Specialist Support Staff
| Posting date: | 26 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 25 January 2026 |
| Location: | Somerset |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Everest Recruitment and Services ltd |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | Support |
Summary
Job Overview
The primary goal of a Specialist Support Staff member is to provide tailored assistance to students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or those facing significant barriers to learning. Unlike general assistants, you will often focus on a specific area such as Autism (ASC), Speech and Language, or Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH).
Core Responsibilities:
One-to-One Support: Delivering bespoke learning plans for specific students.
Resource Development: Creating specialized visual aids, sensory tools, or modified curriculum materials.
Progress Tracking: Monitoring and reporting on student milestones to the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator).
Intervention Leading: Running small group sessions for literacy, numeracy, or social skills.
Therapeutic Liaison: Collaborating with external specialists like Speech Therapists or Educational Psychologists.
Key Requirements:
Academic Foundation: GCSEs in English and Maths (Grades 9–4 or A*–C).
Specialist Training: A Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning is standard. Additional certifications in Team-Teach (de-escalation), Makaton, or Braille are highly valued.
Soft Skills: Exceptional patience, emotional resilience, and the ability to adapt lessons "on the fly" to meet a student's mood or energy level.
Legal Compliance: A mandatory Enhanced DBS check and a solid understanding of UK Safeguarding and "Keeping Children Safe in Education" (KCSIE) guidelines.
Benefits & Compensation
Work-Life Balance: Often term-time only contracts, meaning you get approximately 13 weeks of holiday per year.
Pension: Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), which is one of the most stable in the UK.
Career Path: Clear routes to becoming a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA), SENCO, or even transitioning into teaching.
Personal Growth: Funded opportunities for professional development (CPD) in niche areas like mental health first aid or neurodiversity.
The primary goal of a Specialist Support Staff member is to provide tailored assistance to students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or those facing significant barriers to learning. Unlike general assistants, you will often focus on a specific area such as Autism (ASC), Speech and Language, or Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH).
Core Responsibilities:
One-to-One Support: Delivering bespoke learning plans for specific students.
Resource Development: Creating specialized visual aids, sensory tools, or modified curriculum materials.
Progress Tracking: Monitoring and reporting on student milestones to the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator).
Intervention Leading: Running small group sessions for literacy, numeracy, or social skills.
Therapeutic Liaison: Collaborating with external specialists like Speech Therapists or Educational Psychologists.
Key Requirements:
Academic Foundation: GCSEs in English and Maths (Grades 9–4 or A*–C).
Specialist Training: A Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning is standard. Additional certifications in Team-Teach (de-escalation), Makaton, or Braille are highly valued.
Soft Skills: Exceptional patience, emotional resilience, and the ability to adapt lessons "on the fly" to meet a student's mood or energy level.
Legal Compliance: A mandatory Enhanced DBS check and a solid understanding of UK Safeguarding and "Keeping Children Safe in Education" (KCSIE) guidelines.
Benefits & Compensation
Work-Life Balance: Often term-time only contracts, meaning you get approximately 13 weeks of holiday per year.
Pension: Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), which is one of the most stable in the UK.
Career Path: Clear routes to becoming a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA), SENCO, or even transitioning into teaching.
Personal Growth: Funded opportunities for professional development (CPD) in niche areas like mental health first aid or neurodiversity.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.