Unqualified SEN Teaching Assistant – Belper (Start ASAP)

Free training. Free workshops.

You know those kids who don’t fit neatly into the system? The ones who get labelled “challenging”, “disengaged” or “difficult”? That’s who you’ll be working with. And if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t scare easily and doesn’t give up quickly, they’ll need you.

This role is in Belper and the surrounding areas, working with children who have additional needs and find mainstream school hard work – academically, emotionally, or both.

What’s in it for you

* A way into education without needing a teaching qualification.

* Free CPD, training and workshops so you’re not just thrown in and told to “get on with it”.

* Variety – you’ll work across different schools and provisions, not just the same four walls every day.

* The chance to turn this into something longer term: part-time, full-time, long-term or even permanent roles as you prove yourself.

* Start date: ASAP

* Hours: 8:15am arrival for 8:30am start – 3:30pm finish

* Days: Minimum 2–3 days a week, with full-time (5 days) available.

Where you’ll actually be

You won’t be sat at the back laminating worksheets all day. You’ll be in places like:

* Mainstream primary and secondary schools – helping pupils with additional needs stay in class, stay calm and stay (mostly) focused.

* PRUs – working with young people who’ve been excluded or need a different kind of environment to get back on track.

* Residential schools – offering consistency to children who live on site and don’t get to “leave it all at the gate”.

* SEMH schools – supporting children whose behaviour usually comes from what’s going on underneath.

* Learning hubs – smaller, more nurturing environments for pupils who can’t cope in big, busy classrooms.

Your job in all of them: be the calm one, the consistent one, the one who doesn’t overreact when a day goes sideways.

Who this tends to suit

You don’t need school experience. In fact, some of the best people in these roles used to:

* Work in care, youth work, sports coaching, social care, tutoring or childcare.

* Deal with the public in high-pressure environments and keep their head screwed on.

If you:

* Can turn up on time, every time.

* Can stay patient when a child is doing everything except what they’re supposed to.

* Can listen more than you talk.

* Can set boundaries without being a robot.

…then you’ll probably be fine.

If you lose your temper easily, hate unpredictability, or need every day to run to plan, this will eat you alive.

Why the job matters

For some of these children, you might be:

* The first adult who doesn’t give up on them after a bad day.

* The person who makes school feel slightly less pointless.

* The difference between them refusing to come in… and actually walking through the door.

It’s not glamorous. Some days are a grind. But when a child who usually walks out of lessons decides to stay – because you asked them to – that’s on you.

If you’ve read this far and still think “yeah, that sounds like me”, then send your details over and let’s talk