SEND Support Worker
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
SEND Support Worker
Location: Barnsley
Pay: £92.63 – £100 per day
Start: ASAP
Contract: Ongoing
Are you someone who makes a real difference just by being you? Calm, patient, and brilliant at building trust? We’re working with welcoming schools in Barnsley who are looking for a dedicated SEND Support Worker to support pupils with additional needs and help them thrive, both in and out of the classroom.
The role
As a SEND Support Worker, you’ll play a key part in a pupil’s day-to-day learning and development. You’ll support students with their learning activities, provide personal care where required, and encourage independence every step of the way. No two days are the same, but every day is meaningful.
You’ll work closely with class teachers, SENCOs, and wider support teams to create an inclusive, supportive environment where pupils feel safe, understood, and confident to be themselves.
What you’ll be doing
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Supporting pupils with SEND during lessons and structured activities
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Assisting with personal care needs sensitively and respectfully, where required
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Encouraging independence, confidence, and social development
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Working collaboratively with teachers and other support staff
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Helping create a positive, inclusive learning environment for all pupils
What we’re looking for
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Experience supporting children or young people with SEND
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A patient, caring, and reliable approach
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Confidence supporting learning and personal care needs
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A genuine commitment to inclusion and equality
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Strong communication skills and a team-player mindset
We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and communities. Diversity makes schools stronger, and we’re proud to support inclusive recruitment.
Why work with Protocol Education?
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Weekly pay through PAYE
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Ongoing, long-term opportunities
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FREE access to our online CPD Academy
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Friendly, dedicated consultant support
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Roles that genuinely value support staff
Safeguarding
Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. All roles are subject to enhanced DBS checks and satisfactory references.
If you have any questions or would like to apply, please email me on
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.
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Open your Personal Statement with direct SEND experience — the advert lists this as the primary requirement, so name specific conditions you've supported (e.g. autism, ADHD, SEMH) in your first two lines.
📊 Quantify your impact where possible: 'Supported 4 pupils with EHCPs across KS2, contributing to a 20% improvement in lesson engagement over one term'.
🎯 Explicitly mention your enhanced DBS status and safeguarding training (including Prevent Duty if completed) — the advert stresses safeguarding compliance and this will fast-track shortlisting.
🤝 Reference your experience working alongside SENCOs and class teachers, as the advert specifically calls out collaboration with these roles as a core daily responsibility.
🌐 Highlight any CPD or online training you have completed (e.g. autism awareness, Makaton, Team Teach) to align with Protocol Education's free CPD Academy offering and demonstrate a commitment to professional development.
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 5 pupils with EHCPs across KS1 and KS2, delivering tailored 1:1 and small-group interventions that contributed to a 25% increase in on-task behaviour over one term.
- •Delivered personal care to 3 pupils with complex needs daily, maintaining dignity and privacy in line with school safeguarding policy and DfE 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' guidance.
- •Collaborated with the SENCO and 4 class teachers to adapt lesson resources for pupils with autism and SEMH needs, reducing classroom incidents by 30% over 6 weeks.
Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.
Your cover letter is ready
We've drafted a cover letter for Protocol Education. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.
Letter preview — tailored to Protocol Education
Dear Hiring Manager,
Protocol Education's SEND Support Worker vacancy in Barnsley aligns directly with the work I find most rewarding — using patient, trust-based relationships to help pupils with additional needs access learning and build independence. My hands-on experience delivering personal care sensitively and collaborating with SENCOs to implement pupil-specific strategies makes me well placed to contribute from day one.
My background in supporting children and young people with a range of SEND needs, including autism spectrum conditions and social, emotional, and mental health difficulties, has equipped me with practical skills in behaviour support, adaptive communication, and inclusive classroom practice. I hold an enhanced DBS certificate and have completed safeguarding training in line with DfE statutory guidance, ensuring I can uphold Protocol Education's commitment to child welfare without delay.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How do you adapt your communication style when supporting a pupil who is non-verbal or has limited verbal communication?
- ›What strategies have you used to encourage independence in pupils with SEND during structured classroom activities?
- ›How do you approach personal care tasks sensitively while maintaining a pupil's dignity and privacy?
- ›Can you describe how you would contribute to an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) review process?
- ›What safeguarding procedures would you follow if a pupil disclosed something concerning to you during a session?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you supported a pupil who was having a particularly difficult day — what did you do and what was the outcome?
- ›Describe a situation where you had to work closely with a teacher or SENCO to adapt a lesson plan for a pupil with additional needs.
- ›Give an example of when you helped a pupil with SEND achieve a goal that others thought was out of reach.
- ›Tell me about a time you had to manage a challenging behaviour calmly and safely — what approach did you take?
- ›Describe a situation where you supported a pupil's social development and how you measured progress over time.
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 who was having a particularly difficult day — what did you do and what was the outcome?
Describe a situation where you had to work closely with a teacher or SENCO to adapt a lesson plan for a pupil with additional needs.