Teaching Assistant

Principal Recruitment; Slough; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay

Term-time schedule

Free training in behaviour support and

safeguarding

Dedicated consultant

Job summary

Principal Education is recruiting for a rewarding role at an Alternative Provision Academy in Slough. You will act as a consistent, positive adult for young people who need support, mentoring them to set goals and stay engaged across a range of programmes.

The role involves guiding students in one-to-one settings and small groups, staying calm during challenging moments, and contributing to progress tracking with staff and families. Term-time, daily pay, and DBS requirements apply.

Qualifications

• Experience with young people in youth work, coaching, mentoring, care, support work or schools.
• Experience with social, emotional and mental health needs, ADHD, autism or challenging behaviour.
• Patience, empathy and firm, fair boundaries.
• Full-time availability, Monday to Friday.
• Enhanced DBS on the Update Service or willingness to complete a new application.
• Overseas police clearance if you've lived abroad for 6 months or more in the last 5 years.
• Two references and the right to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Mentoring students one to one and helping them set goals
• Supporting students in small classes so they can stay engaged
• Staying calm and helping situations settle when emotions run high
• Supporting students on practical and vocational sessions
• Working with staff and families to track progress and celebrate small wins

Skills

Youth work

Mentoring

Calm under pressure

Patience & empathy

Full-time availability

Job description

Youth worker, sports coach, mentor or support worker? If young people trust you and you can stay calm when things kick off, this could be the most rewarding job you ever do.

Principal Education is a recruitment agency working on behalf of an Alternative Provision Academy in Slough. The college supports secondary age young people with social, emotional and mental health needs who haven't been able to succeed in mainstream school. Ofsted rated its personal development Outstanding in 2025.

What makes this college different is its range. It runs seven programmes across four sites, including a special school, short term programmes that help younger students return to mainstream, programmes for older students who have been excluded, and practical courses in construction, motor vehicle and catering. Every young person gets a personal pathway, small groups and adults who don't give up on them.

The role

You'll be a consistent, positive adult for young people who need one. Depending on the programme you support, your day could include:

• Mentoring students one to one and helping them set goals
• Supporting students in small classes so they can stay engaged
• Staying calm and helping situations settle when emotions run high
• Supporting students on practical and vocational sessions
• Working with staff and families to track progress and celebrate small wins

What you must bring

• Experience with young people in youth work, coaching, mentoring, care, support work or schools
• Experience with social, emotional and mental health needs, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism or challenging behaviour
• Patience, empathy and firm, fair boundaries
• Full time availability, Monday to Friday
• An Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, or willingness to complete a new application
• Overseas police clearance if you've lived abroad for 6 months or more in the last 5 years
• Two references and the right to work in the UK

Pay and benefits

• £110 to £130 per day depending on experience, paid weekly
• A student day that finishes at 2:30pm, and 1pm on Fridays
• Term time only
• Experience across a wide range of specialist settings in one role
• Free training in behaviour support and safeguarding
• A dedicated consultant supporting you throughout