Teaching Assistant

Teaching Personnel Ltd.; Bovington; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Job summary

Teaching Personnel is recruiting an experienced Teaching Assistant for a specialist SEND setting in Bovington, Dorset. This part-time role starts in October 2026, with potential to begin earlier for the right candidate.

The successful applicant will support pupils with SEND and SEMH needs, work alongside teaching and pastoral staff, and help pupils access learning with 1:1 and small-group support while maintaining calm, consistent boundaries throughout the day.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children or young people with special educational needs and/or SEMH.
• Not an entry-level position; suitable for someone with relevant experience.
• Ability to hit the ground running and build positive relationships.

Responsibilities

• Provide 1:1 and small-group support to pupils.
• Help pupils access education and participate in learning activities.
• Assist with managing classroom behaviour and routines.
• Support pupils to develop confidence and independence.
• Collaborate with teaching and pastoral staff to monitor progress.

Skills

SEND experience

1:1 support

classroom management

behaviour management

Job description

Teaching Personnel is recruiting an experienced Teaching Assistant for a specialist SEND setting in Bovington, Dorset. This is a part-time opportunity starting in October 2026, with the potential to start earlier for the right person.

This role would suit an educator who already has experience working with children or young people with special educational needs and/or social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. We need someone who can hit the ground running, build positive relationships and provide consistent support from the outset.

You will work alongside teaching and pastoral staff to help pupils access their education, manage the demands of the school day and develop their confidence and independence.

Your responsibilities may include providing 1:1 and small-group support, helping pupils remain engaged with learning, adapting activities where required and supporting positive behaviour within the classroom.

A key part of this position is recognising that behaviour can be a form of communication. You will need to remain calm during challenging situations, maintain clear boundaries and understand when a pupil may need additional reassurance, space or a different approach.

We would particularly like to hear from people who have previous experience within a SEND school, alternative provision, SEMH setting or another specialist education environment.

• Experienced in supporting children or young people with additional needs
• Confident managing behaviour in a calm and constructive way
• Able to establish appropriate and professional relationships with pupils
• Reliable, resilient and comfortable working as part of a wider staff team
• Adaptable enough to respond to changing needs throughout the school day
• Knowledgeable about safeguarding and committed to keeping young people safe

This is not an entry-level position, so we are looking for someone with relevant experience who is comfortable stepping into a specialist environment and making an impact quickly.

Working through Teaching Personnel means you will have a dedicated consultant supporting you throughout the process.

You will also benefit from competitive rates of pay, access to CPD and professional development opportunities, an easy-to-use online system and access to further opportunities within SEND schools across Dorset and the surrounding areas.

Most importantly, we want to understand what you are looking for and help find a placement that genuinely suits your experience.

If you are an experienced educator looking for a rewarding part-time SEND opportunity in Bovington, we would love to hear from you.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ’s on the Teaching Personnel website for details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.
Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer all our registered candidates FREE child protection and prevent duty training. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.
For details of our privacy policy, please visit the Teaching Personnel website.