Teaching Assistant

For every journey, let’s take first steps together.

At First Steps Together, we believe every child and young person deserves to feel safe, understood, included and able to succeed.

We are a growing group of specialist independent schools providing nurturing, inclusive and aspirational education for children and young people with a range of additional needs, including SEND, SEMH and complex presentations. Across our schools, strong relationships, personalised learning and high expectations are central to helping pupils overcome barriers to learning, develop confidence and independence, and achieve positive outcomes.

As our Education provision continues to grow, we are looking for an exceptional Teaching Assistant Level 2 (TA2) to join our team.

This is an opportunity for a passionate and committed individual to provide high-quality, personalised support for pupils with SEND, helping them access learning, develop confidence and independence, and participate fully in school life.

You’ll work closely with teachers and other professionals to support engaging and inclusive learning experiences, recognising each pupil’s individual starting point while maintaining ambitious expectations for what they can achieve.

About The School

The Watkin is a specialist provision in Wythenshawe, Manchester, supporting autistic students as well as those with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and other specific requirements.

Located across three floors, the school offers learners aged 11-16 (Key Stage 3 and 4) a nurturing and structured environment. Our focus is on delivering tailored support including strong pastoral care and staff relationships, to promote academic, social and emotional growth.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll provide personalised learning and pastoral support for pupils across whole-class activities, small groups and one-to-one sessions, adapting your approach and resources under the direction of teaching staff to meet a wide range of SEND and SEMH needs.

Working from pupils’ individual starting points, you’ll support the implementation of EHCP outcomes, individual learning plans and personalised interventions, helping pupils overcome barriers to learning and make meaningful academic, social and emotional progress.

You’ll help create a calm, structured and nurturing learning environment, using clear routines, positive relationships and consistent approaches to help pupils feel safe, regulated and ready to learn.

You’ll support pupils to develop their communication, confidence, emotional regulation, resilience and independence, recognising that progress looks different for every child and young person.

Positive behaviour support will be an important part of your role. You’ll use proactive strategies, de-escalation techniques and personalised behaviour support plans to help pupils manage challenges, develop positive behaviours and engage successfully in learning.

You’ll also support the delivery of targeted one-to-one and small-group interventions, including activities focused on literacy, numeracy, social and emotional development, and wellbeing. You’ll observe and record pupil progress, sharing feedback with teachers to help inform future learning and support.

You won’t do this alone. You’ll work closely with teachers, school leaders, families and other professionals, contributing to a consistent and joined-up approach that puts the needs of pupils at the centre of everything we do.

Bring your difference. Take your next step with First Steps Together.

Safeguarding

First Steps Together is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Appointment to this role will be subject to appropriate safer recruitment and pre-employment checks, including an Enhanced DBS, satisfactory references, online checks and overseas police checks where required.

Application

If you would like to arrange an informal discussion about the role with the Headteacher or a member of our People Services Team, please contact us by emailing, [email removed].

Completed application forms (attached below) must be sent to [email removed] prior to the application closing date.

We reserve the right to close applications earlier should be receive a number of suitable applications which meet the essential criteria. We will not accept CVs in place of completed application forms.