Senior Lead Teaching Assistant (Support For Learning)

Are you passionate about supporting young people to overcome barriers to learning, improve their emotional wellbeing and achieve their full potential?

We are seeking a dedicated, resilient and highly skilled Support for Learning Lead to join our team at Southern Cross School. Working closely with the Head Teacher, staff, pupils, families and external agencies, you will play a key role in promoting positive behaviour, emotional regulation, inclusion and wellbeing across the school.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop support for pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and emotional school-based dysregulation. You will work alongside colleagues to promote therapeutic and relational approaches, support pupils to engage positively with learning and help create a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment where every young person can thrive.

The successful candidate will lead on behaviour monitoring and analysis, oversee the effective use of IRIS, support the implementation of Trust initiatives including Relational Inclusion, Conflict Resolution, Emotion Coaching and Hacking for Behaviour, and work collaboratively with staff to promote consistent approaches to behaviour management and emotional regulation.

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone who:

1. Has substantial experience of supporting children and young people with SEMH needs and barriers to learning.
2. Can build positive, professional and trusting relationships with pupils, families and colleagues.
3. Has a strong understanding of behaviour regulation, emotional wellbeing and inclusion.
4. Can remain calm, resilient and solution-focused when managing challenging situations.
5. Has experience of analysing information and using data to identify trends, inform interventions and improve outcomes.
6. Can confidently support and guide colleagues in promoting positive behaviour and pupil safety.
7. Has excellent communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.
8. Is committed to safeguarding, inclusion and improving outcomes for vulnerable learners.
9. Shares our values of Aspiration, Resilience and Kindness.
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Previous experience within a specialist, alternative provision, SEMH or inclusion-focused setting would be advantageous, as would experience of leading initiatives, supporting staff development or coordinating behaviour and wellbeing provision.

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the lives of young people and to contribute to a school community that places relationships, wellbeing and inclusion at the heart of all that it does.

Southern Cross School

Southern Cross School is a Special School for young people with social, emotional and mental health needs. We have recently expanded our provision and now have a brand-new building which has been designed to deliver our therapeutic vision.

Our vision is to create a therapeutic, harmonious environment which promotes feelings of safety and security, allowing our pupils to explore, enjoy learning and reach their full potential. Building a sense of community around the child, we aim to become a leading therapeutic provision that is high quality and expert in recognising and meeting the needs of all pupils through outstanding teaching and engaging learning.

We achieve positive outcomes for all our pupils, including emotional wellbeing and self-belief, creating successful, happy and healthy individuals. We develop the skills that enable our pupils to sustain employment and build security in their lives.

To find out more about our school, visit: https://southerncross-ebsd.co.uk/

We look forward to receiving your application and potentially discussing the role with you in the near future.

Safeguarding Statement

Southern Cross School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All appointments are subject to robust safer recruitment procedures, including an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, satisfactory references, online and social media checks, verification of qualifications, identity checks, and any other pre-employment checks considered relevant to the role. As an organisation working with children and young people, we are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore reserve the right to seek information about applicants' criminal history and consider this information when making recruitment decisions, in line with current legislation and safeguarding guidance.

All staff are expected to share our commitment to safeguarding, maintain professional boundaries and actively contribute to creating a safe environment for all pupils.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Southern Cross School is committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with dignity, fairness and respect. We believe that diversity enriches our school community and strengthens our ability to support and inspire young people. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from groups that are currently underrepresented within the education workforce, including people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, people of all ages, faiths and beliefs, and those with different lived experiences.

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination, fostering positive relationships and ensuring that all staff, pupils and visitors feel valued, respected and able to achieve their full potential. Reasonable adjustments will be made throughout the recruitment process and employment to support applicants and employees with disabilities.