Teaching Assistant – SEN

Location: Brighton
Job Title: Learning Support Assistant
Hours: Full-time (Term Time)
Start Date: ASAP (with a handover period to support the child’s transition)

We are seeking a resilient and understanding Learning Support Assistant to work 1:1 with a Year 3 child who has significant SEMH (Social, Emotional, and Mental Health) needs. The child comes from a challenging background and is considered vulnerable, struggling to build relationships and develop trust with adults. Your role will be to provide consistent, patient, and nurturing support, helping the pupil feel safe, understood, and engaged in their learning environment.

While primary school experience is ideal, we welcome candidates who have previously worked with children or young people displaying challenging behaviour, including those from alternative settings. What’s most important is your ability to connect, communicate, and support the child in developing positive, trusting relationships and engaging with their education.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide 1:1 support to a Year 3 child with SEMH needs, focusing on building trust and establishing a positive, supportive relationship.
• Use strategies and interventions that help the pupil regulate emotions, manage behaviour, and feel safe in the school environment.
• Work closely with the class teacher and SENCo to implement tailored strategies, adapting these as the child’s needs evolve.
• Encourage the child’s social and emotional development, fostering resilience, confidence, and positive interactions.
• Support the child’s engagement with learning tasks, helping them access the curriculum and make progress at their own pace.
• Monitor and record the child’s progress and behaviour, sharing insights with the teaching team and SENCo to inform ongoing support strategies.

Essential Experience/Attributes:

• Proven experience working with children or young people with SEMH needs and challenging behaviour (not necessarily in a primary setting).
• Strong ability to build trust and form positive relationships, especially with children who have experienced difficulties building rapport.
• Resilience, patience, and a proactive approach to adapting strategies to meet the child’s evolving needs.
• Good communication and teamwork skills, enabling you to collaborate effectively with teachers, support staff, and external agencies if needed.
• A DBS check registered on the update service or willingness to obtain one.
• Qualifications or training in SEMH or related areas are desirable but not essential.

If you are committed to making a meaningful difference and have the resilience to support a child through their educational journey, apply now!

Important Notice: To successfully apply for the above position, you should be eligible to work in the UK or hold a relevant work visa. Safeguarding, quality, and integrity are at the heart of what we do. Pink Tile is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people within education. During the application process, you will be required to:

– Provide details for us to complete reference checks before employment.
– Provide an Enhanced DBS on the update service or be willing to obtain one (which Pink Tile can assist with).

Pink Tile Education, their schools, and candidates all share the view of “Best Fit, Every Time,” ensuring that every candidate we place has a positive impact on the team of their new employers. Please note the pay is inclusive of the 12.07% PAYE holiday.

We have a policy, as a matter of courtesy, to respond to all applications within three working days. However, due to the volume of applications, we sometimes cannot reply to individual enquiries. If you have not been contacted within this specified time, your application may have been unsuccessful on this occasion, but we encourage you to apply for future positions. Alternatively, please check missed calls and all your email folders as we may have tried to reach you. Thank you.