Sports Coach / TA

Cover People; Tameside; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 20,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay

Dedicated SEND consultant

Training & safeguarding courses

Temp-to-perm opportunities

Full-time long-term contract

Job summary

Cover People, Manchester are hiring a Sports Coach / Teaching Assistant to join a specialist primary SEMH school in Tameside. Start date September 2026. Daily rate £100–£110 DOE, paid PAYE.

Hours 8:30am–3:30pm, Monday to Friday. This full-time, long-term contract offers a chance to develop SEND and SEMH experience through sport and targeted pupil support. Join a nurturing, specialist setting focused on social-emotional development and wellbeing, with a creative curriculum and small-group

Qualifications

• Experience supporting young people in SEND/SEMH settings.
• Ability to engage pupils through interests and strengths.
• Patience, resilience and positive relationships with pupils.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support sports, PE and physical activity sessions.
• Use sport to build confidence, teamwork and positive relationships.
• Encourage participation and help pupils develop resilience.
• Support behaviour, emotional regulation and engagement.
• Provide 1:1 and small-group support as required.
• Support classroom activities when needed.
• Adapt activities to suit individual pupils and their needs.

Skills

Sports coaching

Teaching assistant support

SEMH engagement

Job description

Cover People, Manchester are hiring!

The Role

Cover People are looking for an enthusiastic Sports Coach / Teaching Assistant to join a specialist primary SEMH school in Tameside.

Start Date: September 2026

Daily Rate: £100–£110 DOE, paid PAYE

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–3:30pm

Contract: Full-time, long-term

This is a great opportunity for a sports-focused candidate who wants to use their passion for physical activity to help children build confidence, relationships, emotional wellbeing and engagement.

You’ll be joining a specialist setting that places a strong emphasis on social-emotional development, creativity and finding individual ways to engage pupils through their interests and strengths. The school is committed to helping children feel safe, valued and successful.

What You'll Get from Cover People

• £100–£110 per day, paid PAYE.
• Weekly pay with holiday pay accrued.
• Dedicated SEND consultant with 14+ years' local experience.
• Access to a wide range of specialist schools and alternative provisions across Greater Manchester.
• Full-time, long-term and temp-to-perm opportunities.
• Free Safeguarding, Prevent & Cyber Security training.
• Ongoing support throughout your placement.
• The opportunity to build valuable SEND and SEMH experience while doing something you enjoy.

Why Join This School?

• Work in a specialist primary setting supporting children with SEMH needs.
• A nurturing environment focused on pupils' social-emotional development and wellbeing.
• A creative curriculum designed around pupils' individual interests, strengths and needs.
• Small-group and personalised approaches that help children engage and make progress.
• A strong focus on helping pupils develop confidence, independence and meaningful futures.

About the Role – Sports Coach / Teaching Assistant

As a Sports Coach / Teaching Assistant, you'll use sport and physical activity to engage pupils and support their wider development.

You will:

• Lead and support sports, PE and physical activity sessions.
• Use sport to build confidence, teamwork and positive relationships.
• Encourage participation and help pupils develop resilience.
• Support behaviour, emotional regulation and engagement.
• Provide 1:1 and small-group support where required.
• Support classroom activities when needed.
• Adapt activities to suit individual pupils and their needs.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who is passionate about sport and confident working with children who may present with SEMH needs or challenging behaviour.

You don't need to be a qualified teacher, but you'll need to be patient, resilient, enthusiastic and able to build positive relationships with pupils.

Previous experience working with children or young people is highly desirable, particularly within SEND, SEMH, schools, youth work, coaching or similar settings.

Requirements

• A CV with full education and employment history.
• Minimum 3 months' verifiable experience supporting young people.
• Right to work in the UK.
• Valid photo ID and proof of address.
• Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, or willingness to apply.
• Minimum of 2 professional references covering the last 2 years.
• A positive, consistent and resilient approach.
• Genuine enthusiasm for sport and supporting vulnerable young people.
• Overseas police certificate, if applicable.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you're a Sports Coach, Teaching Assistant, Youth Worker, Residential Support Worker or similar looking for a rewarding role where you can use sport to make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.

All work is subject to successfully passing Cover People's compliance checks.