Teaching Assistant

Dibden Park School; New Forest; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life Assurance

Pension scheme

Your Wellbeing Matters (mental health)

Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista)

Health, wellbeing and insurance

Discounts

Cycle to Work

Electric Car Purchase Scheme

Critical illness cover

Family Growth Support

Job summary

Dibden Park School in Southampton is seeking a Teaching Assistant to join our team on a permanent basis, 40 hours per week, term time only. Salary £23,638 per annum. Start: October 2026.

You will provide 1:1 and small-group support to help pupils engage with learning, build strong relationships, and support communication, wellbeing, and independence within a nurturing environment.

Qualifications

• Caring, patient and compassionate attitude.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work in a team and take initiative.
• Flexible and resilient in varied classroom scenarios.
• Willingness to support wellbeing and personal development.
• Confident communicator with pupils, families and staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide 1:1 and small-group support to help pupils engage with learning and reach their individual goals.
• Build positive, trusting relationships with pupils.
• Support pupils with communication, emotional wellbeing, behaviour and independence.
• Get involved in classroom, outdoor and enrichment activities.
• Encourage pupils to try new things and recognise achievements.
• Collaborate with teachers, therapists and colleagues for consistent support.

Skills

Caring & compassionate

Excellent communication

Team player

Adaptable

Driving licence

Job description

We put wellbeing first by giving our teams more time to recharge! Job title: Teaching Assistant Location: Dibden Park School, Southampton SO45 5TD Salary: £23,638 per annum (not pro rata) Hours: 40 hours per week | Monday to Friday Contract: Permanent | Term Time Only Start: October 2026 UK applicants only; no sponsorship available

What You'll Be Doing

• Provide 1:1 and small-group support to help pupils engage with learning and reach their individual goals.
• Build positive, trusting relationships that help young people feel safe, understood and confident.
• Support pupils with their communication, emotional wellbeing, behaviour and independence.
• Get involved in engaging classroom, outdoor and enrichment activities.
• Encourage pupils to try new things, develop new skills and recognise their achievements.
• Work closely with teachers, therapists and colleagues to provide consistent, personalised support.

What We're Looking For

• Caring, patient and compassionate, with a positive approach.
• Adaptable and resilient, able to respond calmly to different situations.
• A confident communicator who can build strong relationships.
• Enthusiastic about learning and developing their own skills.
• A team player who enjoys working collaboratively.
• Ready to bring energy, encouragement and positivity to every day.
• Driving licence required

About Us

Dibden Park School is a brand-new independent specialist school in Southampton, supporting pupils with SEMH needs, communication difficulties, and associated complex behaviours. The school provides a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment where small classes and personalised support help every pupil thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Our broad and purposeful curriculum combines formal learning with life skills and enrichment activities to develop confidence, independence, and resilience. Pupils benefit from staff who understand their individual needs and remove barriers to engagement. Working closely with families, the school fosters strong relationships and a supportive community. Dibden Park School supports every child and young person to feel safe, be heard, discover their worth, develop their strengths and create a limitless future. Acorn Education offers rewarding careers and meaningful challenges while making a real difference in young people's lives. As a leading UK provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs, and part of Outcomes First Group, we deliver innovative, evidence-based approaches that support measurable progress and lasting impact. We are really proud to say that in 2025 Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a "Great Place to Work" for the sixth year running.

We place pupils and vulnerable young adults at the heart of everything we do, so every day brings the satisfaction of making a real difference. We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

Benefits

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase contributions
• "Your Wellbeing Matters" - mental health support and physical health checks
• Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista), including:
• Health, wellbeing and insurance benefits
• Hundreds of UK and international discounts
• Cycle to Work Scheme & Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity/paternity leave and paid fertility treatment support

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