Teaching Assistant SEND

SEND Teaching Assistant – Specialist Autism School | West Leeds

Flexible school hours, term-time only, and weekends that actually feel like weekends.

Looking for a role where you can make a genuine difference, without sacrificing your work-life balance?

Whether you're experienced in SEND or just someone with the right calm, caring energy, this specialist school in West Leeds could be exactly what you’ve been searching for.

We’re working with a brilliant specialist school supporting children and young people with autism, complex needs, and communication differences. The team? Warm, supportive, and refreshingly ego-free. No drama. No sink-or-swim mentality. Just people who genuinely care about helping pupils thrive.

And yes, you’ll get the school holidays too. ☀️

Sound like you?

Can you stay calm when things feel a little chaotic?

Do you know that sometimes a quiet thumbs-up says more than a big speech?

Can you spot when a child is becoming overwhelmed before the room notices?

If you’re nodding along, keep reading.

What you’ll be doing:

‍ Supporting pupils in small classes of 6 to 9 students

Working closely with teachers, therapists, and support staff who genuinely work as a team

Supporting both primary and secondary-aged pupils, so no two days feel the same

Helping children build confidence, independence, and trust in the classroom

Learning loads along the way, with free SEND training and CPD opportunities included

Creating calm, organised learning spaces where pupils feel safe and supported

What we’re looking for:

Someone compassionate, patient, and curious about SEND education

A calm and adaptable approach, especially during busy moments

A team player who’s happy to muck in and support colleagues

An Enhanced DBS on the Child & Adult Workforce Update Service, or willingness to apply for one

Experience working with autism, SEND, care, youth work, support work, or mental health support is helpful, but not essential. Personality and attitude matter just as much here.

What’s in it for you?

Weekly PAYE pay, no umbrella company faff

FREE CPD including Team Teach, SEND training, and behaviour support courses

A dedicated consultant who actually listens and keeps in touch

Opportunities to grow within SEND education and specialist schools

️ School holidays off, because rest matters too

✨ Thrive-trained? Amazing. Not yet? No worries, we offer FREE Thrive training to help build your skills and confidence in the classroom.

Why this school?

This isn’t a place where staff are “just getting through the week.”

It’s a school where small wins are celebrated loudly, relationships matter deeply, and every pupil is given the time and support they deserve.

You’ll leave each day knowing you’ve genuinely helped someone.

And honestly? That’s hard to beat.

Apply today

If you’re looking for a rewarding SEND Teaching Assistant job in Wakefield where you’ll feel supported, valued, and part of something meaningful, we’d love to hear from you.

Whether you’re new to specialist education or already experienced in SEND, we’ll help you find your feet.

Let’s make Mondays feel a little less… Monday-ish.

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.