Teaching Assistant in Watford

SEN Teaching Assistant – Key Stage 4 Watford | Specialist SEN School | Long-Term Opportunity £110 - £120 per day | Starting ASAP

A SEN secondary school near the Watford area is looking for a Teaching Assistant to support pupils in Key Stage 4. The school supports young people with autism and complex additional needs and has worked hard to create a calm, structured and supportive environment. They are looking for someone who is patient, reliable and consistent and who understands that building trust with pupils can take time. For these young people, having familiar adults who turn up every day really matters.

The role

You will be working alongside teachers and other support staff, helping KS4 pupils access learning, manage challenges and become more confident and independent. Your responsibilities will include:

• Supporting pupils with autism, SEN and complex additional needs
• Providing individual and classroom-based support
• Building positive, trusting relationships with pupils
• Helping pupils engage with lessons and activities
• Supporting behaviour calmly and confidently
• Maintaining clear and consistent boundaries
• Following the school's behaviour and safeguarding procedures
• Working closely with teachers and the wider SEN team
• Helping pupils develop their confidence and independence
• Contributing to a short report at the end of each day

A supportive introduction to the school

One of the things we particularly like about this school is that they don’t expect new staff to simply arrive on their first morning and get on with it. You will receive a full induction and safeguarding training, as well as the opportunity to complete a shadow visit so you can see the school, meet the team and understand what the role involves. This is followed by a paid one-week trial, giving both you and the school the opportunity to make sure it’s the right fit before moving forward. You will also be given clear guidance around behaviour and expectations from the beginning, so you know exactly what’s expected of you.

Who are we looking for?

We would particularly like to hear from people who already have experience supporting young people with SEN, autism or complex needs, ideally within a secondary school or KS4 environment. You will ideally be:

• Patient, calm and approachable
• Confident supporting young people with additional needs
• Able to build positive relationships while maintaining clear boundaries
• Comfortable supporting behaviour and using de-escalation strategies
• Reliable and able to provide the consistency these pupils need
• Happy working closely with teachers and other support staff
• Committed to safeguarding and pupil wellbeing
• Willing to learn and take guidance from experienced SEN professionals

Previous SEN experience would be a real advantage, but we would still like to hear from you if you have relevant experience working with young people and feel you have the right personality and approach for a specialist school.

Working with Loyal Blue Recruitment

We are an independent education recruitment agency with over 12 years’ experience supporting schools and education professionals. We won’t simply send your CV everywhere. We’ll take the time to understand what you’re looking for, explain the school and role properly, and make sure you feel prepared before you start.

You will receive:

• Weekly pay
• A dedicated consultant
• Full compliance support
• Interview and trial preparation
• Ongoing and long-term opportunities
• Straightforward, honest communication throughout

Don’t tick every box?

Please don’t let that stop you from applying. If you’ve worked with young people, have some relevant SEN experience and believe you have the patience, resilience and consistency needed to work in a specialist environment, we’d be happy to have a conversation with you.

Interested?

Apply today with your latest CV and a member of the Loyal Blue Recruitment team will contact suitable applicants to talk through the school, role and next steps.