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Job Title: SEN Teaching Assistant
Location: Smallbrook School, Shrewsbury, SY4 3HE
Hours: 37.5 hours per week | Monday–Friday | 8.45am - 4.20pm
Salary: £22,160.62 per annum (not pro rata)
Contract: Permanent | Term Time Only
Start: October 2026
UK applicants only – no sponsorship available
About the Role
Turn Your Ability to Connect with Young People into a Career That Matters. Looking for a role where you can make a genuine difference and see the impact of your work every day?
At Smallbrook School, we’re looking for caring, positive and resilient SEN Teaching Assistants to join our supportive team. You don’t need to have spent years working in a classroom—we’re interested in people who have the patience, enthusiasm and determination to help young people succeed.
You’ll support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who may have experienced barriers to learning. By getting to know each pupil, building trust and recognising their individual strengths, you’ll help them develop the confidence, independence and skills they need for their future.
One day you could be supporting learning in the classroom, the next getting involved in practical activities, outdoor learning or enrichment opportunities. You’ll celebrate achievements that might seem small to others but can represent a huge step forward for the young person you support.
Working alongside experienced teachers, therapists and the wider school team, you’ll have the support and guidance you need to develop your skills and build a rewarding career within specialist education.
What you will be doing
- Provide 1:1, small-group and classroom support, helping pupils engage with education and achieve their individual goals.
- Build positive, trusting relationships that help pupils feel safe, understood and ready to learn.
- Support teachers in delivering creative and personalised learning activities.
- Encourage pupils to develop greater confidence, communication, independence and life skills.
- Help pupils understand and regulate their emotions using calm, consistent and positive approaches.
- Get involved in classroom learning, practical activities, outdoor education and enrichment opportunities.
- Celebrate progress and help pupils recognise their own achievements.
- Work alongside teachers, therapists and other professionals to provide consistent support.
- Help create a nurturing and inclusive school environment where every pupil has the opportunity to succeed.
- Safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and young people.
What We’re Looking For
More than anything, we’re looking for the right people with the right values.
You’ll be someone who:
- Genuinely wants to make a difference to children and young people with SEND.
- Is patient, caring and able to remain calm when situations become challenging.
- Can build strong relationships and encourage young people who may have struggled with education previously.
- Is positive, resilient and willing to try different approaches when something isn’t working.
- Enjoys being part of a team and communicating with a range of people.
- Is flexible, enthusiastic and willing to get involved in all aspects of school life.
- Is committed to safeguarding and helping every pupil achieve their potential.
Thinking About a Career Change? Your experience doesn’t have to come from a school.
If you’ve worked in care, support work, youth work, coaching, sports, residential services or another people-focused role, you may already have many of the skills we’re looking for., if you bring the patience, resilience and motivation, we’ll support you to develop the rest. If you want a career where success is measured in confidence gained, barriers overcome and young lives changed, we’d love to hear from you.
About Us
Smallbrook School is currently increasing capacity from 50 students to 80 and having a large investment in our school site developing KS2 and sixth form provision. We are a co-educational day school catering for pupils aged 7-18 with a range of complex needs including a range of social, emotional and mental health needs and also pupils who have been diagnosed with autism or demonstrate behaviours associated with autism.
You will contribute to making Smallbrook School an outstanding provision for our young people and their families. We provide a therapeutic, supportive and inclusive learning environment and are committed to raising achievement and enabling pupils to recognise their potential and supporting them through a personalised, engaging curriculum. Our priority is to develop the foundation knowledge and skills required to make a manageable and smooth transition to the next life stage.
Our School is based halfway between Shrewsbury and Wem in Shropshire.
Acorn Education offers rewarding careers and meaningful challenges while making a real difference in young people’s lives. As a leading UK provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs, and part of Outcomes First Group, we deliver innovative, evidence-based approaches that support measurable progress and lasting impact.
We are really proud to say that in 2025 Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.
Why Join Us?
We place pupils and vulnerable young adults at the heart of everything we do, so every day brings the satisfaction of making a real difference. We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.
- Life Assurance
- Pension scheme with options to increase contributions
- “Your Wellbeing Matters” – mental health support and physical health checks
- Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista), including:
- Health, wellbeing and insurance benefits
- Hundreds of UK and international discounts
- Cycle to Work Scheme & Electric Car Purchase Scheme
- Critical illness cover
- Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity/paternity leave and paid fertility treatment support
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.
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