Unqualified Teaching Assistant (SEN Support)

Start Your Career in Education - Unqualified Teaching Assistant Opportunities
Location: Preston and surrounding areas
Hours: Flexible (full-time and part-time available)
Pay: Dependent on experience

Have you built your career supporting others - perhaps in care, residential settings, youth work or pastoral roles - and are now considering a move into schools? We are working with local schools seeking individuals with real-world experience supporting children and young people. You may not have worked in a classroom before, but your background has already equipped you with the skills that matter most.

Why Your Experience Matters

If you have worked in:

• Residential children's homes
• Care or support work (young people or vulnerable adults)/Mental health or safeguarding environments
• SEMH or behavioural support roles/One-to-one SEN support
• Youth mentoring or coaching

…you already understand behaviour, boundaries, empathy and resilience. These are essential qualities in today's classrooms.

What You'll Be Doing

• Supporting pupils with additional needs on a 1:1 basis
• Assisting small groups to stay focused and engaged
• Helping manage behaviour in a calm and consistent way
• Working alongside teachers to adapt learning activities
• Encouraging social development and emotional regulation
• Acting as a positive role model throughout the school day

What Schools Are Looking For

• Strong relationship-building skills
• Emotional intelligence and patience
• Confidence supporting challenging behaviour
• A proactive and solution-focused mindset
• A commitment to safeguarding and professional conduct

No formal TA qualification is required - just relevant experience and the right attitude.

What You'll Gain

• A structured and supportive school environment
• Term-time working pattern
• Opportunities for training and development
• Clear pathways into specialist SEN roles or teacher training
• A genuinely rewarding career supporting young people

If you're ready to channel your transferable skills into education and make a meaningful difference every day, we'd welcome a conversation.

All applications are subject to an Enhanced DBS Disclosure, professional reference checks, Overseas Police Clearances (if applicable) in line with our stringent safeguarding policy

• Your CV must cover the last 10 years of employment history where possible and all employment breaks must be explained
• You must have legal right to work in the UK
• You must be willing to attend a registration interview

All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 14.3% 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.

Spencer Clarke Group work with a variety of schools covering a wide geographical area. We deal with teaching placements at Primary, Secondary, Special Education needs and college level as well as support staff positions also within these.