SEMH Teaching Assistant

SENDhelp is recruiting an experienced SEMH Teaching Assistant for a specialist secondary school in West Drayton. The school supports pupils from Year 7 through to sixth form who have social, emotional and mental health needs and may display challenging behaviour. This is a demanding but highly rewarding role for someone who remains calm under pressure, builds strong boundaries and takes satisfaction from helping young people make gradual, meaningful progress.

Applicants must have direct experience supporting children or young adults with SEMH needs, challenging behaviour or significant emotional and behavioural difficulties.

About the role:

• Support secondary-aged pupils who may struggle with emotional regulation, relationships, trust, engagement and behaviour.
• Some pupils may have experienced disrupted education, exclusion, trauma or difficult personal circumstances.
• Behaviour can be challenging, and there may be situations involving verbal aggression, refusal, confrontation or significant emotional dysregulation.
• The right candidate will understand that progress is not always immediate.
• You will need to remain consistent, avoid taking behaviour personally and continue building positive relationships even after difficult incidents.

This role would suit someone who genuinely enjoys working with young people who require structure, patience and firm but respectful boundaries.

Your responsibilities may include:

• Supporting pupils one-to-one, in small groups and within lessons.
• Helping young people remain engaged with education.
• Managing challenging behaviour calmly and consistently.
• Supporting pupils with emotional regulation and conflict resolution.
• Following individual behaviour plans and risk assessments.
• Using de-escalation strategies to reduce difficult situations.
• Reinforcing clear routines, expectations and boundaries.
• Supporting pupils after incidents and helping them reflect on their choices.
• Building trusted professional relationships with young people.
• Working closely with teachers, pastoral staff and other professionals.
• Recording behaviour, progress and safeguarding concerns accurately.
• Supporting pupils’ academic, social and personal development.

To be considered for this SEMH Teaching Assistant vacancy, you must have direct experience supporting children or young adults with challenging behaviour, SEMH needs or significant emotional and behavioural difficulties. Relevant experience may have been gained in:

• A pupil referral unit or alternative provision.
• A mainstream school with behaviour or pastoral responsibilities.
• Youth work.
• Residential support.
• Supported accommodation.
• Youth offending services.
• The prison or probation system.
• Mental health or community support services.
• A formal care or support setting.

Experience must involve meaningful responsibility for managing behaviour and supporting vulnerable young people. General classroom experience without this responsibility will not be sufficient.

The successful candidate will:

• Have strong experience managing challenging behaviour.
• Be calm, confident and emotionally resilient.
• Set clear boundaries without becoming confrontational.
• Be able to rebuild relationships after difficult incidents.
• Understand that behaviour often communicates an unmet need.
• Be reliable and consistent, particularly during challenging periods.
• Communicate clearly with pupils and colleagues.
• Work effectively as part of a wider school team.
• Be able to travel reliably to West Drayton.
• Be committed to safeguarding vulnerable young people.

Previous SEMH school experience is strongly preferred, but candidates from relevant youth justice, youth work, residential or behavioural support backgrounds are also encouraged to apply.

Why consider this opportunity?

• Work within a specialist secondary SEMH setting.
• Build meaningful relationships with young people who need consistent support.
• Help pupils improve their behaviour, confidence and engagement over time.
• Gain valuable experience in behaviour and pastoral support.
• Work alongside experienced teaching, pastoral and therapeutic staff.
• Develop strong skills in de-escalation and relationship-based practice.
• Take on a role where your consistency can have a lasting impact.

This role will involve difficult days and challenging situations. It will best suit someone who finds purpose in helping young people move forward, even when progress is gradual.

What SENDhelp offers:

• Competitive PAYE pay with no umbrella-company deductions.
• A dedicated consultant throughout your placement.
• Interview preparation and ongoing support.
• Access to relevant professional development and training.
• Support with registration, compliance and onboarding.
• Opportunities with SENDhelp partner schools across West Drayton and West London.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced SEMH Teaching Assistant who is confident managing challenging behaviour and wants to support secondary-aged pupils in West Drayton.

As a specialist SEND recruiter, child safety and welfare is our number one priority. That is why we conduct thorough checks on all our candidates, and ensure that they abide by our Candidate Code of Conduct. All Candidates will be required to provide an Enhanced DBS that is actively registered on the Update Service, or apply for one as part of the onboarding process. This is in addition to other mandatory compliance checks in line with the DfE guidelines.

For further information please see our Safer Recruitment Policy. SENDhelp is an equal opportunities employer.