Teaching Assistant

Teaching Assistant in a new SEN provision

Location: Horsham, West Sussex

Contract Type: Permanent, full-time

Hours: 40 hours per week

Actual annual salary: £22,906 - £23,621 dependent on experience

Hourly rate: £12.82 - £13.22 per hour 

Start Date: Summer term 2025 or Autumn term 2025

Aurora Vincent House School

As part of our growth strategy, we are really pleased to be opening a brand new SEND Secondary School in 2025 in the heart of Horsham, West Sussex for young neurodivergent people aged 11-16. Most of our students are coming to us from mainstream education to have access to an adapted National Curriculum delivered in small classes with a focus on meeting their sensory needs and support for their emotional wellbeing. We will provide a calm, safe and nurturing environment for our equally mixed cohort of girls and boys.

The Role:

This is an excellent career opportunity for someone who wishes to have significant training opportunities and to collaborate closely with in-house therapists and clinicians. It requires a focus on establishing strong relationships with students, prioritising their wellbeing above all else. Our Teaching Assistants are integral to the support we offer and are involved in every aspect of school life for each student. Our school works on a model of integrated therapy which means you also deliver strategies and interventions given by the clinical team with support from the SENCO. You will support the learning proactively in class and help personalise each young person’s learning. Additionally you will be involved in giving regular feedback to parents and other professionals.

Our students will have access to an enrichment curriculum that will include a range of outdoor activities, sports including swimming, visits, and community projects. We welcome applicants who are also enthusiastic to support these activities as well as class-based learning.

Please note that duties will vary and you will be expected to contribute to the overall aims of Aurora Vincent House School when required. Please see the link below for our full job description:

Job Description – Teaching Assistant

Successful candidates are likely to demonstrate:  

• A strong interest in therapeutic
• A qualification or genuine interest in psychology.
• Either effective experience working with young people especially those with SEND OR clear potential to learn quickly
• They have successfully supported neurodivergent students in a teaching role
• Resourcefulness, resilience and a growth mindset
• A good level of education.

Candidates must:

• GCSE Maths and English Language qualification minimum Grade 4 or equivalent is essential.
• Working towards L2 award in support work in schools or equivalent
• A Psychology qualification is desirable
• have a good level of written and verbal English and general education as well as IT skills in order to support our students’ learning.
• have the empathy and resilience to work with young people some of whom may experience high anxiety and may exhibit self-harming behaviours, ARFID and disordered eating, and a range of mental health difficulties.
• be committed to becoming a neuro-informed and a neuro-affirmative practitioner. That requires continuous engagement in learning and a genuine belief in a neuro-affirmative approach.
• be outstanding in their pastoral and safeguarding practice

We offer:

• Small classes with the opportunity to establish strong relationships with all students.
• The time, support and training for you to prioritise safeguarding, pastoral care and the overall wellbeing of all students.
• The chance to work with, and learn from, an onsite clinical team including a Clinical Psychologist, OT and SaLT. There are also opportunities to be involved in research that will support our students and the wider neurodivergent community both in terms of education and mental health.
• A rare opportunity to be part of a team creating a new school and culture that will change the lives of many young people and their families within the community.
• It is an exciting time to be part of Aurora and this is a unique career opportunity to make your mark on our growing services.

The expectation for this role is high but so are the rewards! If you are interested, we strongly recommend you contact us to arrange an informal talk with the Headteacher who can explain in full the role on offer. Our priority is appointing a person with the right mindset, potential and pastoral approach.

What’s on offer?

Training and Development - Within Aurora, we strongly believe that learning and development should not be limited to just the children and young people we support.  We offer wide range of programmes and opportunities to all our employees to improve your skills and further your career. 

Save money on your bills!! - With the cost of living rising we have a fantastic benefit through Perkbox to help with cutting costs and help make your money go further.  Perkbox is a free app for you to use on the go wherever you are.  You can get deals and discounts to save money on things like your weekly food bill, phone plans, internet, eating out, gym memberships, insurance and more.  You can also use Perkbox for our cycle to work scheme and car scheme.

Competitive Pay and Reward - Every year we compare the market rates of pay and rewards to insure they are comparable or better to other similar organisations.  We also offer Enhanced Annual Leave, Company Sick Pay, Enhanced Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.

UK Health Cash Plan - This plan can help cover your day to day healthcare expenditure such as optician and dental bills.  You and your children are covered on this plan and you can also choose to upgrade and add a partner to enjoy the benefits with you.

Employee Assistance Programme - Your health and wellbeing is very important to us and we have support available on a wide variety of issues, helping you with online tools, information and via a freephone counselling service available 24/7. 

Refer a friend for £1,000 - We’ll reward you for recommending friends and family to come and join the company (*terms apply) 

How to Apply: 

You can apply online by completing our online application form.  For more information on this position please contact liz.hudson@the-aurora-group.com

Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer.

This advert could be taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled. 

Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search.