Specialist Teaching Assistant at the Key

Coventry City Council; Coventry; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CPD opportunities

Pro-rata salary (term-time)

Job summary

Coventry City Council is seeking a resilient and empathetic SEND Support Service team member to work with primary pupils needing additional social, emotional and mental health support. You will join a dynamic team of teachers, teaching assistants and professionals delivering personalised learning and behaviour support.

You will assist in targeted interventions, support curriculum delivery, and travel to pupils’ home schools to implement strategies.

Qualifications

• Resilient and empathetic individual capable of supporting vulnerable children.
• Ability to build relationships quickly and work with a supportive team.
• Willingness to train and develop skills in social, emotional and mental health.

Responsibilities

• Support the teacher in delivering the curriculum and run targeted interventions with individuals and small groups.
• Provide behavioural and emotional support to pupils to improve readiness for mainstream schooling.
• Travel to pupils’ base/school to provide on-site support and share strategies with colleagues.

Skills

Resilient

Relationship building

Empathetic

Team player

Good communicator

Willing to train in EMH

Job description

Our Values

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

The Keys are warm and welcoming mainstream provisions for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils who are at risk of suspension or exclusion and are struggling to meet the behavioural expectations of their school. Short-term, intensive support in a small group is provided to improve emotional resiliency and skills needed to be successful in an educational setting. We offer a broad and balanced creative curriculum which is differentiated to ensure that the children experience positive outcomes. Our aim is for children to successfully return to their mainstream school following a personalised re-integration programme planned by Key and school staff, parents/carers, and pupils.

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

What is the job role?

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children? Join Coventry's highly regarded SEND Support Service and be part of a dynamic, supportive team dedicated to helping young people thrive.

As a key member of our Social, Emotional, Mental Health and Learning Team, you'll play a vital role in shaping brighter futures by combining tailored learning support with emotional and behavioural strategies.

You will be part of a team of teachers, teaching assistants and other professionals working closely together to provide personalised support for vulnerable young people. Curricular continuity and progress are balanced with behavioural and emotional support to enable improved outcomes and school readiness for pupils. You will be a role model and motivator.

You will support the teacher in the delivery of the curriculum, work with small groups and individuals in targeted interventions and have excellent behaviour management skills. You will have the skills to support pupils in their school as needed and be able to model and share supportive strategies with colleagues working in mainstream schools. You will be required to travel from the base to support pupils in their ‘home’ school.

We can offer you a supportive and friendly team of colleagues and an excellent programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities.

If you're resilient, empathetic, and ready to inspire the next generation, we’d love to hear from you!

All candidates must have the Right to Work in the UK. We are currently not offering sponsorship for this role.

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and as such, appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Who are we looking for?

• To be successful in this role, we are looking for someone who:
• Is personally resilient
• Can build relationships quickly and not take behaviour personally
• To be empathetic and patient
• To be positive and affirming
• To be solution-focused
• To be a good team player
• To be a good communicator
• To have experience in a primary school or service setting
• Experience in supporting primary aged children with their social, emotional, and mental health needs is not essential, but a willingness to train and develop these skills is required

Please note the salary advertised will be pro-rata to the weeks and hours 35 worked (Term Time Only).

Upcoming Interview date: w/b 21st September 2026.

If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete your application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies

Coventry City Council

Attached documents

• Coventry City Council Application Process 2.pdf