Teaching Assistant - Special Needs Base New

Teaching Assistant - Special Needs Base

Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:15am-3:15pm
Pay: £93 per day
Start: ASAP
Duration: Academic year, with potential for a longer-term placement

Are you a kind, caring, bubbly and proactive person who enjoys making a genuine difference in the lives of young people?

We are looking for a dedicated Teaching Assistant to join a specialist additional learning needs base within a secondary school in Barry, supporting pupils aged 11-16 with Autism, anxiety and mental health needs.

This is a rewarding but dynamic role, ideal for someone who is patient, emotionally aware and able to build strong, trusting relationships with young people.

The Role

As a Teaching Assistant, you will provide both academic and pastoral support, helping pupils to feel safe, regulated and able to engage with school.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Supporting pupils with their emotional regulation, confidence and wellbeing.
• Helping young people develop independence and life skills.
• Providing academic support across the curriculum, including working towards GCSE level.
• Building positive, trusting relationships with pupils who may experience anxiety, withdrawal or emotional dysregulation.
• Supporting pupils when they are feeling triggered, overwhelmed or affected by difficult experiences or trauma.
• Encouraging engagement with learning while recognising when a young person needs space, reassurance or a different approach.
• Working closely with teachers and the wider school team to provide consistent support.
• Being flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the pupils and the school.
• Helping create a calm, positive and inclusive environment within the specialist base.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate will be:

• Kind, caring and compassionate, with a genuine desire to support young people.
• Bubbly, positive and engaging, while also knowing when a calm and sensitive approach is needed.
• Proactive, switched-on and able to use initiative.
• Patient and emotionally resilient.
• Flexible and comfortable working in a dynamic environment where no two days are necessarily the same.
• Confident supporting pupils both academically and pastorally.
• Able to remain calm and professional when a pupil is experiencing a difficult or emotionally challenging moment.
• A strong team player who is happy to work collaboratively with the school and adapt to its needs.
• Looking for a long-term opportunity where they can build meaningful relationships and become part of the school community.

Experience

A background in education, teaching support, youth work, psychology, support work, coaching or working with children and young people would be highly desirable.

Experience supporting children or young people with Autism, anxiety, SEMH or additional learning needs would be beneficial, although the right attitude, personality and willingness to learn are equally important.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to become an important part of a specialist provision where your support can have a real and lasting impact on young people's confidence, independence, education and wellbeing.

The role can be challenging at times, particularly when pupils are experiencing trauma, feeling triggered or withdrawing from those around them. However, for the right person, it is an incredibly rewarding opportunity to help young people overcome barriers and achieve things they may not have thought possible.

If you're energetic, compassionate, resilient and passionate about supporting young people, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now for an ASAP start for the academic year.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ's on the Teaching Personnel website for details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This ad