Teaching Assistant

SEND Teaching Assistant (School Support Staff)

Agency: Supportive Bridge Staffing

Client: Lift New Rickstones (Part of Lift Schools)

Location: Conrad Road, Witham, Essex, CM8 2SD

Position Type: Permanent | Part-Time (30.5 Hours/Week, 39 Weeks/Year – Term Time Only)

Start Date: Immediate Start Available

Salary: £18,080.11 – £18,653.98 per annum (Actual Salary) + Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) & Lift Schools Benefits

Key Dates: Closing Date: 11 October 2026

About the Role

Supportive Bridge Staffing is excited to partner with Lift New Rickstones in recruiting a dedicated and caring SEND Teaching Assistant to join their expanding Special Educational Needs (SEN) department.

In this key role, you will work across the department to provide flexible classroom support and deliver targeted interventions for students with a variety of special educational needs. You will play a vital role in helping students access the curriculum, build self-confidence, foster social interactions, and gain greater independence in their daily school life.

Apprenticeship Opportunity:

While a Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification (or equivalent) is ideal, candidates without one are fully encouraged to apply! Lift New Rickstones is committed to your professional growth and will enroll you in their Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship Programme to help you gain recognized qualifications while you work.

Key Responsibilities

• SEND Classroom Support: Assist secondary students with diverse learning, communication, and developmental needs to fully participate during lessons.

• Targeted Interventions: Deliver structured, 1:1 or small-group academic and behavioral interventions tailored to individual student needs.

• Fostering Independence: Help students build resilience, self-reliance, positive learning habits, and social-emotional confidence.

• Collaborative Support: Work closely alongside class teachers, the SENDCO, and SEN department colleagues to adapt learning scaffolding and materials.

• Wellbeing & Inclusion: Promote an inclusive, supportive environment where every student feels safe, happy, valued, and empowered.

What We Are Looking For

• Qualifications & Training: Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification (or willingness to undertake a fully funded Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship).

• Core Qualities:

  • Genuine passion for supporting young people with special educational needs.

  • Patient, caring, resilient, and empathetic approach.

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills to build quick, trusting relationships.

  • Strong commitment to inclusion and team collaboration.

About the School & Network

• Lift New Rickstones: Rated Good by Ofsted (November 2023), Lift New Rickstones is an oversubscribed, modern secondary school in Witham, Essex. Featuring state-of-the-art facilities and a recently built expansion, the school boasts excellent staff retention, clear progression pathways, and a strong culture centered around its curriculum drivers: Ambition, Character, and Opportunity.

• Lift Schools Network: A national trust of 62 primary, secondary, and special schools educating over 35,000 pupils across the UK. Joining Lift Schools provides access to ongoing CPD, pension contributions, healthcare perks, and lifestyle discounts.