Home Jobs Yorkshire and The Humber SheffieldGraduate Sports Coach - SEMH support

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Graduate Sports Coach - SEMH support

Protocol Education·Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber·Posted 1 week ago

💰 £93-100/hour

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Job description

Original text imported from Reed

Job Title: Graduate Sports Coach – SEMH Support
Location: Sheffield
Salary: £92.63 - £100 (PAYE)
Contract Type: Full-Time, Term-Time Only
Start Date: ASAP

Are you a recent sports graduate with a passion for making a real difference?
Do you thrive in dynamic environments and want to use sport as a tool for positive change?

We are seeking a motivated and energetic Graduate Sports Coach to join our specialist team, supporting children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a setting where sport and physical activity are used not only for physical development, but also to build confidence, resilience, and social skills.

The Role:

Deliver and assist with structured sports sessions that promote engagement, teamwork, and emotional regulation
Support students with SEMH needs both in and out of the classroom
Build strong, positive relationships with pupils based on trust, consistency, and respect
Act as a positive male/female role model where appropriate
Assist in managing challenging behaviour with a trauma-informed, restorative approach
Contribute to the wider school ethos of inclusion, safety, and student wellbeing

What We’re Looking For:

A degree in Sports Science, Physical Education, Coaching, or a related subject
Experience working with young people, ideally those with behavioural or emotional needs (desirable)
A passion for sport as a tool for education and personal development
Patience, resilience, and the ability to de-escalate challenging situations
A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people

We Offer:

A supportive and experienced pastoral and SEND team
Ongoing training in behaviour management, mental health, and trauma-informed practice
A rewarding opportunity to help vulnerable young people re-engage with learning
Opportunities for progression and development into teaching, mentoring, or therapy-related roles

Whether you’re looking to build experience for a future career in teaching, youth work, or coaching, this role offers meaningful, hands-on experience in a nurturing and challenging setting.

To apply, please send your CV and a brief cover letter to .
Closing date: Ongoing

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

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.

Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website.

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Key skills

AI-extracted from the job advert

Must-have skills

Degree in Sports Science, Physical Education, Coaching or related subjectSafeguarding children knowledgeEnhanced DBS checkSEMH or behavioural needs awarenessStructured sports session delivery

Nice-to-have

Trauma-informed practice trainingRestorative practiceSEND support experienceBehaviour management CPD

Soft skills

PatienceResilienceEmpathyPositive role modellingRelationship buildingDe-escalationCommitment to inclusion

SpeedCV AI

Application advice

5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.

⭐ Lead your CV personal statement with your Sports Science or PE degree and any direct experience with young people with SEMH or behavioural needs, as the advert lists these as primary requirements.

📊 Quantify your coaching experience: e.g. 'Delivered weekly sports sessions to groups of 12 pupils aged 11-16, improving attendance engagement by 25% over one term'.

🎯 Explicitly mention any safeguarding training, DBS certification, or trauma-informed/restorative practice CPD, as the advert flags safeguarding as a non-negotiable requirement.

🌐 Highlight any placements, volunteering, or work experience in schools, youth clubs, or SEND/SEMH settings — even brief experience is noted as desirable in the advert.

🤝 Include a short section on behaviour management strategies you have used (e.g. de-escalation techniques, positive reinforcement), as the advert specifically seeks candidates who can manage challenging behaviour.

See the 2 remaining tips

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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:

•Designed and delivered 10-week sports programme for 14 pupils aged 12-15 with SEMH needs, achieving 90% session attendance and measurable improvement in peer interaction scores.
•Applied trauma-informed de-escalation techniques during 3 incidents of challenging behaviour per week on average, reducing exclusion referrals by 40% over one school term.
•Supported class teacher and SEND coordinator across 5 weekly PE sessions, adapting activities for 6 students with EHCPs to ensure full inclusion and physical engagement.

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Dear Hiring Manager,

Protocol Education's Graduate Sports Coach role in Sheffield aligns precisely with my commitment to using sport as a vehicle for SEMH support and personal development. Having completed a degree in Sports Science, I am equipped to deliver structured physical activity sessions that promote emotional regulation and build resilience in young people with behavioural and emotional needs — two priorities your advert places at the heart of this position.

My background in coaching and working with young people includes delivering sessions to groups of up to 15 participants aged 11-18, applying positive behaviour management strategies and building trust-based relationships. I have completed safeguarding awareness training and hold an enhanced DBS certificate, and I am keen to develop further in trauma-informed and restorative practice through the ongoing CPD your team offers.

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Interview questions

10 questions generated from this advert.

Technical

›How would you structure a sports session to promote emotional regulation for pupils with SEMH needs?
›What trauma-informed approaches have you used or studied that could be applied in a school sports setting?
›How would you adapt a physical activity session for a student who is dysregulated or refusing to participate?
›What safeguarding procedures would you follow if a pupil disclosed a concern to you during a sports session?
›How do you measure the impact of sport and physical activity on the social and emotional development of young people?

Behavioural

›Tell me about a time you worked with a young person who was disengaged or displaying challenging behaviour — how did you respond?
›Describe a situation where you had to de-escalate a difficult situation involving a young person. What did you do and what was the outcome?
›Give an example of when you acted as a positive role model for a young person. What impact did it have?
›Tell me about a time you had to adapt your coaching style to meet the individual needs of a participant.
›Describe a time you worked as part of a team to support a vulnerable young person. What was your contribution?

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 worked with a young person who was disengaged or displaying challenging behaviour — how did you respond?

Situation: During a university placement at a community sports club, I worked with a 14-year-old who regularly refused to join group drills and became verbally aggressive when approached. Task: My role was to keep him engaged and prevent disruption to the wider group of 12 participants. Action: I used a low-key, non-confrontational approach — offering him a choice of activity and sitting alongside him rather than directing him. I introduced a one-to-one passing drill before gradually reintegrating him with a smaller group of two peers. Result: Over four weeks, his participation increased from roughly 20% to 80% of session time, and he was nominated by peers as 'most improved' at the end-of-term review.

2Question

Describe a situation where you had to de-escalate a difficult situation involving a young person. What did you do and what was the outcome?

Situation: At a holiday sports camp, a 13-year-old became highly distressed after losing a competitive game, throwing equipment and shouting at teammates. Task: I needed to de-escalate the situation quickly to ensure the safety of 15 other children present. Action: I calmly removed him from the group to a quieter space, used a low, steady tone, and gave him two minutes of silence before asking open questions about how he was feeling. I validated his frustration without excusing the behaviour, then agreed a plan for returning to the session. Result: He rejoined the group within 10 minutes, apologised to teammates unprompted, and completed the rest of the day without further incident. The lead coach noted the approach in my end-of-placement feedback.

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