Ready to start a career where every day makes a real difference?
Looking for a role where you can support children who need encouragement, patience and positivity to thrive?
A welcoming and inclusive specialist school in the Peterlee area is seeking a Trainee SEN Teaching Assistant to join their dedicated team on a full-time basis. This role offers an excellent opportunity for someone passionate about working with children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and wanting to build a long-term career in education.
The school supports pupils aged 4–7 years, many of whom have additional needs including Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), speech and language difficulties, sensory processing needs, and social communication challenges.
The Role
As a Trainee SEN Teaching Assistant, you will work closely with experienced teachers and support staff to help pupils access learning in a safe, nurturing and structured environment.
Your duties will include:
Supporting pupils during literacy, numeracy and play-based learning sessions
Providing 1:1 and small group support to children who require additional guidance
Assisting with phonics, early reading and number recognition activities
Helping pupils develop social interaction and communication skills
Supporting children with sensory activities and structured play
Encouraging positive behaviour and emotional regulation
Assisting with classroom preparation and learning resources
Supporting pupils during lunchtime routines and transitions
The Ideal Candidate
The school is looking for someone who is patient, enthusiastic and committed to helping children succeed.
You may have:
Experience working with children in schools, nurseries, youth groups or care settings
An interest in SEN, psychology, education or child development
Strong communication and teamwork skills
A calm and positive approach to behaviour support
Experience & Training
Previous experience working with children or SEN is desired but not essential.
The school is happy to support candidates who are new to education and willing to learn. Successful applicants may begin on a trainee pay scale, with opportunities to progress as experience and training develop.
You will receive support and guidance from experienced staff and may gain valuable experience in:
Autism support strategies
Behaviour management approaches
Speech and language development
Inclusive education practices
Working Hours
Full time role
Monday to Friday
School hours during term time
Why This Role?
This is an excellent opportunity to gain meaningful experience within a supportive SEN setting while developing skills that could lead to future careers such as:
SEN Teaching Assistant
Learning Support Assistant
Teacher training
Educational psychology
Specialist support roles
Apply Today
If you are passionate about supporting children and want to begin a rewarding career in education, we would love to hear from you.
Apply today to learn more about this exciting opportunity in Peterlee.
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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