Lifeskills Teaching Assistant in Reading

Type: Full Time, Permanent, All-year-round

Would you like to support young people in building the skills they need for independent, adult life? Are you confident supporting structured sessions while adapting in the moment to meet learners where they are?

We’re looking for a Teaching Assistants to join our Berkshire team within our Achieve Lifeskills programme. This is a curriculum-focused role within a supportive, SEND-led environment, helping learners with EHCPs engage with structured learning and make progress towards independence.

Our AchieveLifeskillsprogramme supports young people aged 16–24 with EHCPs to develop practical,emotionaland everyday living skills — from managing money andmaintaininghealth, to planning journeys and preparing for employment.

As a Teaching Assistant,you’llplay a key role in reinforcing learning, providing 1:1 and small-group support, and helping learners apply skills in real-life contexts.

Key Responsibilities

• Support tutors in delivering structured AchieveLifeskillssessions across a range of topics
• Provide 1:1 and small-group support to help learners engage with learning and make progress
• Support learners to apply skills in practical contexts such as cooking,budgetingand travel training
• Help adapt activities and resources to meet individual learning needs and EHCP outcomes
• Encourage participation,independenceand engagement during sessions
• Support behaviour, emotionalregulationand group dynamics
• Assistwith tracking learner progress,engagementand next steps
• Contribute to a safe,structuredand purposeful learning environment aligned with NMT expectations

About Us

New Meaning Training (NMT) offers education with a difference. We are an alternative education provider dedicated to helping young people aged 16–25 discover their strengths and develop the confidence and skills to earn their own living.

This year2025–2026we have 300 young people from Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, and Berkshirelearning with us. Many of theselearnersare referred by secondary schools, pupil referral units, and Special Education Needs settings.

Our journey began in 2015 with the opening of our first centre in High Wycombe, originally known as “Toolshed.” Ten years onthere are now 7 New Meaning Training centres inthe UK.

In Berkshire we have a range oflearning programmes: ConstructionMultiskills,Creative Art & Design, Sports, BoostWorkskills, and AchieveLifeskills.All incorporate functional skills qualifications in Maths and English, along with tutorialsand enrichment sessionsto support our well-rounded approach. We also provide a ‘Transition Support’ programme for young people with EHCPs who are not yet ready for a learning setting.

NMT tailors its programmes to meet the needs of its learners, considering Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. We comprehensively apply the principles of a Loving Care Approach (Trauma Informed Practice) to ensure all young people receive the support they need to thrive.

• Experience working with young people, ideally those with SEN or SEMH needs
• Some experience working within a classroom or structured learning environment
• Confidence supporting learning while adapting to individual learner needs
• Ability to balance consistency with flexibility in a learner-led environment
• Strong communicationand teamwork skills
• A proactive, patient and encouraging approach to supporting progress
• Basic IT skills, including Microsoft 365
• A full UK driving licence is desirable but not essential