Sport Graduate in Leeds

Love sport? Want to use it to help young people thrive? Not every achievement happens on a football pitch or in a sports hall. Sometimes it's a student joining a lesson when they usually struggle. Sometimes it's helping a young person regulate their emotions, build confidence, or feel part of a team for the very first time.

A large specialist SEND school in Leeds is looking for a Sports Graduate Teaching Assistant to support pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) mainly in the classroom with movement, and positive relationships. This is much more than a sports role. You'll use physical activity as a tool to help young people develop confidence, communication skills, resilience, and independence. Every day brings new challenges, small wins, and opportunities to make a genuine difference.

If you're a Sports Science, Physical Education, Sports Coaching, Psychology, or related graduate interested in SEND, mental health, behaviour support, or education, this could be the perfect first step.

What you'll be doing:

• Supporting students with SEND during PE lessons, sports activities, and mainly classroom learning
• Building positive relationships with young people who may need additional emotional and behavioural support
• Helping pupils develop confidence, communication skills, and emotional regulation through movement and structured activities
• Supporting students with autism, ADHD, SEMH needs, and other additional learning needs
• Adapting activities so every student can participate, achieve, and enjoy success
• Becoming a trusted role model who encourages students to believe in themselves

Why this role matters:

For many pupils in specialist settings, sport isn't just exercise. It's confidence. It's routine. It's connection. It's often the moment a young person realises they can succeed. You'll play a huge part in helping students feel safe, valued, and capable both inside and outside the classroom.

This role could be perfect if you're:

• A Sports Science Graduate
• A PE Graduate
• A Sports Coaching Graduate
• Interested in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
• Considering a career in Educational Psychology
• Thinking about becoming a Teacher, SEND Teacher, Therapist, Youth Worker, or Behaviour Mentor
• Passionate about supporting young people who need a little extra help to succeed

What we're looking for:

• A degree in Sports Science, Physical Education, Coaching, Psychology, or a related subject
• A genuine interest in supporting children and young people with SEND
• Patience, empathy, and a positive attitude
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Someone who understands that progress looks different for every student
• A willingness to learn and develop within a specialist education setting

Why graduates love working in SEND:

No two days are the same. You’ll gain hands-on experience supporting pupils with a range of additional needs, work alongside experienced SEND professionals, and develop skills that are highly valued across education, psychology, therapy, and youth services.

Many of our graduates go on to careers in:

• Teaching
• SEND Teaching
• Educational Psychology
• Occupational Therapy
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Behaviour Support
• Youth Work

What Protocol Education offers:

• Weekly PAYE pay, no umbrella companies, no faff
• FREE access to our CPD Academy
• A dedicated consultant who actually listens
• Opportunities in specialist SEND schools, alternative provisions, and mainstream settings
• Ongoing training and career development opportunities

Ready to make a difference? If you want a role where every day matters, where sport becomes a tool for confidence and connection, and where you can positively impact the lives of young people with SEND, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and start your journey into specialist education.

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.