Pastoral Support Assistant – East Grinstead
Location: East Grinstead
Salary: £88.92 - £95 per day (depending on experience)
Contract Type: Full-Time
Start Date: Immediately
About the School
This welcoming and inclusive school in East Grinstead is dedicated to providing an environment where every pupil feels safe, supported, and valued. The school places a strong emphasis on emotional wellbeing, behaviour management, and positive relationships between students and staff. With a committed pastoral team, they work closely with families, external agencies, and staff members to ensure each child’s individual needs are met — particularly those who face social, emotional, or behavioural challenges.
About the Role
As a Pastoral Support Assistant, you’ll be a key part of the school’s commitment to nurturing pupils’ emotional health and wellbeing. You’ll support students who may be experiencing difficulties with attendance, engagement, or behaviour, helping them develop the confidence and resilience needed to succeed in school. Working closely with the SENCo, teachers, and senior leadership, you’ll provide targeted support to help pupils regulate emotions, rebuild trust, and maintain a sense of belonging within the school community.
Responsibilities
* Provide 1:1 and small group support to students with social, emotional, or behavioural challenges.
* Support pupils in managing their emotions, behaviour, and relationships in a positive and constructive way.
* Work closely with staff and families to implement tailored pastoral care plans.
* Help track attendance, engagement, and progress for identified students.
* Provide a safe and trusted space for pupils to talk and reflect.
* Assist in developing strategies to improve motivation, focus, and learning readiness.
* Promote inclusion, respect, and a positive school ethos across the wider community.
Qualifications
* Experience working with children or young people in a pastoral, mentoring, or behavioural support role.
* Strong understanding of social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs and effective support strategies.
* Empathetic, patient, and resilient, with strong communication and listening skills.
* Ability to build trusting and supportive relationships with students.
* Must have the right to work in the UK and an Enhanced DBS certificate (or be willing to apply for one).
Please be advised that this role requires a strong knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection and that successful applicants must satisfy all background safer recruitment checks; including providing an enhanced DBS certificate registered on the update service, or completing an application for a new check.
To Apply
To be considered for the Pastoral Support Assistant role in East Grinstead, please ensure you have the right to work in the UK and can provide a full CV with recent references. An Enhanced DBS will be required for this post.
For more information or to register your interest in the ‘Pastoral Support Assistant’ role, or to be considered, please click ‘apply now’ to submit your full and up-to-date CV and one of our dedicated consultants will be in touch.