HLTA | SEMH Behaviour Support
Barking & Dagenham
£100 - £130 per day PAYE
Full-Time | Temp to Perm
September Start
In this school, success might be a young person staying in the classroom for the first time all week.
It might be a pupil choosing conversation over confrontation.
Or a student who has spent years expecting rejection finally trusting an adult enough to ask for help.
We're supporting a specialist SEMH school in Barking and Dagenham that is looking for an exceptional HLTA to join their team this September.
This isn't a role for someone who simply wants to support learning.
It's for someone who understands that before learning can happen, young people need to feel safe, understood and connected.
The School
This specialist provision supports pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, many of whom have experienced trauma, disrupted education and significant challenges outside of school.
The staff team has created something special.
Relationships come first.
Behaviour is viewed through a therapeutic lens.
Boundaries are clear, expectations are high, and every young person is given the opportunity to succeed.
You'll be joining a team that genuinely understands the complexities of SEMH and works together to create consistency, structure and positive outcomes.
Your Role
You'll be a key figure in the school day, supporting pupils both academically and emotionally while helping to maintain the calm, structured environment that allows them to thrive.
No two days will be the same.
You might be:
- Leading learning sessions for individuals or small groups
- Covering lessons and maintaining engagement
- Supporting pupils through moments of dysregulation
- Helping young people develop emotional regulation strategies
- Building trusted relationships with students who may initially push adults away
- Working closely with teachers, therapists and pastoral teams to achieve positive outcomes
Who Thrives Here?
The most successful staff in this setting aren't necessarily the loudest.
They're the adults who stay calm when things become difficult.
The adults who don't take behaviour personally.
The adults who understand that consistency builds trust.
You may already be an experienced HLTA, or perhaps you're a highly skilled SEND Teaching Assistant ready to take the next step.
Either way, you'll need:
✔ Experience supporting pupils with SEMH needs
✔ Confidence working in behaviour-focused environments
✔ A resilient and reflective approach
✔ Strong relationship-building skills
✔ An understanding that behaviour is often a form of communication
✔ A genuine commitment to helping vulnerable young people succeed
Why People Stay
This school invests heavily in its staff because it understands that supporting SEMH pupils requires the right training, guidance and culture.
You'll benefit from:
- A highly supportive leadership team
- Specialist SEMH training and ongoing development
- Strong behaviour support systems
- A trauma-informed and restorative approach
- Excellent staff wellbeing support
- A genuine opportunity to secure a permanent role
More Than a Job
The pupils in this school won't remember every worksheet.
They probably won't remember every lesson.
But they will remember the adults who believed in them when they were struggling.
If you're looking for a role where your patience, consistency and relationship-building skills genuinely change lives, we'd love to hear from you.
Contact Elisha at: elisha@psinclusion.co.uk