Sen Teaching Assistant
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
SEN Teaching Assistant (Autism Focus)
Location: Doncaster
Start Date: September 2026
Pay: £95 per day
Contract Type: Temporary (Long-Term)
Are you a compassionate and proactive Teaching Assistant with a passion for supporting children with additional needs? Reed Education is proud to be recruiting for a rewarding SEN Teaching Assistant role in Doncaster, with a strong focus on supporting pupils with autism.
This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference in a nurturing school environment where your expertise and dedication will be truly valued.
The Role
As an SEN Teaching Assistant, you will work closely with class teachers and SENCOs to support pupils with autism and additional needs. You will help to create a structured, safe and engaging learning environment, using tailored strategies to support each child’s individual development.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Providing 1:1 and small group support to pupils with autism
- Supporting communication and engagement in lessons
- Implementing behaviour management and de-escalation strategies
- Using tools such as Makaton, Now and Next cards, and visual aids
- Helping pupils to develop social, emotional, and academic skills
- Building positive and trusting relationships with students
What We’re Looking For
- Ideally a Level 2 Teaching Assistant qualification (or above)
- OR at least 12 months’ experience working in a school setting
- Proven experience supporting children with additional needs, particularly autism
- Knowledge of Makaton, Now and Next cards, and de-escalation strategies (highly desirable)
- A calm, patient, and resilient approach
- A genuine passion for supporting children to reach their full potential
Why Choose Reed Education?
At Reed Education, we do more than just find you a job—we support your career every step of the way. We stand out in the market by offering:
- Competitive pay rates and transparent, weekly payments
- Dedicated consultant support – you’ll have a specialist consultant who understands your goals and local schools
- Access to exclusive roles not advertised elsewhere
- Ongoing CPD and training opportunities to help you grow your skills
- Flexible working options to suit your lifestyle
- Reed Rewards & benefits – including discounts, wellbeing support, and more
- A trusted UK-wide agency with over 60 years’ experience in education recruitment
Ready to Make a Difference?
If you’re enthusiastic about supporting pupils with autism and want to be part of a supportive and rewarding school environment, we want to hear from you.
Apply today with Reed Education and take the next step in your SEN career.
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Place your SEN and autism-specific experience prominently in your Personal Statement, as the advert explicitly prioritises pupils with autism and lists this as the core focus of the role.
📊 Quantify your support experience: e.g. 'Provided 1:1 and small group support to 6 pupils with autism across KS2, contributing to a 20% improvement in lesson engagement over one term'.
🎯 Explicitly name Makaton, Now and Next cards, and visual aids in your Skills section — the advert lists these as highly desirable and ATS systems will scan for them directly.
🏫 Mention your Level 2 Teaching Assistant qualification (or equivalent school-based experience of 12+ months) early in your CV, as the advert sets this as the primary entry requirement.
🤝 Include a brief example of collaborating with a SENCO or class teacher to implement an individual support plan, as the advert specifically highlights working closely with SENCOs as a key responsibility.
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Delivered daily 1:1 autism support to 4 KS2 pupils using Makaton, Now and Next cards, and visual timetables, contributing to a measurable reduction in lesson-time distress incidents over one academic term.
- •Implemented SENCO-approved de-escalation strategies for 3 pupils with complex behavioural needs, reducing classroom disruption incidents by approximately 30% across a 12-week period.
- •Supported small groups of 3–5 pupils with additional needs in literacy and numeracy sessions, adapting resources and communication tools to individual EHCPs and achieving progress targets for 80% of the cohort.
Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.
Your cover letter is ready
We've drafted a cover letter for Reed. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.
Letter preview — tailored to Reed
Dear Hiring Manager,
Reed Education's SEN Teaching Assistant vacancy in Doncaster, with its specific focus on autism support, aligns directly with the work I find most rewarding. Having developed practical skills in Makaton communication and de-escalation strategies, I am confident I can contribute meaningfully to a structured, nurturing classroom environment from September 2026.
My background in supporting pupils with autism includes delivering 1:1 and small group sessions, implementing Now and Next visual schedules, and collaborating with SENCOs to review individual support plans. Working across key stages, I have helped pupils develop communication, social, and emotional skills in ways that are tailored to each child's needs and pace of progress.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How have you used Makaton in a classroom setting to support a pupil with autism?
- ›Can you explain how Now and Next cards work and give an example of when you have used them effectively?
- ›What de-escalation strategies have you found most effective when supporting a pupil experiencing emotional dysregulation?
- ›How would you adapt visual aids to meet the individual communication needs of a pupil with autism?
- ›Describe how you would work alongside a SENCO to implement and review a pupil's individual support plan.
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you supported a pupil with autism who was struggling to engage in a lesson — what did you do and what was the outcome?
- ›Describe a situation where you had to remain calm and patient during a challenging behavioural incident. How did you handle it?
- ›Give an example of when you built a trusting relationship with a pupil who was initially reluctant to engage with support.
- ›Tell me about a time you collaborated with a teacher or SENCO to adjust a support strategy that wasn't working for a particular pupil.
- ›Describe a moment when you noticed a pupil making progress and how you contributed to that development.
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you supported a pupil with autism who was struggling to engage in a lesson — what did you do and what was the outcome?
Describe a situation where you had to remain calm and patient during a challenging behavioural incident. How did you handle it?