SEND LSA
Job description
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Primary SEN Learning Support Assistant – Full Time – Southampton
Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children with complex needs? Do you have experience in education, care, or the medical field? If so, we have a fantastic opportunity for you.
Location: Southampton
Start Date: ASAP 2026
Role: Primary SEN Learning Support Assistant
Hours: Full time (Monday to Friday, term-time only)
Contract: Temporary via Teaching Personnel for the summer – with the potential for a permanent position if successful
About the Role:
We are working with a brilliant SEN Trust in Southampton that places children and their individual needs at the centre of everything they do. They are seeking a committed, compassionate, and resilient LSA to join their team from January to support pupils with complex special educational needs.
You will become part of a skilled and supportive team dedicated to creating a safe, engaging, and inclusive environment for every child.
The Ideal Candidate Will:
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Have experience in education, care, or healthcare
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Be available full time and able to commit to full time work
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Hold a child-only Enhanced DBS registered on the Update Service (or be willing to apply for one)
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Be patient, nurturing, and passionate about supporting children with additional needs
What’s on Offer:
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A rewarding and varied role supporting children with complex needs
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Ongoing support from Teaching Personnel throughout your placement
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The opportunity to secure a permanent contract following a successful probation period
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Access to training and continued professional development
If you're looking for a meaningful and fulfilling role supporting children with additional needs, apply now to join a school that truly puts its pupils first.
All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ’s on the Teaching Personnel website for 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.
Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with 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 all our registered candidates FREE child protection and prevent duty training. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.
For details of our privacy policy, please visit the Teaching Personnel website.
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your Enhanced DBS certification prominently as this is essential for the role
📊 Quantify your SEN experience: 'Supported 8 children with autism, improving engagement by 40%'
🌐 Emphasise any primary education or complex needs experience from healthcare/care backgrounds
🎯 Mention your availability for full-time, term-time work as this is specifically required
🤝 Showcase examples of working within multidisciplinary teams supporting vulnerable children
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:
- •Supported 12 primary pupils with autism and ADHD, implementing individualised learning strategies that improved classroom engagement by 35%
- •Maintained Enhanced DBS certification and completed child protection training, ensuring full compliance with DfE safeguarding guidelines
- •Collaborated with 6 teaching staff and SENCO to develop personalised education plans for children with complex communication needs
Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.
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Letter preview — tailored to Teaching Personnel
Dear Hiring Manager,
Teaching Personnel's SEN Learning Support Assistant role perfectly aligns with my passion for supporting children with complex special educational needs and my Enhanced DBS certification. My experience in primary education and commitment to inclusive learning environments make me an ideal candidate for this Southampton position.
My background in supporting vulnerable children has equipped me with the patience, resilience and nurturing approach essential for this role. I am available for full-time, term-time work and understand the importance of safeguarding procedures when working with children with additional needs.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How would you support a child with autism who becomes overwhelmed in the classroom?
- ›What strategies would you use to help a non-verbal child communicate their needs?
- ›How do you ensure safeguarding procedures are followed when working with vulnerable children?
- ›Describe your understanding of the DfE guidance 'Keeping Children Safe in Education'
- ›How would you adapt learning materials for children with complex special educational needs?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you showed patience when working with a challenging child
- ›Describe a situation where you had to work as part of a team to support a child's needs
- ›Give an example of when you had to adapt your approach to help someone learn
- ›Tell me about a time you had to remain calm under pressure
- ›Describe how you would handle a situation where a child was distressed
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you showed patience when working with a challenging child
Describe a situation where you had to work as part of a team to support a child's needs