Trainee SEN Teaching Assistant

Looking to begin a rewarding career supporting children who learn differently?

A specialist SEN school in the Sunderland area is seeking a Trainee SEN Teaching Assistant to support pupils aged 4–11 years with Autism Spectrum Condition, communication needs and sensory processing differences.

This role is ideal for someone who wants to begin a career in education while learning practical SEN support strategies alongside experienced staff.

The Type of Person They Are Looking For

The school is looking for someone who is patient, supportive and genuinely interested in helping pupils develop confidence and independence.

They are particularly interested in candidates who are:

• Calm and reassuring when supporting pupils who may become overwhelmed
• Comfortable following structured classroom routines
• Enthusiastic about supporting pupils with additional needs
• Able to build strong relationships with young children

Pupils within the school often rely on routine and familiar staff, so consistency is extremely important.

Experience Requirements

Experience working with children is desirable but not essential.

The school is happy to support candidates who are starting their career in education and may appoint on a trainee teaching assistant scale while experience is developed.

Candidates from backgrounds such as childcare, care work, youth work or psychology often do well in this environment.

Daily Responsibilities

Responsibilities may include:

• Supporting pupils during classroom lessons and activities
• Assisting with visual learning systems and communication aids
• Encouraging pupils to remain engaged with structured tasks
• Supporting sensory-based learning activities
• Helping pupils transition between activities throughout the day

You will work closely with class teachers and SEN professionals to ensure pupils receive consistent support.

School Environment

Classes are typically 6–8 pupils, allowing staff to provide personalised support.

The school environment includes:

• Sensory learning areas
• Small group classrooms
• Structured daily routines
• High staff-to-pupil ratios

Apply Today

If you are patient, positive and interested in developing a career in SEN education, we would love to hear from you.

Apply today to learn more about this Trainee SEN Teaching Assistant opportunity in Sunderland.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further 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.

Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the 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 FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service.

Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website.

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