Job Description

Primary SEMH Teaching Assistant - Whitehaven (Immediate Start)

Sense Education

is working with a welcoming and nurturing specialist

primary provision

in

Whitehaven

, and we're looking for a

resilient, caring, and proactive Teaching Assistant

to join their dedicated team. This is a rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful impact on children who need emotional, behavioural, and learning support to thrive.

About the Role

You'll work with

primary-aged pupils

who may have

SEMH needs, ADHD, Autism

, and a history of

trauma, attachment difficulties or behaviour challenges

. The focus is on creating

trust, stability, and emotional regulation

, supporting children 1:1 and in small groups to help them re-engage with learning and develop essential life and social skills.

What You'll Do

Provide

1:1 and small group support

for pupils with SEMH and associated needs Help pupils manage

emotions, behaviour and transitions

throughout the day Use

restorative approaches

and

emotional regulation strategies

Support teachers in

delivering personalised learning and behaviour plans

Create a

safe, structured and predictable

environment Build

positive relationships

and be a consistent, calming presence Work closely with

pastoral teams, SENCOs and external professionals

Ideal Candidate Will Bring

Experience working with

children with SEMH, behaviour needs, or trauma

A

calm, empathetic and consistent approach

to behaviour management Ability to build

trusting relationships

with children who may struggle with emotional regulation Confidence in

setting boundaries

while remaining nurturing and supportive Teamwork, good communication, and a

willingness to follow school-wide support strategies

(Desirable) Familiarity with

therapeutic or trauma-informed approaches

About the School

This

specialist primary provision

in Whitehaven supports pupils who benefit from small-group, high-support settings. The school provides

individualised learning

, embedded therapy approaches, and a

tight-knit team

committed to each child's emotional and academic progress.This

specialist primary SEND provision in Whitehaven

is purpose-built to support pupils with complex needs. With sensory rooms, therapy spaces, and small, adapted classrooms, it offers a

nurturing, structured environment

where every child receives personalised support. The team is warm, experienced, and deeply committed to student wellbeing and progress.

Why Join Sense Education?

Immediate start available

Weekly pay Full-time and part-time hours available Term-time only (no weekends) Ongoing SEND and safeguarding CPD Pathways to temp-to-perm roles and long-term opportunities

Schedule & Details:

Days

: Monday to Friday

Hours

: 8:30am - 3:30pm

Contract

: Long-term (with temp-to-perm potential)
Safeguarding children is an integral part of what we do and we have a stringent safer recruitment process. We undertake checks on all the candidates we work with. As such we require a current Enhanced DBS Disclosure for everyone working in Schools. If you do not have a subscription to the DBS Update Service, you may be required to complete a new DBS application as part of the registration process. If you take a temporary role with Sense Education you will be paid on a weekly basis. All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position but long term. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available.

If you're passionate about working with children and want to make a real difference in their educational journey, we'd love to hear from you.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Temp to perm

Pay: 91.00-105.00 per day

Benefits:

Free parking On-site parking
Schedule:

Monday to Friday No weekends
Work Location: In person