Support Assistant - Special Needs

North East Combined Authority; Newcastle upon Tyne; Remote; GBP 16,000 - 20,000; Full time

Job summary

Sir Charles Parsons School in Newcastle upon Tyne is seeking Learning Support Assistants (Special Needs) on a fixed-term basis until 31 March 2027. The post is 36 hours per week, term time plus 5 training days, with working hours until 4:40 p.m. Mondays and 5:10 p.m. on Tue–Thu.

The role supports students with significant and profound learning difficulties across the school, with a strong emphasis on safeguarding, professional development, and working as part of a supportive team.

Qualifications

• Training provided to fulfil responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Support students with special needs across the school.
• Contribute to welfare and education of students in a busy, inclusive environment.

Job description

Sir Charles Parsons School
Westbourne Avenue
Walker
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 4ED

Fixed term post until 31st March 2027.

Sir Charles Parsons School is a secondary school (11 - 19) catering for students who experience significant and profound learning difficulties. This includes students whose behaviour may at times challenge those supporting them. The school was judged by Ofsted to be an ‘outstanding school’ after its last five inspections in October 2006, June 2010, March 2015, January 2019 and July 2024.

Due to the school’s continued growth and increasing student numbers we are looking to appoint a number of support staff to join our team.

Candidates should be:

• enthusiastic and keen to support and develop new initiatives;
• able to work effectively as a member of a team with educational and other professionals, both from within and outside the school;
• committed to improving the provision offered to our students through rigorous professional self review and development; and;
• resilient and able to focus on finding solutions to the issues and problems experienced in any school.

Successful applicants will join a school:

• with a friendly, supportive team ethos;
• that provides excellent professional development opportunities;
• which is dynamic, forward looking and constantly challenging itself to further improve the quality of its provision.

All necessary training to enable the successful candidates to fulfil the responsibilities of their posts will be provided.

Learning Support Assistants - Special Needs support the educational and welfare needs of students across the school. The post is graded at N5 with a pro-rata annual salary.

The above post is offered on the following basis: 36 hours per week, term time plus 5 training days.

Candidates should note the working hours for these posts include working until 4.40 p.m. every Monday and until 5.10 p.m. on either a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

The school is strongly committed to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. All posts are subject to enhanced disclosure and barring service checks. We expect all adults to share our commitment to safeguarding and the health and wellbeing of our students and staff.

As a disability confident employer, we are committed to employing disabled people and people with health conditions making reasonable adjustments to support disabled applicants when required.

Closing Date: Friday 9th October 2026 at 12 (noon)

Interviews will be week commencing 19th October 2026.