Teaching assistant (SEND)

Five Education; Taunton; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free DBS (refunded after 20 days)

Referral bonus scheme

Specialist training & mentoring

Job summary

Five Education are recruiting a Teaching Assistant for a special school in Taunton. You will support identified pupils with SEN or mental health challenges, delivering 1:1 or small group support to make the curriculum accessible and engaging.

The role requires resilience, strong communication and the ability to build rapport with young people. Full-time availability is Monday to Friday 8:30–3:30, with DBS checks and references as part of the process.

Qualifications

• Right to work in the UK; sponsorship not offered.
• Full-time availability: Monday–Friday 8:30–15:30.
• Able to provide two recent references (last 2 years).
• Hold a current DBS check registered on the Update Service, or willing to apply.
• If you do not have a Non-Voluntary Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, we will help you process a new one (£62.70) refunded after 20 days.

Responsibilities

• Support students 1:1 and in small groups by making the curriculum accessible and engaging.
• Ensure safety and well-being of students during break and lunch times.
• Help students develop social and self-regulation skills.
• Collaborate with teachers, SENCo and staff to address individual needs.

Skills

Resilience

Strong communication

Rapport building with youth

Calm under pressure

Job description

Five Education are recruiting a Teaching Assistant for a special school in Taunton. The role is to support identified pupils with Special Education Needs (SEN) and/ or mental health challenges. This work will be supporting pupils 1:1 or in small groups.

Previous experience in supporting individuals with SEND such as Autism and an ability to manage challenging behaviour is desirable. The right person for this role will be kind, compassionate, patient and resilient.

Please note that we do not recommend relocating for this role.

The role will involve:

• Supporting students both 1:1 and in small groups by making the curriculum accessible and fun
• Always ensuring the safety and well-being of students including at break and lunch times
• Helping students to develop social skills and self-regulation skills
• Working collaboratively with teachers, SENCo and other staff members to address the individual needs of students

Who We're Looking For:

• Emotionally resilient and able to stay calm in challenging situations
• Strong communicator with a positive and proactive mindset
• Able to build rapport with young people, particularly those who may struggle to trust adults
• Previous experience isn't essential, but backgrounds in youth work, care, mental health, sport, or support work are valuable

Essential requirements:

• Right to work in the UK - we are unable to offer Sponsorship or accept Skilled Worker visas.
• Full time availability (Monday to Friday 8:30-3:30)
• Able to provide two recent references (from the last two years).
• Hold a current DBS check registered on the Update Service, or be willing to apply for one
• Please note, if you do not have a Non-Voluntary Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, we will need to help you process a new one at a cost of £62.70. This will be refunded after 20 days of work with us.

What can Five Education offer you?

• Check out our Google reviews for one of the best supply experiences in Bristol! We offer free specialised training in areas such as Team Teach, Makaton, PMLD/SLD Awareness, Autism Awareness, and more
• Free DBS (refunded when you work 20 days)
• Recommending a friend bonus scheme
• Specialist support/ mentoring while you are working

Pay:

Five Education operates a PAYE payroll; this is the most transparent way to be paid with no hidden fees such as admin fee or employer's NI. Please note pay rate is for illustration and does include holiday pay.

Vetting:

Five Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all of the staff we employ to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to undergo checks including reference checks, TRA checks and will need to have a DBS; there will also be an interview.

We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as they are currently under-represented at this level.