SEN Teaching Assistant
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
SEN Unit Teaching Assistant (Specialist / AP Candidate)
Location: South Ribble
Contract Type: Temporary, Term-Time Only (Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM)
Duration: September Start until July 2027 (Based on success)
Pay Rate: £15.00 per hour
About the School: A Beacon of Nurture & InclusivitySituated in South Ribble, we are an inclusive, vibrant school community where every child deserves the very best start in life. Our core driver is inclusivity; we proudly welcome and celebrate children from all backgrounds, faiths, socio-economic statuses, and neurodiverse needs.
We are a nurture-led setting currently on an exciting journey with Nurture UK, actively embedding the Six Principles of Nurture into everything we do to support holistic development. Backing this up is our incredible, highly dedicated pastoral Nurture Team-a group of professionals committed to supporting our children and their families every step of the way.
The Role: What We Are Looking ForWe are seeking an experienced, resilient, and highly skilled SEN Specialist or Alternative Provision (AP) candidate to join our dedicated on-site SEN Unit. This is a specialised environment designed to support children with complex, diverse, and additional educational needs who require an adapted approach to learning.
Key Responsibilities & RequirementsSpecialist Support
- Deliver tailored interventions and emotional regulation strategies within the safety and structure of our dedicated SEN Unit.
Proven Experience
- Must be an experienced SEN specialist or have a strong background working in Alternative Provision (AP), Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), or specialist SEN settings.
De-escalation & Regulation
- Demonstrate strong expertise in positive behaviour management and supporting children with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs, autism, ADHD, or other complex neurodiverse profiles.
Ethos Alignment
- Possess a deeply patient, trauma-informed, and nurture-led approach to education, with a commitment to helping every child thrive.
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your SEN specialist or AP/PRU experience prominently in your Personal Statement, as the advert explicitly requires a proven background in these settings.
📊 Quantify your impact: e.g. 'Supported 8 pupils with SEMH and autism needs, achieving a 40% reduction in classroom de-escalation incidents over one term.'
🎯 Reference the Six Principles of Nurture directly in your CV if you have Nurture UK training or experience, as the school is actively embedding this framework.
🌐 Tailor your skills section to include specific neurodiverse profiles you have worked with (autism, ADHD, SEMH) — the advert names these explicitly as requirements.
🤝 Include a brief example of trauma-informed practice in your work history, as the advert places strong emphasis on this approach alongside nurture-led education.
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 emotional regulation and de-escalation interventions for 6 pupils with SEMH, autism, and ADHD within a dedicated SEN Unit, contributing to a 35% reduction in critical incidents over one academic year.
- •Designed and implemented tailored learning programmes for 10 pupils in an Alternative Provision setting, supporting 80% to re-engage with structured education within one term.
- •Applied trauma-informed and nurture-led strategies across a PRU cohort of 12 pupils, achieving a 90% attendance retention rate over two consecutive terms.
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Letter preview — tailored to Tradewind Recruitment
Dear Hiring Manager,
Tradewind Recruitment's SEN Unit Teaching Assistant vacancy in South Ribble aligns precisely with my professional background. Having worked extensively in Alternative Provision and specialist SEN settings, I bring hands-on expertise in de-escalation techniques, emotional regulation strategies, and trauma-informed practice — the three pillars your advert identifies as essential for this role.
My background in supporting pupils with SEMH needs, autism, and ADHD across PRU and SEN unit environments has equipped me with the resilience and adaptability this position demands. I have consistently delivered tailored interventions that reduce dysregulation incidents and rebuild trust with pupils who have disengaged from mainstream education. I am also familiar with the Six Principles of Nurture and have applied nurture-led approaches to support holistic development in structured unit settings.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How do you design and deliver tailored interventions for pupils with complex neurodiverse needs within a dedicated SEN Unit?
- ›What de-escalation frameworks or techniques have you used to support children experiencing emotional dysregulation?
- ›How do you apply the Six Principles of Nurture in a classroom or unit setting?
- ›Describe your experience supporting pupils with SEMH needs alongside autism or ADHD — how do you differentiate your approach?
- ›What strategies do you use to track and evidence progress for pupils with complex additional educational needs?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you successfully de-escalated a highly distressed pupil — what did you do and what was the outcome?
- ›Describe a situation where you had to adapt your approach significantly to meet the needs of a child with a complex neurodiverse profile.
- ›Give an example of how you have worked collaboratively with a pastoral or SENCO team to support a vulnerable child and their family.
- ›Tell me about a time your resilience was tested in a challenging SEN or AP environment — how did you manage it?
- ›Describe a situation where you applied trauma-informed practice to build trust with a pupil who had previously disengaged from education.
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you successfully de-escalated a highly distressed pupil — what did you do and what was the outcome?
Describe a situation where you had to adapt your approach significantly to meet the needs of a child with a complex neurodiverse profile.