SEND Support Assistant

Teaching Vacancies; Derby; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Dale Community Primary School in Derby is seeking a dedicated Teaching Assistant to support pupils under the guidance of the SENCO, fostering a calm, nurturing environment and ensuring inclusion across the school.

You will build strong relationships with pupils, support targeted learning plans, assist with personal care where needed, and collaborate with staff to promote emotional wellbeing and effective communication.

Interviews are planned for December 2026.

Responsibilities

• Be a trusted adult who is able to build strong relationships with pupils
• Support the SENCo in monitoring, assessing and recording pupil progress against MEPs and EHCP targets
• Have a detailed knowledge of and track the targets the pupils are working towards
• Be able to assess the progress being made by the pupil both academically and other measures of progress
• Support pupils to ensure they start and leave school in a calm and regulated way
• Implement any recommendations from professional reports e.g. Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Speech and Language Therapists
• Carry out tasks as reasonably required by the Headteacher
• To provide learning experiences through the nurture principles
• Facilitate inclusion in small group activities with peers and support interaction between them
• Support pupils to access the full range of learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom
• Support pupils to develop their communication and interaction skills
• Model play and support pupils to engage in play to promote communication, social skills, physical development and emotional wellbeing
• Assist pupils with eating, dressing and personal hygiene (including changing nappies) as required whilst encouraging independence
• Provide positive reinforcements, praise and rewards to pupils
• Develop positive and respectful relationships with parents and carers
• Share information about children's learning and development
• Support parents in extending learning at home
• Recognise families as children's first and most important educators
• Attend in service training and meetings relevant to the post in order to keep up to date with developments in working with children with social and emotional needs
• Attend planning meetings with SENDCO to develop learning programmes and to assist in the delivery of the individual learning programmes and targeted interventions on a daily basis to promote learning, behaviour and communication skills
• Provide regular feedback to the SENDCO and Class Teacher, and, where necessary, relevant outside agencies about any pupil’s difficulties and progress
• Develop knowledge of the particular needs of the child and seek advice from the SENCo, Class Teacher and outside agencies
• Prepare and maintain the learning environment and resources, including presentation of pupils’ work and contributing to maintaining a safe learning environment
• Participate fully in supervision, appraisal and performance management
• Comply with school policies and procedures
• Maintain confidentiality and data protection requirements
• These duties and responsibilities should be regarded as neither exhaustive nor exclusive as the post holder may be required to undertake other reasonably determined duties and responsibilities commensurate with the grading of the post
• Dale Community Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.

Job description

What skills and experience we're looking for

Purpose of Post

Under guidance from the SENCO, will:

• Provide a safe, calm and nurturing environment, alongside a programme of activities structured to the emotional, social and intellectual needs of each pupil, while keeping them in close contact with their base class.
• Support the development of a whole-school nurturing ethos focused on inclusion.

Tasks, Duties and Responsibilities

1. Main duties and responsibilities

• Be a trusted adult who is able to build strong relationships with pupils
• Support the SENCo in monitoring, assessing and recording pupil progress against MEPs and EHCP targets.
• Have a detailed knowledge of and track the targets the pupils are working towards
• Be able to assess the progress being made by the pupil both academically and other measures of progress
• Support pupils to ensure they start and leave school in a calm and regulated way
• Implement any recommendations from professional reports e.g. Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Speech and Language Therapists
• Carry out tasks as reasonably required by the Headteacher

2. Supporting pupils

• To provide learning experiences through the nurture principles.
• Facilitate inclusion in small group activities with peers and support interaction between them.
• Support pupils to access the full range of learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom.
• Support pupils to develop their communication and interaction skills.
• Model play and support pupils to engage in play to promote communication, social skills, physical development and emotional wellbeing.
• Assist pupils with eating, dressing and personal hygiene (including changing nappies) as required whilst encouraging independence.
• Provide positive reinforcements, praise and rewards to pupils.

3. Support for Parents

• Develop positive and respectful relationships with parents and carers.
• Share information about children's learning and development.
• Support parents in extending learning at home.
• Recognise families as children's first and most important educators.

4. Professional Responsibilities

• To attend in service training and meetings relevant to the post in order to keep up to date with developments in working with children with social and emotional needs.
• To attend planning meetings with SENDCO to develop learning programmes and to assist in the delivery of the individual learning programmes and targeted interventions on a daily basis to promote learning, behaviour and communication skills.
• To provide regular feedback to the SENDCO and Class Teacher, and, where necessary, relevant outside agencies about any pupil’s difficulties and progress.
• To develop knowledge of the particular needs of the child and seek advice from the SENCo, Class Teacher and outside agencies.
• Prepare and maintain the learning environment and resources, including presentation of pupils’ work and contributing to maintaining a safe learning environment
• Participate fully in supervision, appraisal and performance management.
• Comply with school policies and procedures.
• Maintain confidentiality and data protection requirements.

These duties and responsibilities should be regarded as neither exhaustive nor exclusive as the post holder may be required to undertake other reasonably determined duties and responsibilities commensurate with the grading of the post.

Dale Community Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.

What the school offers its staff

Dale Community Primary School is a large vibrant school which is federated with Stonehill Nursery School. Both schools are located in the heart of the city of Derby.

We have 550 pupils on roll. Our pupils live in a multi-cultural environment and the school is proud to be at the centre of that community. The majority of our children are of Asian origin with many other ethnic groups represented in our school community. Our recent OFSTED inspection in October 2023 said:

‘Pupils are happy and safe at this friendly, welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils appreciate the care and support that they receive from school.’

‘Pupils are kind and accepting of one another. They talk positively about welcoming any recently arrived pupils into their school community.’

Dale and Stonehill have approximately 100 highly committed staff that work well together as a team. We describe ourselves as a school for creating opportunity and embracing innovation to nurture each and every individual.

• - INSPIRE a love of learning
• - BUILD a strong community
• - ACHIEVE in all areas of school life

Safeguarding

All appointments are subject to suitable references, a Medical Clearance check and a Disclosure and Barring Services check. Please click here to view our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy.

Further details about the role

Interviews: Tuesday 8 December 2026

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.