SEMH Teaching Assistant

SEMH Teaching Assistant – Alternative Provision

Location: Worthing, West Sussex
Start Date: September 2026
Full-time | Long-term opportunity

Are you passionate about supporting young people who need a different approach to education? Do you have the resilience, patience, and compassion to help students overcome barriers and reach their potential?

We are working with a welcoming and supportive Alternative Provision in Worthing who are looking for a dedicated SEMH Teaching Assistant to join their team from September.

This specialist setting supports young people who may have found mainstream education challenging and require a more personalised, nurturing approach. The pupils may have a range of Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, including anxiety, emotional regulation difficulties, low confidence, behavioural challenges, or previous barriers to accessing education.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who wants to make a genuine difference and build positive, trusting relationships with young people.

The Role:

As an SEMH Teaching Assistant, you will:

Provide 1:1 and small group support to pupils with SEMH needs
Build strong, positive relationships with students to help them feel safe, valued, and understood
Support students with emotional regulation, confidence, and engagement in learning
Work alongside teachers and the wider pastoral team to create a positive learning environment
Encourage positive behaviour through consistent boundaries and a trauma-informed approach
Support pupils both academically and personally, helping them develop skills for the future

The Ideal Candidate:

We are looking for someone who is:

Passionate about supporting children and young people
Resilient, patient, and understanding
Confident managing challenging situations calmly
Able to build strong relationships with students who may have experienced difficulties in education
A positive role model with a nurturing approach
Previous experience working with SEN, SEMH, behaviour, youth work, care, or education is desirable but not essential

Why work in this Alternative Provision?

This is a highly rewarding role where you can make a real impact on young people's lives. You will be joining a supportive team that focuses on helping students rebuild confidence, develop positive relationships, and re-engage with education.

If you are looking for a role where no two days are the same and where your support can genuinely change a young person's future, we would love to hear from you.

Apply today to find out more about this exciting SEMH Teaching Assistant opportunity in Worthing.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ’s on the Teaching Personnel website for 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.

Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with 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 all our registered candidates FREE child protection and prevent duty training. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.

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