Teaching Assistant

Protocol Education Ltd; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational agency seeks a Teaching Assistant in Sunderland to support students aged 11-18 with additional needs. You will help them develop essential life skills, work in small groups, and collaborate with educators. Ideal candidates should have a passion for supporting young people and a willingness to learn about specific needs. Competitive daily pay is offered with additional training opportunities and support.

Benefits

Weekly pay through PAYE

Free Thrive Approach training

Ongoing CPD and personal consultant support

Qualifications

• Experience working with additional needs in educational settings.
• Ability to support students in developing life skills.
• Commitment to continuous personal development.

Responsibilities

• Supporting pupils in small, calm classes.
• Helping students practice real-world skills.
• Working closely with teachers, therapists, and parents.

Skills

Experience working with children or young people with additional needs

Calm and flexible approach

Genuine love of helping others

Willingness to learn about autism and sensory needs

Job description

Teaching Assistant – Life Skills Focus (Sunderland)

Location: Sunderland
Contract: Full-time, Long-Term
Start Date: Immediate
Salary: £89–£110 per day

If you believe education goes beyond textbooks, this role’s for you.

We’re looking for a kind, patient Teaching Assistant to join a specialist secondary setting in Sunderland. You’ll be part of a warm, close-knit team helping students aged 11–18 develop independence, confidence, and essential life skills — from cooking simple meals to navigating the local community.

Your day might include:

• Supporting pupils in small, calm classes with structured routines
• Helping students practise real-world skills like communication, shopping, and teamwork
• Celebrating progress (no matter how small!)
• Working closely with teachers, therapists, and parents to build individual support plans

You’ll need:

• Experience working with children or young people with additional needs
• A calm, flexible approach and a genuine love of helping others
• A willingness to learn about autism and sensory needs

In return, Protocol Education offers:

• Weekly pay through PAYE
• Free Thrive Approach training
• Ongoing CPD and personal consultant support

If you’re someone who believes little moments can make a big difference, we’d love to hear from you.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further 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.

Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the 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 FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service.

Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website.