SEMH Teaching Assistant
Full-time (term time only), Full-time to Permanent contract
Merton
Easter start
£90 - £100 per day (Depending on experience) - PAYE
Perhaps where you are working right now, you are focused on just getting through the day and supporting your pupils as best as you can, and so maybe the setting you are working in doesn't accommodate how you truly want to support neurodiverse pupils?
Maybe you have worked in this setting for a number of years, and things have changed, and on reflection, you have realised that what got you into the role, working 121 with SEN/SEMH pupils, has changed there, and you have been taken away from the very thing you set out to do?
When working as a SEN Teaching Assistant, you must always stay regulated when children cannot, and you need to adapt to different needs at any given moment. If you have worked with children or young people with a diagnosis of Autism, SEMH and/or trauma, you will already understand that neurodiverse individuals need adaptable and flexible support.
We are looking for educators who genuinely care and want to make a difference!
I am working in a Secondary setting with a blossoming SEN provision and a high number of SEMH students who need additional, supportive, caring, experienced Teaching Assistants.
From the moment you step into the setting, it is clear that they care, have an unwavering love of the job and believe in their pupils! This is not a school that is afraid of championing their pupils, and from the outset, you not only hear of their vision to provide for their pupils, you see it first-hand!
The school
- Secondary setting - Focused on inclusion, meaning all pupils, including SEMH pupils and those in their provision, have access to their curriculum and are adapted to their needs and complexities
- Staff team - The school have the most wonderful group of educators, including a supportive leadership team, who support each other and provide a real "family" feel
- The school - Offers a welcoming, supportive environment and genuinely values staff wellbeing, with excellent incentives including dedicated HR support, regular social events, and wellbeing support/activities
- SEN Provision - Catering to students with SEMH, additional needs and challenging behaviours
Alongside support of national curriculum, the school offer pupils access to a curriculum that includes therapeutic learning, relationships, and more.
The role
As a SEMH Teaching Assistant, your role goes far beyond classroom support.
You will be a consistent adult presence for pupils who need reliability, calm, and emotional safety. You will work closely with the class teacher to support learning, but also to support regulation, reflection, and repair when things feel difficult.
You will not be expected to manage behaviour through control. Instead, you will:
- Build trusting relationships with pupils over time
- Support emotional regulation through co-regulation
- Understand when learning needs to pause
- Stay calm and reflective during moments of dysregulation
Who we are looking for
This role suits someone who:
- Has genuine SEMH, Autism, ADHD, Complex needs or trauma-related experience (professional or lived)
- Is emotionally intelligent, reflective, and resilient
- Understands that behaviour is communication
- Wants to work in a setting where values and practice are aligned
- Inspiring teacher, clinical psychologist, or therapist
It is not suited to anyone looking for a traditional Teaching Assistant role or to those who rely on sanctions or reward-based behaviour systems.
If this opportunity fits with where you are in your career and what you value in SEN education, I would welcome a conversation.
Whether it is this role or another SEMH Teaching Assistant opportunity, I can help you think carefully about the next step and whether the setting is the right fit for you.
This is a role for someone looking for more than a job. It is for someone looking for the right environment to do meaningful work.
Please reach out to Jamie Martrinez at Parker Smith Inclusion.
INDSUPP