Sen Teaching Assistant

Zest Education; City Of London; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sensory training

Positive behavior support

Impact on students

Job summary

Zest Education is recruiting SEN Teaching Assistants in Chiswick to support students aged 5 to 19 within a welcoming, school-based setting.

Role is full-time, temporary supply work aligned with school hours. We value empathy, resilience, and transferable care skills from diverse backgrounds. Enhanced DBS is required or willingness to process one.

Qualifications

• Experience in SEN or related care roles is valued, with transferable skills welcome.
• Ability to build trust with students, teachers, and therapists.
• Must have or be willing to obtain Enhanced DBS and be registered with the Update Service.

Responsibilities

• Support students with sensory and emotional regulation using calming strategies.
• Assist with tasks and ensure students engage with activities at their own pace.
• Follow individualized care and education plans to ensure consistency.
• Provide personal care support when required.

Skills

SEN support

Communication

Job description

Hours: Full-time, Monday to Friday (School hours)

Are you looking for a truly rewarding role where your natural empathy and life experience can shine? A fantastic, supportive SEN school in Chiswick is looking for dedicated SEN Teaching Assistants to support their wonderful students aged 5 to 19.

We welcome candidates from all walks of life. If you have experience managing additional emotional and support needs through transferable roles such as parenting, family care, or professional care work your hands-on experience and resilience are highly valued here.

Core Responsibilities

• Sensory & Emotional Regulation: Support students when they feel overwhelmed, using calming strategies and sensory tools to create a safe, stable environment.
• Task Engagement: Break down activities to help students focus, learn at their own pace, and successfully complete tasks.
• Care Plan Implementation: Follow individualized care and education plans closely to ensure consistency for every student.
• Personal Care: Provide respectful assistance with personal care routines (such as feeding, toileting, or changing) when required.

Candidate Requirements

• Experience & Background: Prior experience in a school is not essential. We highly welcome transferable skills from parents of children with additional needs, support workers, healthcare assistants, or care home staff.
• Attributes: Exceptionally patient, warm, resilient, and adaptive to the changing needs of children and young adults.
• Communication: Strong interpersonal skills to build trust with students, teachers, and therapists.
• Compliance: Must hold an Enhanced DBS on the Update Service (or be completely willing to undergo one with us).

What We Offer

• A welcoming, inclusive school environment with an incredibly supportive leadership team.
• Full training on sensory integration, positive behavior support, and speech/language tools.
• The chance to make a lasting, tangible impact on the lives of young people across Primary, Secondary, and Further Education stages.

Zest Education are an APSCo audited agency and are dedicated to safeguarding children. All candidates must hold an enhanced DBS (or allow us to process one for you) and be registered to the DBS Update Service, be able to provide references to cover the last two years and successfully pass all other necessary safeguarding checks prior to clearance for work.

Salary is dependent on experience, training, or qualifications. The minimum experience, training, or qualifications required for this position are recent school-based experience (within the last 5 years within a school that teaches the British Curriculum) and/or care-based experience within the last 5 years.

The role advertised is for temporary supply work.