SEN Teaching Assistant

eTeach UK Limited; Stroud; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 21,000; Full time

Job summary

Thrive Education is seeking a credible, experienced SEN Teaching Assistant to work five days a week within a specialist educational setting in the Stroud area. We look for someone who understands that behaviour is communication and can support children with additional needs, building meaningful relationships and helping learners progress in meaningful ways.

The role offers a supportive team and ongoing guidance through Thrive Education.

Qualifications

• Solid background supporting children and young people with additional needs in an educational setting.
• Genuine understanding of SEND, including communication differences, sensory needs and emotional regulation.
• Ability to adapt approach to the individual rather than expecting the individual to adapt to you.
• Calm, consistent and compassionate under challenging situations.
• Safeguarding, patience and professional boundaries are non-negotiable.

Responsibilities

• Support pupils in an SEN educational setting and contribute to a positive learning environment.
• Build meaningful relationships and work alongside teaching staff and other professionals.
• Recognise early signs that a child is overwhelmed and intervene appropriately.
• Help pupils access learning through adapted approaches and supportive strategies.

Skills

SEN experience

TA qualification

Communication

Emotional regulation

Job description

NOT JUST A TEACHING ASSISTANT. A DIFFERENCE-MAKER. Let's be honest. Working in a specialist SEN setting isn't for everyone.

It takes more than a willingness to help. More than a little classroom experience and certainly more than simply being good with children.

It takes someone who understands that behaviour is communication. Someone who can recognise when a child is overwhelmed before the situation escalates. Someone who knows that progress doesn't always look like a completed worksheet, a written sentence or a tick on an assessment.

Sometimes progress is a moment of connection. A little more independence. A successful transition. Or a child feeling safe enough to let you into their world.

That's exactly the kind of Teaching Assistant we're looking for!

Thrive Education is seeking a credible, experienced and knowledgeable SEN Teaching Assistant to work five days a week within a specialist educational setting in the Stroud area.

This is an opportunity to become part of an environment where understanding individual needs, adapting your approach and building meaningful relationships are at the heart of everything.

We're not looking for someone who simply has experience. We're looking for someone who knows how to use it.

You'll ideally bring:

• A solid background supporting children and young people with additional needs in an educational setting.
• A genuine understanding of SEND, including the complexities that can come with communication differences, sensory needs and emotional regulation.
• The confidence to adapt your approach to suit the individual rather than expecting the individual to adapt to you.
• An ability to remain calm, consistent and compassionate when situations become challenging.
• An understanding that safeguarding, patience and professional boundaries are non-negotiable.
• The confidence to work alongside teaching staff and other professionals, contributing positively to a wider support team.
• A relevant TA qualification would be welcomed, but your practical experience, knowledge and ability to make a meaningful difference are just as important.

A little about the person we're hoping to find...You don't need to have all the answers but you do need to know how to ask the right questions.You'll be observant, emotionally intelligent, resilient and genuinely passionate about helping children overcome barriers to learning.You'll understand that no two days, or two pupils, are necessarily the same. You'll bring consistency without being rigid, compassion without compromising boundaries, and confidence without ever losing sight of the individual child.Most importantly, you'll recognise that working in SEN education is about seeing potential where others might only see challenges.

What's on offer?

• Five days per week, providing consistency for pupils and staff.
• A specialist SEN educational environment.
• The opportunity to put your existing skills and knowledge to meaningful use.
• A supportive team environment where the contribution of experienced TAs really matters.
• A position working through Thrive Education, with ongoing support from a specialist education recruitment team.

This isn't about filling a gap in a classroom. It's about finding the right person to make a difference within a specialist setting.

If you've got the experience, the knowledge and the understanding that specialist education demands, we'd love to hear from you.

Bring your experience. Bring your understanding. Bring your ability to make a difference.