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⚡ Source: ReedRef: 56923565

Experienced SEN Teaching Assistants

Tradewind Recruitment·Tunbridge Wells, Kent·Posted 1 week ago
💰 £92-93/hour
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Job description

Original text imported from Reed

SEN Teaching Assistant - Special Educational Needs School in Tunbridge Wells
Full-time - £93 per day - ASAP start - Monday to Friday 8.30am-3.30pm

Ad-hoc and potential to become a long-term position

If you are passionate about supporting children and young people with severe and complex special educational needs, and thrive in a nurturing yet highly specialised environment, this could be the role for you.

Tradewind Recruitment are currently seeking resilient, compassionate, and committed SEN Teaching Assistants to join one of our client schools in Tunbridge Wells

The Role

  • Supporting pupils on a 1:1 or small group basis with needs including severe learning difficulties (SLD), profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), complex learning difficulties, autism spectrum condition (ASC), and sensory impairments.
  • Assisting with personalised learning programmes tailored to each pupil's EHCP, focusing on communication, independence, and life skills.
  • Providing support with personal care where required, ensuring dignity and respect at all times.
  • Using a calm, patient, and nurturing approach to support pupils who may have communication difficulties or sensory needs.
  • Working collaboratively with teachers, therapists, and support staff to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment.
  • Being a positive role model who genuinely wants to make a difference - this role is more than just a job.
  • Taking initiative in the classroom and building meaningful, trusting relationships with pupils and their families.

Requirements

  • Prior experience as a Teaching Assistant, Learning Support Assistant, Care Support Worker, or within a specialist SEN setting is highly desirable.
  • Experience supporting children or young people with SLD, PMLD, autism, or complex needs is advantageous.
  • You must demonstrate patience, emotional resilience, adaptability, and a proactive attitude.
  • A willingness to assist with personal care and medical needs where necessary.
  • Must have the right to work in the UK and be willing to obtain an enhanced DBS (child-only) on the update service or be willing to get a new one. A new DBS costs £62 and we will reimburse the £62 once you complete 20 days of work with us.
  • If you have been out of the UK in the last 5 years for 6 months or more, you will also need to obtain an overseas police check.

Why work with Tradewind Recruitment?

  • Competitive daily rates and transparent pay.
  • Ongoing access to over 2,500 CPD-accredited courses through The National College.
  • A dedicated and experienced consultant supporting you every step of the way.
  • A reliable and knowledgeable compliance team ensuring smooth onboarding and continued support.

If you're ready to support children and young people in a setting where your care, consistency, and commitment can truly change lives, apply today to join a supportive and forward-thinking specialist school community.



SpeedCV AI

Key skills

AI-extracted from the job advert

Must-have skills
SEN Teaching Assistant experienceEnhanced DBS clearanceRight to work in UKPersonal care assistanceSLD/PMLD support experienceEHCP implementation
Nice-to-have
Learning Support Assistant experienceCare Support Worker experienceAutism spectrum supportSensory impairment supportSpecialist SEN setting experience
Soft skills
PatienceEmotional resilienceAdaptabilityCompassionCommunicationInitiativeNurturing approach
SpeedCV AI

Application advice

5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.

1

⭐ Highlight your SEN experience prominently as the advert specifically seeks Teaching Assistants with specialist SEN setting experience

2

📊 Quantify your impact: 'Supported 8 pupils with PMLD, improving communication skills by implementing PECS systems'

3

🌐 Emphasise your experience with specific conditions mentioned: SLD, PMLD, autism spectrum condition, and sensory impairments

4

🎯 Showcase your personal care experience as the role requires assistance with personal care and medical needs

5

🤝 Demonstrate your collaborative approach with teachers, therapists and families as teamwork is essential in this specialist environment

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Suggested CV bullets

3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.

How to tailor your CV

Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:

  • Supported 12 pupils with SLD and PMLD through personalised EHCP programmes, achieving 85% of communication targets over 6-month period
  • Implemented 1:1 autism support strategies for 4 pupils with ASC, reducing challenging behaviours by 60% through consistent sensory breaks
  • Delivered personal care assistance to 8 pupils with complex needs while maintaining dignity protocols and achieving 100% safeguarding compliance

Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.

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Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to apply for the SEN Teaching Assistant position with Tradewind Recruitment's client school in Tunbridge Wells. Having worked extensively with pupils with severe learning difficulties and autism spectrum conditions, I am drawn to this specialist role supporting children with SLD, PMLD and complex needs through personalised EHCP programmes.

My background in SEN support has equipped me with the patience, emotional resilience and practical skills needed to provide both educational and personal care support in specialist settings. I have experience implementing communication strategies and life skills programmes for pupils with complex needs.

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SpeedCV AI

Interview questions

10 questions generated from this advert.

Technical

  • How would you adapt learning activities for a pupil with PMLD?
  • What strategies would you use to support a child with autism spectrum condition during transitions?
  • How do you implement EHCP objectives in daily classroom activities?
  • Describe your experience with communication aids for pupils with severe learning difficulties
  • How would you support a pupil with sensory impairments during group activities?

Behavioural

  • Tell me about a time when you had to show patience with a challenging pupil
  • Describe a situation where you had to adapt quickly to a pupil's changing needs
  • Give an example of how you built trust with a pupil who had communication difficulties
  • Tell me about a time you worked collaboratively with teachers and therapists
  • Describe how you maintained dignity when providing personal care to a pupil
SpeedCV AINEW

STAR answer examples

Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.

1Question

Tell me about a time when you had to show patience with a challenging pupil

I worked with a 9-year-old pupil with autism who would become distressed during transitions, often taking 15 minutes to move between activities. Rather than rushing, I developed a visual transition card system and gave him 5-minute warnings before changes. I remained calm during his distressed periods, using his preferred sensory toy as comfort. Over 8 weeks, his transition time reduced to 3 minutes and his distress episodes decreased by 70%. This taught me that patience combined with consistent strategies creates meaningful progress for pupils with complex needs.
2Question

Describe a situation where you had to adapt quickly to a pupil's changing needs

During a life skills session, a pupil with PMLD who usually engaged well suddenly became withdrawn and refused to participate. I noticed she seemed uncomfortable and quickly realised her positioning in her wheelchair had shifted. I immediately adjusted her seating and offered her preferred tactile materials instead of the planned fine motor activity. She re-engaged within 10 minutes and completed 3 communication objectives that session. This experience reinforced how quickly I need to read non-verbal cues and adapt activities to meet pupils' immediate physical and emotional needs.

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