Most teaching assistant jobs feel like you're fighting an uphill battle with no support and nowhere to go. This one is different: you'll work in a specialist school where the young people's small wins are celebrated as huge victories, your colleagues are genuinely excellent at what they do, and the organisation actively promotes people from within into leadership roles. If you've ever wanted to see real progress with children who need you most, this is the role
Picture this: a young person with SEMH needs sits through a full lesson for the first time in months. To most people it might look unremarkable. But you know what it means - progress, confidence, a door opening. At this school, we call those huge small victories, and they're what make the job genuinely fulfilling. You'll be there alongside teachers and therapists, helping children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and other associated conditions develop their abilities, raise their self-esteem, and discover what they're capable of
The setting is one of the best: an independent specialist day school rated Good by Ofsted, based in Liverpool, with well-resourced classrooms and environments designed to help young people thrive. Your colleagues aren't just competent - they're the best at what they do. You'll get a full induction, on-the-job training, and real support at every step. It's a tough journey sometimes, but the positive steps forward genuinely outweigh the hard days
Career-wise, this is a place where people grow. Most of the head teachers and leaders here started as Teaching Assistants themselves. If you want to develop a rewarding teaching career, you'll have the training, the mentorship and the pathway to do it. And alongside the work, you get what you're owed: full school holidays, a matched pension up to 5%, medical cover so you can claim back optician and dentist costs, and a recommend-a-friend scheme worth £1,000 every time you bring someone brilliant to the team
What you will be doing
- Support the teacher and work closely with therapists to help young people with SEMH needs and autism learn and develop in the classroom
- Help raise young people's self-esteem and confidence through consistent, patient one-to-one and small-group support
- Assist with delivering lessons, adapting activities and strategies to match each pupil's individual needs and learning style
- Celebrate and record the small victories - the moments of progress that matter - and help young people see what they've achieved
Why you will love working here
- Salary of up to £27,528 - proper recognition for work that genuinely matters
- Full school holidays so you can actually rest and recharge
- Matched contributory pension up to 5%, flexible benefits you can tailor, and medical cover including optician and dentist claims back
- Comprehensive training, on-the-job support, and a clear pathway to progression - we promote from within
- A recommend-a-friend scheme that pays you £1,000 every time you bring someone to join the team, plus wellbeing tools, employee assistance and high-street discounts
Is this you?
- You're a genuine team player with a 'can do' attitude who rolls up your sleeves to help others - your mindset matters as much as your skills
- You have a real passion for supporting children to learn and you understand the impact that support can have on their lives
- You ideally have classroom experience, but if not, we'll provide all the relevant training - what matters is your commitment and enthusiasm
- You're enthusiastic about working alongside therapists and teachers as part of a specialist team supporting children with additional needs
Applications close on 12 October 2026. Great roles like this are filled quickly, so the sooner you apply the better.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.