SEMH Teaching Assistant

Bushey, Hertfordshire | £105-120 per day, depending on relevant experience

Full-time, long-term temporary; Monday to Friday, term time
Start date and exact working hours to be agreed before placement.

Prospero Teaching is seeking a SEMH Teaching Assistant in Bushey to support secondary pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. You will help young people who may find classroom routines, relationships or emotional regulation difficult. The focus is on building trust, maintaining consistent boundaries and helping pupils return to learning after setbacks.

Your responsibilities

• Support pupils individually and in small groups during lessons and structured activities.
• Use agreed de-escalation strategies and recognise early signs of distress.
• Help pupils work towards behaviour, attendance and engagement targets.
• Break tasks into achievable steps and reinforce effort, progress and positive choices.
• Keep accurate records and work with teachers and pastoral staff to review support.

What you will need

• Experience supporting young people with SEMH, behavioural needs or disrupted education.
• Relevant school, alternative provision, youth work or residential education experience.
• Confidence maintaining boundaries without confrontation and following safeguarding procedures.

Experience in a pupil referral unit (PRU), trauma-informed practice or recognised behaviour support training would be valuable. Training must be appropriate to the school's approach.

A good fit for an experienced behaviour mentor or teaching assistant who wants to combine pastoral support with classroom learning.