SENDhelp is recruiting an experienced SEN Teaching Assistant for an all-ages specialist school in Slough, supporting children and young people with a wide range of special educational needs.
The school supports pupils across primary, secondary and post-16 age groups, so applications are welcome from candidates with experience working with any age range. The most important requirement is strong, practical experience supporting children or young people with SEN in the UK.
Previous experience within a UK school is strongly preferred. However, candidates with relevant experience from another formal setting may also be considered.
Role: SEN Teaching Assistant
Location: Slough
Setting: All-ages specialist SEN school
Age range: 5-19
Working pattern: Full-time, Monday to Friday
Essential: UK experience supporting children or young people with special educational needs
Preferred: Previous experience within a UK school
As an SEN Teaching Assistant, you will support pupils with a broad range of learning, communication, sensory and behavioural needs.
The school works with children and young people with different levels of need, which may include autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties, communication needs and behaviours that may challenge.
You may work one-to-one with an individual pupil, support a small group or assist the wider classroom team. The exact class and age group will depend on your previous experience and where your skills are best suited.
Your responsibilities may include:
Supporting pupils with a variety of special educational needs
Providing one-to-one and small-group support
Helping pupils access lessons and structured activities
Using visual resources, communication aids and sensory strategies
Supporting emotional regulation and positive behaviour
Following individual support plans, EHCP targets and behaviour strategies
Encouraging pupils' communication, independence and social development
Working closely with teachers, therapists and other support staff
Supporting personal care or mobility where required
Maintaining a calm, safe and structured learning environment
To be considered for this SEN Teaching Assistant role, you must have direct experience supporting children or young people with special educational needs in the UK.
Ideally, this experience will have been gained in:
A specialist SEN school
A mainstream school supporting pupils with additional needs
An alternative provision
A formal care, support or residential setting
General experience with children without meaningful SEN responsibility will not be sufficient for this particular vacancy.
The successful candidate will:
Have practical UK experience supporting children or young people with SEN
Be confident working with pupils who have different communication and learning needs
Remain calm, patient and consistent when behaviour becomes challenging
Understand the importance of routines, boundaries and clear communication
Be reliable, resilient and able to work effectively as part of a team
Be willing to support pupils across different age groups
Be able to travel reliably to Slough each working day
Be committed to safeguarding and promoting pupil welfare
Experience with autism, MLD, SLD, PMLD, non-verbal communication, sensory needs or challenging behaviour would be particularly valuable.
Personal experience of supporting a family member or someone close to you with special educational needs is desirable and may strengthen your application. However, personal experience alone will not replace the need for relevant professional or formal UK experience.
Work in an established specialist school in Slough
Support pupils across an all-ages provision
Develop experience with a wide range of special educational needs
Work alongside teachers, therapists and experienced support staff
Build your knowledge of different communication and learning approaches
Take on a meaningful, full-time role supporting pupils' education and independence
Competitive PAYE pay with no umbrella-company deductions
A dedicated consultant throughout your placement
Interview preparation and ongoing support
Access to relevant professional development and training
Support with registration, compliance and onboarding
Opportunities with SENDhelp partner schools across Slough and the surrounding areas
This position would suit an experienced SEN Teaching Assistant who has worked with children or young people with additional needs in the UK and is able to travel consistently to Slough.
As a specialist SEND recruiter, child safety and welfare is our number one priority. That is why we conduct thorough checks on all our candidates, and ensure that they abide by our Candidate Code of Conduct.
All Candidates will be required to provide an Enhanced DBS that is actively registered on the Update Service, or apply for one as part of the onboarding process. This is in addition to other mandatory compliance checks in line with the DfE guidelines. For further information please see our Safer Recruitment Policy.
SENDhelp is an equal opportunities employer.
