Teaching Assistant

Outcomes First Group; Cold Ash; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading education provider in Cold Ash is seeking a passionate Teaching Assistant to support pupils with complex Social, Emotional, and Mental Health needs. This role involves developing meaningful connections, delivering engaging materials, and nurturing wellbeing. Ideal candidates should have GCSEs in English and Maths, alongside experience with SEN. The school offers a supportive environment and various benefits, promoting professional growth in a fulfilling role that positively impacts young lives.

Benefits

80% of contractual hours for 100% pay

Life Assurance

Pension scheme

First-class mental health support

Flexible Benefits Platform

Cycle to Work Schemes

Family Growth Support

Qualifications

• Confident in working with SEMH pupils is highly desirable.
• Experience in SEN or mainstream settings is important.
• Committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare.

Responsibilities

• Support pupils with complex SEMH needs.
• Help prepare and deliver engaging learning materials.
• Nurture emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Encourage independence and resilience.

Skills

Working with SEMH pupils

Compassionate

Adaptable

Resilient

Therapeutic approach

Education

GCSE English and Maths or equivalent

Job description

As a Teaching Assistant at New Barn School, you’ll build strong, meaningful connections with pupils - helping them unlock their potential and thrive in their own unique ways. Every day, you will:

• Support pupils with complex Social, Emotional & Mental Health (SEMH) needs
• Help prepare and deliver engaging learning materials and classroom activities
• Provide hands‑on support under the guidance of experienced teachers
• Nurture pupils' emotional and physical wellbeing
• Encourage independence, resilience and positive engagement with learning
• Play a vital role in shaping each learner's journey – step by step, moment by moment

This is an exciting opportunity to join a committed, supportive and inspiring team where your passion becomes a catalyst for positive change.

As New Barn School continues to grow and expand, we’re excited to welcome passionate, energetic and dedicated Teaching Assistants/Classroom Assistants to our team. Whether you’re an experienced SEN practitioner or coming from mainstream education with a burning passion for SEND, this is the perfect opportunity to make a genuine impact on the lives of young people with complex needs.

New Barn School offers a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum to boys and girls, aged 6 - 19 years who have Social, Emotional and Mental Health complexities. New Barn School takes full advantage of its beautiful settings and fosters a love for using the outdoor curriculum including forest school, farm experiences and horse riding. The School is within a commutable distance of Swindon, Oxford, Andover, Basingstoke and Reading and other surrounding towns and villages. Our services offer a stable, secure and supportive environment, in which the pupils and young people we care for can develop the skills and confidence necessary to help them fulfil their potential.

We are part of Acorn Education and can offer plenty of challenges along with a wide range of opportunities to develop your career. Acorn Education is the UK’s leading provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in creating and delivering innovative approaches that achieve measurable outcomes for those in our care.

In 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a Great Place to Work for the fifth year running.

We place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

Qualifications

• GCSE English and Maths or equivalent
• Experienced Teaching Assistants within SEN or from mainstream settings eager to move into complex SEND
• Confident in working with SEMH pupils (highly desirable)
• Happy to adopt and embrace a therapeutic, nurturing approach
• Experienced working with ASC (highly desirable)
• Compassionate, adaptable, resilient and ready to learn
• Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people

Benefits

• 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy (subject to successful completion of probation; not a contractual benefit)
• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• Your Wellbeing Matters – access to a wide range of first‑class mental health support services and physical health checks
• Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enabling you to choose from a wide range of health, wellbeing and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes, Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support – inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people.

Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.