HomeJobsKentWest MallingExperienced SEN Teaching Assistants
Back to all jobs
⚡ Source: ReedRef: 56923568

Experienced SEN Teaching Assistants

Tradewind Recruitment·West Malling, Kent·Posted 1 week ago
💰 £92-93/hour
Tailor my CV for this job — Free

Job description

Original text imported from Reed

SEN Teaching Assistant - Special Educational Needs School in West Malling
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 near West Malling

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

  • Driver and own vehicle
  • 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
Enhanced DBS clearanceSEN support experiencePersonal care assistanceEHCP implementationAutism spectrum supportCommunication support
Nice-to-have
SLD experiencePMLD supportSensory needs supportMulti-agency workingBehaviour management
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 candidates with SLD, PMLD, and autism support experience

2

📊 Quantify your SEN impact: 'Supported 8 pupils with PMLD, improving communication outcomes by 40%'

3

🌐 Emphasise your Enhanced DBS status and personal care experience as these are essential requirements

4

🎯 Showcase your multi-agency collaboration skills as you'll work with teachers, therapists, and support staff

5

🤝 Demonstrate your relationship-building abilities with pupils and families as this role requires meaningful connections

NEW
AI SpeedCV

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 within 6 months
  • Delivered 1:1 autism spectrum support for 4 pupils, reducing sensory overload incidents by 60% through tailored intervention strategies
  • Collaborated with 8 therapists and teachers across multi-agency teams, ensuring consistent approach to complex learning difficulties support

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

NEW
AI cover letter

Your cover letter is ready

We've drafted a cover letter for Tradewind Recruitment. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.

Letter preview — tailored to Tradewind Recruitment

Dear Hiring Manager,

Tradewind Recruitment's SEN Teaching Assistant role at your West Malling specialist school perfectly matches my passion for supporting children with complex needs. My experience with EHCP implementation and autism spectrum support aligns directly with your requirements for pupils with SLD, PMLD, and sensory impairments.

My background in special educational needs has equipped me with the patience, emotional resilience, and personal care skills essential for this role. I understand the importance of building meaningful relationships with pupils and families whilst maintaining dignity in all interactions.

Get my personalised letter — free

Free signup, no card needed. Export to PDF/Word requires a £1.99 trial (14 days).

SpeedCV exclusive
SpeedCV AI

Interview questions

10 questions generated from this advert.

Technical

  • How would you adapt learning materials for a pupil with PMLD?
  • What strategies would you use to support a non-verbal child with autism?
  • How do you implement EHCP objectives in daily activities?
  • What personal care procedures have you assisted with whilst maintaining dignity?
  • How would you handle a sensory overload situation with an ASC pupil?

Behavioural

  • Tell me about a time you showed patience with a challenging pupil
  • Describe how you built trust with a child with complex needs
  • Give an example of when you took initiative in a SEN classroom
  • How do you maintain emotional resilience in demanding situations?
  • Tell me about collaborating with multiple professionals around one 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 you showed patience with a challenging pupil

I worked with a 14-year-old pupil with severe autism who would become distressed during transitions, often taking 20 minutes to move between activities. Rather than rushing, I developed a visual transition schedule and gave him 5-minute warnings before each change. I would sit calmly beside him, using his preferred fidget toy and counting exercises. Over 8 weeks, his transition time reduced to 3 minutes, and his anxiety levels decreased significantly. The key was recognising that his behaviour stemmed from uncertainty, not defiance, and adapting my approach accordingly.
2Question

Describe how you built trust with a child with complex needs

I supported an 11-year-old girl with PMLD who was non-verbal and initially very withdrawn from adult contact. I started by simply sitting near her during activities without making demands, learning her preferred sensory inputs like soft textures and gentle music. I introduced consistent routines and used the same greeting each morning with a specific hand gesture. After 4 weeks, she began making eye contact, and by week 8, she would reach for my hand during personal care. Building trust required patience, consistency, and respecting her communication style rather than imposing my own expectations.

Similar jobs

View all