SEND Teaching Assistant | Sunderland | Full Time

Location: Sunderland
Job Type: Full Time, Term Time Only
Start Date: September 2026
Working Hours: Monday to Friday, school hours
Pay: £98–£120 per day, depending on experience

Are you a caring, patient and enthusiastic Teaching Assistant looking for a new opportunity within a specialist SEND setting?

Protocol Education are currently recruiting for a SEND Teaching Assistant to join a welcoming school in Sunderland, supporting pupils with a range of additional needs and helping them to access learning, develop confidence and become more independent.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys building genuine relationships with young people and wants to make a positive difference every day.

The Role

As a SEND Teaching Assistant, you will work closely with class teachers and the wider support team to provide personalised support to pupils. Depending on the needs of the setting, you may work on a 1:1 basis, with small groups or as part of the wider classroom team.

Your responsibilities may include:

• Supporting pupils with SEND throughout the school day
• Providing 1:1 and small-group support where required
• Helping pupils access and engage with classroom activities
• Supporting communication, social skills and independence
• Encouraging positive behaviour and emotional regulation
• Following individual support plans and EHCP outcomes
• Helping pupils develop confidence and self-esteem
• Working alongside teachers and other professionals
• Supporting pupils during lessons, transitions and unstructured times
• Creating a calm, positive and inclusive learning environment

The Ideal Candidate

We would love to hear from candidates who have experience working with children or young people, particularly within SEND, education, care, youth work or similar environments.

You may have experience as a Teaching Assistant, Learning Support Assistant, Support Worker, Youth Worker or Behaviour Mentor.

Most importantly, you will be:

• Patient and understanding
• Resilient and adaptable
• Confident building positive relationships
• Calm when faced with challenging situations
• Passionate about supporting young people
• Able to work effectively as part of a team

A relevant qualification or previous SEND experience is desirable but not essential for the right person.

Why Protocol Education?

• Competitive daily pay
• Weekly PAYE payments
• FREE CPD and online training
• Dedicated education consultant
• Long-term and permanent opportunities
• Support throughout your placement
• £50 Refer a Friend bonus

If you're looking for a rewarding SEND role in Sunderland where you can genuinely make a difference, we would love to hear from you.

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.