Some pupils just need one person in their corner. Someone steady, calm, and committed to helping them navigate school in a way that feels safe and manageable. If that sounds like you, this secondary school in Durham would love to welcome you. We’re supporting a local secondary setting looking for a 1:1 Support Assistant to work directly with a young person who has special educational needs. The right person will help them stay engaged in lessons, manage their day, and build confidence socially and academically. What the role involves Providing 1:1 support in lessons, helping the pupil access the curriculum Using clear, consistent communication and gentle guidance Supporting transitions, routines, and moments that feel overwhelming Working closely with the SENCO, pastoral team, and teaching staff Helping the pupil develop confidence, independence, and positive relationships in school You’ll be great in this role if you… Have experience supporting young people with additional needs, whether in school, youth work, care, mentoring, or similar Stay calm and reassuring when things get challenging Can build trust slowly and thoughtfully Understand that behaviour is communication Are patient, reflective, and able to adapt on the go What you’ll get with Protocol Education Weekly PAYE pay with no umbrella deductions Free access to our CPD Academy, including SEND, autism, SEMH, and behaviour modules A dedicated local consultant who understands secondary SEND in the region Opportunities across mainstream, specialist, and alternative provisions A friendly, straightforward registration process Referral bonuses for recommending other great educators Quick check… Are you Thrive trained? If not, we can offer it free of charge, and it’s a brilliant toolkit for supporting pupils’ emotional development. Schools really value it. If you’re ready to make a genuine difference to a young person’s school experience, drop me a message and I’ll get everything sorted. 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 12.07% 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.