Teaching Assistant

SEMH Teaching Assistant / SEN Teaching Assistant – Specialist Hospital Education Location: Haywards Heath, West SussexHours: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–3:30pmContract: Full-time, temporary to permanentStart Date: After October half termDaily Rate: £100 per day About the Role Are you a Teaching Assistant, SEN Teaching Assistant, Learning Support Assistant or SEMH Support Worker looking for a role where you can make a genuine difference to young people’s lives? We are working with a specialist hospital education provision in Haywards Heath, supporting secondary-aged young people who are receiving inpatient treatment for significant mental health needs. This is a unique opportunity to work in a highly supportive and specialist environment, where education plays an important part in helping young people maintain routine, rebuild confidence and continue progressing while receiving treatment. You will be supporting pupils on a 1:1 and small-group basis, working alongside teachers and a wider multidisciplinary team to ensure learning is accessible, meaningful and appropriate for each individual. The Pupils The young people are aged approximately 12–18, working across Key Stages 3–5. Pupils may have experienced significant disruption to their education and may be working below age-related expectations as a result of missed education. The provision supports young people experiencing a range of complex needs, which can include: Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs Acute mental health difficulties Eating disorders Anxiety and emotional regulation difficulties Low confidence and school-related anxiety Gaps in education and lower academic attainment Difficulties engaging with traditional education Additional SEND needs What You’ll Be Doing As a Teaching Assistant / SEN Teaching Assistant, you will: Provide 1:1 and small-group support with learning Support pupils to access personalised learning programmes Work closely with class teachers to adapt activities and resources Help pupils rebuild confidence and engagement with education Support emotional regulation and positive behaviour Encourage pupils to participate in lessons and activities Build positive, trusting relationships with young people Help pupils develop independence and confidence Support academic, social and emotional progress Work closely with teachers, medical professionals and other members of the wider team Encourage pupils to recognise their strengths and celebrate their progress What We’re Looking For We’re particularly interested in people who have experience working with SEND, SEMH, mental health, challenging behaviour, vulnerable young people or Alternative Provision. You may have experience as a: Teaching Assistant SEN Teaching Assistant SEND Teaching Assistant Learning Support Assistant SEMH Teaching Assistant Behaviour Mentor Youth Worker Support Worker Mental Health Support Worker Residential Support Worker Previous experience within a mental health, hospital, SEND, SEMH or Alternative Provision setting would be highly beneficial, but we’re also keen to hear from people with the right attitude, resilience and willingness to learn. You will need to be: Patient, calm and emotionally resilient Compassionate and non-judgemental Confident building relationships with young people Adaptable and able to respond to individual needs Comfortable working as part of a multidisciplinary team Proactive and willing to get involved Able to maintain professional boundaries Passionate about helping young people re-engage with education Why This Role? This isn’t a traditional classroom Teaching Assistant role. You’ll be working with young people who may have faced significant barriers to education and who require a highly personalised, nurturing and consistent approach. You’ll have the opportunity to develop valuable experience across SEND, SEMH, Alternative Provision, hospital education and mental health, while working alongside experienced education and healthcare professionals. If you’re someone who believes that strong relationships come before learning and wants a role where your support can genuinely impact a young person’s journey, we’d love to hear from you. How to Apply If you’re interested in this SEMH Teaching Assistant / SEN Teaching Assistant opportunity in Haywards Heath, please apply with your CV. Pink Tile Education – Best Fit, Every Time. The advertised daily rate is inclusive of 12.07% PAYE holiday pay. Pink Tile Education is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All candidates will be subject to appropriate DBS checks, references and safeguarding procedures. Register with Pink Tile Education today to hear about further SEND, SEMH, Alternative Provision and Teaching Assistant opportunities across West Sussex. If you want, I can also make this slightly more punchy for Indeed to attract more applicants while keeping all the important mental-health/SEND keywords.