Complex Needs Teaching Assistant

Complex Needs Teaching Assistant 

This is a deeply rewarding opportunity for a Complex Needs Teaching Assistant to support children and young people with complex needs in a specialist classroom setting. You will work closely with a dedicated team to provide care, consistency, and communication support for pupils. You will help each learner engage with education in a way that is meaningful to them.

The Role

This long-term temporary position (with potential to become permanent) involves supporting pupils with a wide range of needs including Autism, Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), and complex medical needs.

Duties include:

• Giving pupils a voice through communication techniques such as PECS and Makaton, helping them to express their needs, feelings, and ideas with confidence
• Contributing to a positive and consistent classroom environment alongside the teacher and wider support team
• Encouraging pupils to experience freedom and joy through swimming sessions, where they can float, move, and explore in a safe and supportive space
• Guiding pupils in sensory rooms, where they are captivated by calming lights, bubble machines, and soothing sounds
• Helping children access enriching experiences beyond the classroom that nurture their curiosity, confidence, and independence

The Ideal Person

This role requires a compassionate, resilient individual with a genuine passion for SEND. The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience supporting children or adults with complex needs or disabilities
• An understanding of SEND, particularly in relation to communication and regulation
• The ability to remain calm, patient and responsive under pressure
• A flexible, team-oriented approach
• A Care qualification, Teaching Assistant qualification or degree

The School

Join a beautifully nurturing, highly personalised learning environment for pupils with complex needs. It is well-staffed, well-resourced, and deeply committed to inclusive practice and safeguarding. Staff are valued for their patience, empathy, and the safe spaces they create.

Hours

Monday to Friday, 8.45 am to 3.15 pm. Both full-time and part-time applications are welcome.

This is your chance to help young people feel safe, supported, and understood every single day.

Safeguarding children is an integral part of what we do and we have a stringent safer recruitment process. We undertake checks on all the candidates we work with. As such we require a current Enhanced DBS Disclosure for everyone working in Schools. If you do not have a subscription to the DBS Update Service, you may be required to complete a new DBS application as part of the registration process. If you take a temporary role with Sense Education you will be paid on a weekly basis. All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position but long term. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available.