Senior ALN Learning Support Assistant (BESD Focus)
- Type: Contract / Long-term
- Location: Cardiff
- Start Date: 01/09/2026
- Hours: Full-time
- Pay: Competitive daily rate (dependent on experience)
Are you an experienced Learning Support Assistant with a passion for helping young people overcome barriers to learning? Do you have the skills, resilience, and empathy needed to support pupils with behavioural, emotional, and social difficulties to thrive both academically and personally?
Elementa Support Services is working in partnership with a highly regarded Welsh-medium secondary school in Cardiff to recruit a dedicated and proactive Senior ALN Learning Support Assistant with experience supporting pupils with behavioural, emotional, and social development needs.
This rewarding role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the lives of young people by providing specialist support, promoting positive outcomes, and helping pupils fully engage with their education. You will work closely with teaching staff, pastoral teams, families, and external agencies to ensure pupils receive the support they need to succeed.
As a Senior ALN Learning Support Assistant, you will:
- Provide specialist support to pupils with Additional Learning Needs, particularly those with behavioural, emotional, and social development needs
- Deliver targeted one-to-one and small group interventions to support engagement, wellbeing, and academic progress
- Build positive, trusting relationships with pupils to promote confidence, resilience, and self-esteem
- Work collaboratively with teachers and support staff to identify and remove barriers to learning
- Support the development, implementation, and review of individual support plans and intervention strategies
- Monitor, record, and evaluate pupil progress, providing feedback to relevant staff and stakeholders
- Contribute to strategies that improve behaviour, attendance, engagement, and inclusion across the school
- Provide pastoral and emotional support to pupils experiencing challenges within school
- Liaise effectively with parents, carers, and external professionals to ensure a coordinated approach to support
- Support the ongoing development of effective ALN practices and systems within the school community
- A Level 4 qualification (or higher) in Education, Childcare, Youth Work, Psychology, Health & Social Care, or a related field
- Experience supporting children or young people with behavioural, emotional, social, or additional learning needs
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills
- The ability to remain calm, patient, and solution-focused when supporting pupils facing challenges
- Experience implementing support strategies and interventions to improve pupil outcomes
- Confidence working independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Excellent organisational and record-keeping skills
- A commitment to inclusion, safeguarding, and helping all young people achieve their potential
- A proactive and reflective approach to supporting learning and wellbeing
- Competitive daily rates of pay
- Dedicated support from an experienced education consultant
- Opportunities to work within supportive and inclusive school environments
- Access to ongoing training and professional development
- Potential pathways into permanent and leadership support roles within education
- The opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of children and young people
Elementa Support Services and our partner schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to enhanced DBS checks and satisfactory references.
We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We believe in creating a culture of respect where discrimination is not tolerated and where every individual has the opportunity to succeed and thrive.
