SEN Teaching Assistant; SEMH

SEN Teaching Assistant (SEMH) – Secondary School

Location:

Barnet, North London

Contract:

Full-time, Long-term Temporary

Start Date:

8 September 2026

Salary: £90–£100 per day

Email:

About the Role Teach Now is recruiting a resilient and compassionate SEN Teaching Assistant with SEMH experience to join an inclusive secondary school in Barnet. This role will involve supporting students across KS3 and KS4 who may experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties, behavioural challenges or barriers to engaging consistently with learning. You will work closely with teaching, pastoral and SEN staff to provide a calm and reliable presence for students who benefit from additional structure and encouragement.

Support may include 1:1 work, small-group interventions, in-class assistance and helping students successfully reintegrate into lessons following periods of dysregulation.

• Provide targeted support for students with SEMH needs.
• Build positive, professional and consistent relationships with young people.
• Help students regulate emotions and engage successfully with learning.
• Support individual behaviour and learning plans.
• Use appropriate de-escalation and positive behaviour strategies.
• Work with teachers to adapt tasks and reduce barriers to learning.
• Communicate observations and progress to the SEN and pastoral teams.
• Encourage independence, confidence and positive decision-making.

• Previous experience supporting secondary-aged pupils with SEMH, SEND or challenging behaviour.
• Strong behaviour-management and relationship-building skills.
• A calm, patient and emotionally resilient approach.
• Good understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries.
• Team Teach, MAPA or similar behaviour-support training would be beneficial but is not essential.
• Enhanced DBS and right to work in the UK.

• A supportive SEN and pastoral team.
• Clear behaviour and safeguarding systems.
• Opportunities to develop experience within secondary SEND.
• A collaborative working environment where pastoral support is valued.
• Ongoing professional development.

• Ensure that you will have your own dedicated consultant who will provide ongoing support and guidance.
• Offer an excellent refer a friend scheme that pays you £150 for each candidate you refer to us after they have worked and been paid for their first 10 days.
• Pay in line with the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) meaning you will be paid equally to a permanent employee.
• Give you access to a wide range of CPD training through our in-house team of experienced senior leaders.

We are committed to promoting equality and challenging discrimination. Teach Now is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post will be subject to an Enhanced DBS Clearance.