Secondary SEMH Teaching Assistant / Learning Support Assistant (LSA)

Secondary Teaching Assistant, Learning Support Assistant
Location: Horsham, West Sussex
Salary: £27,122 per annum (paid 52 weeks)
Contract: Full-Time, Temp-to-Perm
Start Date: ASAP/ September 2026

Are you passionate about supporting young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs?

We're recruiting for a Secondary SEMH Teaching Assistant / Learning Support Assistant to join a specialist secondary school in Horsham, supporting young people with SEMH, Autism (ASC), ADHD, and additional learning needs.

This is an exciting opportunity for Teaching Assistants, Learning Support Assistants, SEN TAs, Behaviour Mentors, Support Workers, Care Workers, Youth Workers, or anyone with experience supporting young people to develop a rewarding career within specialist education.

Working in small classes alongside experienced teachers, therapists, and pastoral staff, you'll play an important role in helping young people feel safe, build confidence, manage their emotions, and overcome barriers to learning.

The Role

As a Secondary SEMH Teaching Assistant, you will provide classroom, small-group and 1:1 support, helping pupils engage with their education while developing their social, emotional and academic skills.

You'll use a calm, consistent and relationship-led approach to support positive behaviour, emotional regulation, resilience and independence, helping young people make progress both inside and outside the classroom.

Key Responsibilities

• Supporting pupils on a 1:1 basis and in small groups

• Assisting young people with SEMH, Autism (ASC), ADHD and additional learning needs

• Supporting emotional regulation and positive behaviour strategies

• Helping pupils engage with secondary-level lessons and the wider curriculum

• Providing additional support with literacy, numeracy and learning where required

• Encouraging confidence, independence, resilience and social development

• Building positive and trusting relationships with young people

• Supporting pupils who may experience challenging behaviour or barriers to learning

• Working closely with teachers, therapists and pastoral teams

• Creating a calm, safe and structured learning environment

• Supporting pupils to develop skills that will prepare them for adulthood and future education or employment

• Following safeguarding procedures and promoting pupil wellbeing

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who has:

• Experience as a Teaching Assistant, Learning Support Assistant, SEN TA, Behaviour Mentor, Support Worker, Care Worker, Youth Worker or similar

• Experience supporting children or young people with SEMH, SEND, Autism (ASC), ADHD or additional needs

• A calm, patient and resilient approach

• Strong communication and relationship-building skills

• Confidence supporting behaviour and emotional wellbeing

• The ability to build positive relationships with teenagers and young people

• A consistent and nurturing approach to managing challenging situations

• A genuine passion for helping young people overcome barriers to learning

• An interest in building a long-term career within specialist education

Why Apply?

• £27,122 annual salary paid across 12 months

• Full-time role with a genuine temp-to-permanent opportunity

• Small class sizes with excellent staff-to-pupil ratios

• Supportive leadership team and experienced specialist staff

• Ongoing CPD and specialist SEMH training

• Work alongside teachers, therapists and pastoral professionals

• Gain valuable experience supporting young people with complex SEMH and additional needs

• Excellent experience for careers in teaching, educational psychology, mental health, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, youth work or social care

• Make a genuine difference to young people's confidence, wellbeing and future every day

Apply Now

If you're looking for a rewarding opportunity supporting secondary-aged young people with SEMH and additional needs, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today to be considered for this Secondary SEMH Teaching Assistant / Learning Support Assistant opportunity in Horsham, starting in September 2026.

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