SEN Teaching Assistant – Autism Specialist School
Location: Southwark
Start Date: September 2026
Contract: Full-Time, Long-Term
Salary: £93–£105 per day (PAYE), dependent on experience
Do you want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Autistic young people? Are you passionate about supporting pupils in a nurturing, therapeutic environment where every learner is understood as an individual and celebrated for their strengths?
We are working with a specialist Autism school in Southwark that provides a caring, inclusive, and highly supportive learning environment for Autistic pupils. The school is committed to helping every student develop confidence, independence, communication skills, and the resilience needed to achieve their full potential.
The school offers a therapeutic approach to education, recognising that positive relationships, emotional wellbeing, and personalised support are the foundations of successful learning. With small class sizes and a highly skilled multidisciplinary team, staff work collaboratively to ensure each pupil receives the support they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
A key part of the school's ethos is preparing young people for life beyond education. Students benefit from meaningful opportunities to develop independence and employability skills through the school's onsite café, where they learn practical life skills, customer service, teamwork, food preparation, and workplace routines in a real-life setting. These experiences help build confidence and prepare pupils for future employment and greater independence.
The school also has strong links with the local community, encouraging pupils to participate in community-based learning, enrichment activities, and work-related experiences that promote inclusion, independence, and a sense of belonging.
What is it like to work in this school?
Working in an Autism specialist setting is incredibly rewarding. Every day brings opportunities to celebrate progress, build trusting relationships, and help young people overcome barriers to learning in a calm and supportive environment.
As a Teaching Assistant, you will:
- Build trusting, positive relationships with Autistic pupils.
- Support students' communication, emotional regulation, and social development.
- Deliver personalised support tailored to individual learning styles and sensory needs.
- Promote independence and develop essential life skills.
- Support pupils in vocational learning, including the school's onsite café and community activities.
- Use positive behaviour support strategies and therapeutic approaches.
- Work closely with teachers, therapists, families, and other professionals.
- Help create a calm, safe, and inclusive environment where every pupil feels valued and understood.
Why this school stands out?
- A caring, therapeutic environment where wellbeing is at the heart of everything they do.
- Specialist expertise in supporting Autistic pupils through personalised, strengths-based approaches.
- An onsite café providing valuable life skills and preparation for future employment.
- Strong community links, giving students opportunities to learn beyond the classroom and build confidence in real-world settings.
- Small class sizes that allow staff to develop meaningful relationships with every pupil.
- A collaborative team of teachers, therapists, and support staff working together to achieve the best outcomes.
- Excellent training and professional development in Autism, communication strategies, safeguarding, positive behaviour support, and therapeutic practice.
What we're looking for?
We are keen to hear from people who have:
- Experience working with children or young people with Autism or additional needs.
- A genuine passion for supporting Autistic pupils to achieve independence and success.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
- Patience, empathy, resilience, and a calm, consistent approach.
- An understanding of safeguarding and child protection.
- An interest in therapeutic, person-centred, and neurodiversity-affirming approaches.
- Experience supporting pupils with Autism, communication differences, or additional learning needs is highly desirable.
Ideal backgrounds include?
- SEN Teaching Assistant or Learning Support Assistant
- Autism Support Worker
- Behaviour Mentor
- Youth Worker
- Psychology Graduate
- Speech and Language or Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Education, Health, or Social Care Professional
Why apply?
This is an opportunity to join a school where relationships come first, individuality is celebrated, and every member of staff plays an important role in helping young people build happy, fulfilling, and independent futures.
If you are looking for a rewarding role where you can genuinely change lives while working within a compassionate, therapeutic, and community-focused school, we would love to hear from you.
Apply today or contact Jamie Martinez at Parker Smith Inclusion for a confidential discussion.