Psychology graduate: sen support assistant

Looking to start a career in educational psychology, child development, or behaviour support? This could be your perfect first step.

We're looking for a resilient, patient, and compassionate SEN Support Assistant to work 1:1 with a Year 2 pupil in a welcoming primary school in NE6 for the new academic year. The child displays challenging behaviour and is currently awaiting assessment for autism, so this role is all about building trust, creating consistency, and helping them feel safe, understood, and ready to learn.

This pupil has easier and more difficult days which is why we're looking for someone who can stay calm under pressure, celebrate the small wins, and keep showing up with positivity and patience.

Location: Newcastle (NE6)
Pay: £92.63 - £102 per day
Start Date: September 2026
Contract: Full-time, long-term

What you'll be doing

• Supporting a Year 2 pupil on a 1:1 basis
• Helping manage emotional regulation and challenging behaviour
• Building positive relationships and encouraging engagement in learning
• Working closely with the class teacher, SENCO, and wider school team
• Creating a safe, structured, and supportive environment

This role could be perfect if you are:

• A Psychology graduate (or similar) looking to gain hands-on experience
• Interested in Educational Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Mental Health, SEND, or Behaviour Support
• Calm under pressure and able to think on your feet
• Resilient, empathetic, and confident setting boundaries
• Passionate about helping children overcome barriers to learning
• Previous experience working with children, young people, SEND, mental health, youth work, coaching, care, or support work would be a huge advantage, but the right attitude matters just as much.

About the school

This is a welcoming and inclusive community primary school in the heart of Newcastle's NE6 area, catering for children aged 2 to 11. The school prides itself on building positive relationships, resilience, and a love of learning. The school celebrates diversity and creates an environment where every child feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. The school also boasts a staff car park and excellent public transport links.

What you'll gain

You'll gain real-world experience supporting a child with complex needs, develop behaviour management skills, and work alongside experienced education professionals. It's the kind of experience that stands out on applications for Psychology Master's courses, Educational Psychology pathways, teaching, counselling, and wider child-focused careers.

Why work with Protocol Education?

• Weekly PAYE pay, no umbrella companies
• FREE access to our online CPD Academy
• Personalised support from a dedicated consultant
• Opportunities in mainstream, SEND, and alternative settings
• Streamlined registration and local bookings
• Referral scheme, earn rewards for referring friends

Bonus tip for aspiring SEN professionals: Are you Thrive trained? If not, ask us about our FREE Thrive training. It's a fantastic qualification that helps you better understand children's emotional development and can make your CV even more appealing to schools.

Apply today and start making a difference where it matters most.

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.

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