

Flexible opportunities across SEMH provisions

Funded formal qualifications including Level 2 SEND, Level 3 Teaching & Learning, Level 4 HLTA, and Level 5 TEFL

All offers are conditional upon satisfactory background checks, including references and an enhanced DBS check. Connex Education Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and candidates to share this commitment.

Connex Education Partnership is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants.