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⚡ Source: ReedRef: 57022748

Learning Support Assistant

Philosophy Education Ltd·London·Posted 5 days ago
💰 £15-22/hour
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Job description

Original text imported from Reed


Learning Support Assistant (LSA)

Location: Finsbury Park, London
Hours: Full-Time, Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 4:00pm
Pay Rate: £14.61 per hour (increases to £22.32 per hour)
Start Date: August 2026
Contract: Long-Term, Term-Time Only

A leading further education college in London is seeking committed and enthusiastic Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) to support students aged 16–19 with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

This is a rewarding opportunity to work with young people studying a wide range of vocational courses, as well as Entry Level, Foundation, and Supported Learning programmes.

The Role

As a Learning Support Assistant, you will provide one-to-one and in-class support to students with additional needs, helping them to access their studies, build confidence, and work towards greater independence.

Students may have moderate special educational needs, including:

  • Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)
  • ADHD
  • Speech and Language needs
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs

You will work closely with teaching staff to adapt learning activities and ensure students are fully engaged in lessons.

We are particularly interested in LSAs who have strong skills in English and Maths up to GCSE level.

Many of the students you will support are working towards:

  • GCSE English and Maths
  • Functional Skills qualifications
  • Entry Level and Foundation qualifications
  • Confidence in supporting learners with literacy and numeracy is essential.


Students are enrolled on a variety of programmes, including:

  • ESOL
  • Foundation and Supported Learning
  • Hairdressing
  • Computing and IT
  • Beauty Therapy
  • Accounting and Bookkeeping
  • English
  • Maths

Requirements

To be considered, you must have:

  • Experience working with young people or individuals with SEND
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  • A patient, positive, and proactive approach
  • Strong English and Maths skills to GCSE level

The College

The college is one of the largest further education groups in London, with campuses across:

  • Enfield
  • Tottenham
  • King's Cross
  • Camden
  • Finsbury Park
  • Victoria
  • Soho
  • Regent’s Park

The college is well-regarded for its inclusive approach, supportive leadership team, and excellent staff training and development opportunities.

Who Should Apply?

This position is ideal for:

  • Experienced Learning Support Assistants
  • Previous experience as a Primary or Secondary TA in mainstream or SEND schools
  • Individuals with a caring and positive attitude looking to build a career supporting young people with additional needs
  • Experience in supporting pupils with English and Maths to GCSE level

Apply Now

If you are passionate about supporting young people aged 16–19 and have strong English and Maths skills, we would love to hear from you.

Please apply with your most up-to-date CV.


We have a policy to respond to all applications within three working days. However, because of the volume of applications, we are sometimes unable to reply to individual enquiries. If we have not contacted you within this specified time your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Philosophy Education is a Recruitment Business and is advertising this vacancy on behalf of one of its clients.


SpeedCV AI

Key skills

AI-extracted from the job advert

Must-have skills
SEND support experienceEHCP knowledgeGCSE-level English and MathsFunctional Skills supportExperience working with young people aged 16–19Literacy and numeracy coaching
Nice-to-have
Primary or Secondary TA experienceESOL learner supportVocational further education experienceASC-specific intervention strategies
Soft skills
PatienceCommunicationInterpersonal skillsProactivityPositivityAdaptabilityEmpathy
SpeedCV AI

Application advice

5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.

1

⭐ Open your Personal Statement with direct reference to SEND and EHCP experience, as the advert lists these as the core requirement for the LSA role.

2

📊 Quantify your support experience: e.g. 'Provided one-to-one SEND support to 8 students with EHCPs across 5 vocational programmes, improving lesson engagement by 30%'.

3

🎯 Explicitly name the specific needs you have supported (ASC, ADHD, SEMH, Speech and Language) as the advert lists each one — matching this language improves ATS scoring.

4

📚 Highlight your English and Maths competency at GCSE level or above, as the advert states this is essential and specifically sought for Functional Skills and GCSE support.

5

🤝 If you have experience in Further Education, ESOL, or vocational settings (e.g. Hairdressing, Computing, Accounting), mention these programmes by name to demonstrate direct relevance to this college's curriculum.

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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:

  • Delivered one-to-one EHCP support to 6 students with ASC and SEMH needs across 4 vocational programmes, contributing to a 25% improvement in lesson attendance over one academic term.
  • Supported 10 learners working towards GCSE Maths and Functional Skills Level 2, adapting numeracy resources to individual learning styles and helping 7 students achieve their target grade.
  • Collaborated with 3 specialist teachers to implement EHCP review actions for students with Speech and Language needs, reducing escalation incidents by 40% over two terms.

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

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Letter preview — tailored to Philosophy Education Ltd

Dear Hiring Manager,

Philosophy Education Ltd's Learning Support Assistant role at Finsbury Park aligns directly with my experience in SEND support and one-to-one EHCP delivery. Having worked with young people presenting with Autism Spectrum Condition, ADHD, and SEMH needs, I understand the structured yet flexible approach required to help 16–19-year-old learners access vocational and academic programmes effectively.

My background in further education support includes assisting students working towards GCSE English and Maths, Functional Skills qualifications, and Entry Level programmes. I have collaborated closely with teaching staff to adapt lesson activities, track EHCP targets, and foster greater learner independence — experience that maps directly onto the responsibilities outlined in this role.

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SpeedCV AI

Interview questions

10 questions generated from this advert.

Technical

  • How would you adapt a learning activity for a student with Autism Spectrum Condition in a vocational classroom setting?
  • What strategies would you use to support a student with ADHD who is struggling to focus during a GCSE Maths lesson?
  • How do you use an EHCP to guide your day-to-day support for a student with SEMH needs?
  • Describe how you would support a student with Speech and Language needs during a group discussion activity.
  • What approaches would you use to help a 16–19-year-old build confidence in literacy and numeracy towards Functional Skills qualifications?

Behavioural

  • Tell me about a time you supported a young person with additional needs to overcome a significant barrier to learning.
  • Describe a situation where you had to adapt your approach mid-lesson because a student was not engaging as expected.
  • Give an example of how you have worked collaboratively with a teacher or specialist to improve outcomes for a student with SEND.
  • Tell me about a time you dealt with a student experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis in a learning environment.
  • Describe a situation where you supported a student to develop greater independence in their studies.
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 supported a young person with additional needs to overcome a significant barrier to learning.

Situation: A 17-year-old student with Autism Spectrum Condition at my previous FE college was refusing to enter the classroom due to sensory overload from fluorescent lighting and background noise. Task: As his LSA, I needed to find a sustainable solution that allowed him to access his Computing lessons without daily disruption. Action: I liaised with the SENCO and class teacher to arrange a quieter seat near the door, introduced noise-cancelling ear defenders, and created a visual timetable so he could anticipate transitions. I also broke tasks into 10-minute chunks with short movement breaks. Result: Within four weeks, the student attended 95% of lessons without refusal and completed his unit assessment, achieving a Merit grade.
2Question

Describe a situation where you had to adapt your approach mid-lesson because a student was not engaging as expected.

Situation: During a Functional Skills Maths session, a 16-year-old student with ADHD became visibly frustrated and disengaged after the first 15 minutes of a written worksheet task. Task: I needed to re-engage her quickly without disrupting the rest of the class. Action: I quietly moved alongside her, switched from the written worksheet to a practical money-counting activity using physical coins I kept in my support kit, and framed the same learning objective as a real-world budgeting scenario. I reduced the written output required and offered verbal responses instead. Result: She completed the equivalent of the full task objectives, contributed to a class discussion at the end of the lesson, and told her teacher it was the first Maths lesson she had enjoyed in months.

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