Trauma-informed SEMH Teaching Assistant - Surrey
ASAP start, long-term full-time, 8am – 4pm
£110 PAYE per day
Interviews arranged ASAP
When a child goes quiet instead of loud, do you know how to reach them?
It is worth asking whether your current role is actually giving you what you deserve. Many SEND Teaching Assistants stay too long in schools that ask a great deal and give little back. This Trauma-informed SEMH Teaching Assistant role in East Surrey is different: a long-term, full-time position inside a small special school built around autism, ADHD and SEMH needs, where trauma-informed practice shapes the whole day rather than sitting in a training folder.
The school is built on a genuine acceptance of neurodiversity, on the idea that every pupil's mind works differently and that this difference is treated as a strength rather than something to be corrected. The values behind the curriculum focus on helping pupils build confidence, develop real competence, think and create freely, and grow strong personal character, all in service of a safe, joyful and inspiring place where pupils can develop academically, socially and emotionally. Leaders bring direct, relevant experience in specialist education, and pupil welfare sits at the centre of how the school is run day-to-day.
It is based in Leatherhead, Surrey, commutable from Dorking, Epsom, Guildford and Reigate, with small class sizes and a high staff-to-pupil ratio across both primary and secondary age groups. Every pupil has an EHCP or is awaiting one. The primary need is autism spectrum condition, with a strong proportion of pupils also presenting with ADHD and SEMH needs that tend to show internally, things like anxiety, difficulty regulating emotions, and challenges with relationships and communication, rather than outwardly disruptive behaviour. The site includes specialist teaching and therapeutic spaces, calm rooms, and outdoor grounds for movement and forest-school-style learning. A personal development programme blends therapy with enrichment, and universal, small-group and individual therapeutic interventions run alongside academic support throughout the week, with movement breaks and outdoor learning built into the daily timetable rather than treated as an add-on.
In this role you will:
- Support a caseload of pupils with autism, ADHD, and SEMH needs both in and out of the classroom, including 1:1 and small-group work
- Use trauma-informed, low-arousal strategies to help pupils regulate their emotions, particularly where needs present internally rather than through visible behaviour
- Work closely with teachers and therapists to deliver individual support plans and therapeutic interventions
- Support pupils during movement breaks, outdoor learning and calm room use, to help them reset and return to learning
- Keep clear, accurate records of pupil progress and interventions, and feed back to the wider staff and therapy team
About you
- A genuine interest in autism and SEMH, and a real desire to work with children who need a calm, consistent adult in their corner
- Experience working with children with autism and SEMH is essential for this role
- Comfortable with, or open to training in, trauma-informed and low-arousal approaches to behaviour and emotional regulation
- A relevant background, such as a degree in psychology, education or a related subject, HLTA experience, or a move across from care, youth work or support work
- Patient, steady and able to build trust with pupils who may find change or new adults difficult at first
This is a genuinely long-term role rather than a short placement, with full-time hours and a daily rate of £100 to £110 PAYE, paid reliably with no unexplained deductions. You would be working inside a small, well-resourced team with a strong staff-to-pupil ratio, real CPD around autism, ADHD and SEMH, and the chance to build lasting relationships with the same pupils over time rather than moving on the way agency cover often does. This role is managed by Parker Smith Inclusion, an ethical, SEND-only recruitment consultancy that works in this sector and nowhere else, so we understand the difference between a school that talks about supporting SEND pupils and one that actually does it. We operate on integrity, fairness and transparency, backed by over 400 five-star Google reviews, partnerships with more than 300 schools, and over 1,500 educators placed into roles that genuinely suit them. Every placement is PAYE, never through umbrella companies, with no hidden costs, and we focus on long-term and permanent roles rather than short-term cover.
Interested?
Apply now or get in touch with Heeji Moon at Parker Smith Inclusion.