Are you a Sociology graduate eager to put your knowledge of behaviour, social development and human interaction into meaningful practice?
A specialist SEND school in Durham is seeking a compassionate, curious and resilient SEN Teaching Assistant to support pupils with a range of additional needs.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a graduate who wants hands-on experience in education, psychology, social care or specialist behaviour support.
About the Role
As an SEN Teaching Assistant, you will be working closely with pupils who may have:
1. Autism (ASC)
2. Moderate to Severe Learning Difficulties
3. Social, Emotional & Mental Health needs
4. Communication needs
5. Sensory processing differences
You’ll support students through tailored learning, emotional regulation and positive relationship-building, guided by the class teacher and SEN specialists.
What You’ll Be Doing
6. Providing 1:1 and small-group support based on individual learning plans
7. Helping pupils develop social skills, confidence and independence
8. Supporting behaviour plans using de-escalation and positive reinforcement
9. Assisting with sensory activities, structured routines and therapeutic interventions
10. Collaborating with teachers, therapists and pastoral teams
11. Maintaining a calm, safe and supportive learning environment
12. Recording observations and contributing to progress notes when required
What We’re Looking For
13. A Sociology degree (or another relevant social science)
14. A genuine interest in SEN and child development
15. Patience, empathy and the ability to stay calm under pressure
16. Strong communication skills and a reflective mindset
17. Willingness to learn specialist strategies and training
18. Experience with children or vulnerable adults (desirable, but transferable experience also valued)
19. A DBS on the update service or willingness to apply
Graduates considering careers in teaching, educational psychology, youth work or social care will find this role especially valuable.
What the School Offers
20. A highly supportive specialist environment
21. Training in communication approaches, behaviour support and SEND strategies
22. Experienced staff who mentor new graduates
23. A nurturing setting where every small step of progress is celebrated
24. Real career progression opportunities within specialist education
How to Apply
If you’re a Sociology graduate who wants to make a measurable difference to young people’s lives, we’d love to hear from you.
All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.
Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service.
Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website.