SEMH Teaching Assistant

Sense Education Limited; Leeds; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

Sense Education Limited in Leeds is seeking a dedicated SEMH Teaching Assistant to support pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs in a specialist setting. You will work alongside teachers to provide trauma-informed support, helping pupils re-engage with learning and build emotional regulation skills.

Hours typically Monday to Friday, 8:30am–3:30pm, term-time only. Safeguarding checks including enhanced DBS are standard; a recognised TA qualification or equivalent is preferred.

Qualifications

• Recognised Teaching Assistant qualification or background in education or care (NVQ, CACHE, Degree, or equivalent).
• Experience working with children and young people with SEMH needs.
• Understanding of safeguarding and maintaining a safe learning environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide 1:1 and small group support to pupils with SEMH needs, helping them access learning and stay engaged.
• Collaborate with teachers, SEND staff, and pastoral teams to provide holistic care.
• Deliver personalised learning strategies and behaviour plans; promote an inclusive school culture.

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Team Teach

Education

Teaching Assistant qualification

NVQ/CACHE/Degree or equivalent

Job description

SEMH Teaching Assistant

Job Title: SEMH Teaching Assistant

Location: Leeds

Contract type: Full-time, Part-time, Temp-to-perm

Are you passionate about supporting children and young people in education? Do you have experience of supporting them within education and community settings, therapeutic space, or within other sectors that support their mental health?

Sense Education is seeking a dedicated and resilient SEMH Teaching Assistant to support children and young people with Social, Emotional, Mental Health (SEMH) needs in a specialist setting in Leeds.

The Role

This role is central to helping pupils, re-engage with their learning, build emotional regulation skills and strong relationships within a safe environment for them to thrive within their educational journeys. You will work alongside the class teacher and other staff members to provide trauma-informed support to pupils who may present with challenging behaviours, attachment needs, or barriers linked to adverse childhood experiences. Within this role you will:

• Provide 1:1 and small group support to pupils with SEMH needs, helping them access learning and maintain engagement throughout the school day. ● Use a trauma-informed approach to build trusting relationships, reduce anxiety, and support emotional regulations.
• Working collaboratively with teachers, SEND staff, and pastoral teams to provide holistic care
• Helping assist and deliver personalised learning strategies and behaviour plans. ● Promote a positive, inclusive school culture where pupils feel safe, valued and understood.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will possess knowledge of children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, and have experience working with this population. Candidates may have experience from different fields such as counselling, support workers, social workers, youth workers, nursing and care settings.

• Minimum qualifications required: A recognised Teaching Assistant qualification or a background in education or care (NVQ, CACHE, Degree, or equivalent) ● Previous experience working you children and young people with SEMH needs ● Understanding of safeguarding, child protection and the importance of maintaining a safe learning environment
• Confident, empathetic, compassionate, patient and a team player.
• A clear communicator, who can adapt quickly and creatively to the pupils needs in a dynamic environment.
• Team Teach is desirable.

Working Hours

Monday – Friday

8:30am – 3:30pm

Term time only

If you are passionate about supporting children and young people in education and ready to step into a career in education, we’d be excited to hear from you.

Safeguarding children is an integral part of what we do and we have a stringent safer recruitment process. We undertake checks on all the candidates we work with. As such we require a current Enhanced DBS Disclosure for everyone working in Schools. If you do not have a subscription to the DBS Update Service, you may be required to complete a new DBS application as part of the registration process. If you take a temporary role with Sense Education you will be paid on a weekly basis. All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position but long term. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available.

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