Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant (SEN TA)

Senploy; London Borough of Lambeth; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Classroom Support in Lambeth is seeking a dedicated Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant to support pupils with a range of SEND. You will provide 1:1 and small-group assistance, adapting activities to ensure accessibility and progress for each child.

The role focuses on building relationships, delivering targeted strategies, and supporting pupils to become more independent within a supportive school team.

Qualifications

• Enhanced DBS on the Update Service (or willingness to apply).
• Right to work in the UK.
• Relevant professional references.
• Previous SEND experience is desirable but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide focused 1:1 and small-group SEND support.
• Adapt classroom activities to make learning more accessible.
• Break instructions and tasks into manageable steps.
• Reinforce learning and provide additional explanation where needed.
• Support pupils to develop communication and interaction skills.
• Help children recognise and regulate their emotions.
• Use positive and consistent approaches to behaviour.
• Support pupils during transitions, changes in routine or unfamiliar situations.
• Deliver interventions designed around individual learning and developmental needs.
• Work towards targets identified within EHCPs and individual support plans.
• Encourage pupils to participate, make choices and develop independence.
• Observe progress and provide feedback to teachers and the SENCO.

Skills

Patience

Compassion

Communication with pupils

Teamwork

Classroom support

Education

Enhanced DBS (Update Service)

Right to work in the UK

Professional references

Job description

Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant (SEN TA)

A welcoming and inclusive school in Lambeth is looking for a dedicated Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant to join its team and provide high-quality support to pupils with a range of SEND.

This is a hands-on and rewarding role for someone who wants to understand the individual child, recognise the barriers they face and provide the right level of support to help them progress.

The Pupils You’ll Support

You’ll work with children who may have a range of additional needs, including:

• ADHD and attention or concentration difficulties.
• Speech, language and communication needs.
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
• Learning difficulties and developmental delay.
• Social interaction and emotional-regulation needs.

Some pupils may have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and require structured, targeted support throughout the school day.

Your role won’t be about doing things for pupils. It will be about giving them the support, strategies and encouragement they need to gradually do more for themselves.

What Will Your Day Look Like?

Working closely with class teachers, the SENCO and wider support team, you’ll help ensure pupils can participate meaningfully in school life.

You’ll:

• Provide focused 1:1 and small-group SEND support.
• Adapt classroom activities to make learning more accessible.
• Break instructions and tasks into manageable steps.
• Reinforce learning and provide additional explanation where needed.
• Support pupils to develop communication and interaction skills.
• Help children recognise and regulate their emotions.
• Use positive and consistent approaches to behaviour.
• Support pupils during transitions, changes in routine or unfamiliar situations.
• Deliver interventions designed around individual learning and developmental needs.
• Work towards targets identified within EHCPs and individual support plans.
• Encourage pupils to participate, make choices and develop independence.
• Observe progress and provide useful feedback to teachers and the SENCO.
• Celebrate achievements that may look very different for each individual child.

You’ll also work alongside other professionals where appropriate, which could include speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, educational psychologists and pastoral teams.

Building Trust Comes First

Successful SEND support starts with relationships.

You’ll take time to understand the pupils you’re working with - how they communicate, what motivates them, what they find difficult and what can cause them to become overwhelmed.

You’ll need to know when a child needs encouragement, when they need structure, when they need reassurance and when giving them a little more independence is the right thing to do.

Some days will require patience and resilience. Others will give you those brilliant moments where a child achieves something that once felt incredibly difficult.

Both are part of the job.

Who Would Suit This Role?

We’re particularly interested in hearing from people who already have experience supporting children or young people with SEND, whether that’s been gained within a school, specialist provision, care environment or another relevant setting.

You might currently be working as a:

You’ll need to be someone who:

• Is patient, compassionate and emotionally resilient.
• Can build warm but professional relationships with pupils.
• Understands that behaviour can be a form of communication.
• Can remain calm and consistent when a child is struggling.
• Adapts their communication and approach to the individual.
• Works confidently as part of a wider multidisciplinary team.
• Has high expectations while recognising that progress looks different for every pupil.
• Is genuinely committed to inclusion and helping children become more independent.

Knowledge or experience of ASC, ADHD, SEMH, speech and language needs, EHCPs or positive behaviour support would be particularly valuable.

Develop Your SEND Experience

This isn’t simply an extra pair of hands in the classroom.

You’ll gain valuable experience of individualised SEND support while working alongside experienced education professionals.

The opportunity includes:

• A full-time position in Lambeth.
• Competitive pay dependent on experience.
• Experience supporting a variety of additional needs.
• Ongoing guidance from experienced school staff.
• Access to professional development and training.
• Support from a dedicated education consultant.
• Valuable experience for anyone looking to progress within SEND, education, pastoral support or related professions.

The Difference You Make Might Not Always Be Obvious

Progress could be completing a piece of work independently.

It could be communicating a need instead of becoming overwhelmed.

It could be joining a group activity, managing a difficult transition, making a friend or simply arriving at school feeling safe and ready to learn.

As a Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant, you’ll be there for those moments - helping pupils build the skills and confidence that allow them to achieve more for themselves.

Requirements

• Enhanced DBS on the Update Service (or willingness to apply).
• Right to work in the UK.
• Relevant professional references.
• Previous SEND experience is desirable but not essential.

Safeguarding Statement:

Classroom Support is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check, referencing covering the last two years, and other safeguarding checks in line with DfE Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Classroom Support is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified individuals.