SEND Senior Teaching Assistant

What skills and experience we're looking for

Sherwood Foundation School

Senior Teaching Assistants

Salary: NJC, Grade 5-6, Point 12-20, £27,985 - £31,468 pro rata (equivalent to £32,070 - £36,585 FTE)

Contract: 36 hours per week worked across 5 days, Monday to Friday

Term Time plus one week (39 weeks) & Permanent

Start date: As soon as possible

Closing date: Tuesday, 26 May 2026, Midday

Sherwood Foundation School is a Foundation Special School located in the London Borough of Sutton and made up of three campuses:

Sherwood Park Campus: This is a specialist school for learners aged 3 - 19 years who have severe, multiple and complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This includes learners who have highly complex access needs resulting from their physical and/or health conditions. All learners require high levels of adult support to access learning.

Sherwood Hill Campus: This is a specialist school for autistic learners aged 3 - 19 years who have multiple and complex barriers to learning, requiring high levels of support to access education and learning around their peers. Many of our learners may also have severe learning difficulties and /or struggle to maintain a regulated state for learning.

Sherwood Manor Campus: This is a specialist school primarily for Autistic learners aged 11 - 19 years who have moderate to severe barriers to learning. Most of our pupils can access a highly adapted formal learning environment with high levels of adult support. Some of our learners struggle to deal with the demands of an adult led learning environment so may need a highly individualised learning offer to meet their academic potential.

As a SEND Teaching Assistant, you will be able to:

• communicate and work effectively and supportively as a member of the school team including students, parents and carers, other staff and external agencies.
• establish positive relationships with students and empathise with their needs
• provide levels of individual attention, reassurance and help with learning tasks as appropriate to students’ needs.
• physically support learners and push those who use wheelchairs and / or special seating systems within school and also hoist and position some of the pupils. Guidance and manual handling training will be given as to the most appropriate way to do this.
• work with learners on their independence and self-care procedures and support pupils with their intimate and personal care with dignity and respect.

Experience of supporting students in a classroom environment, including those with special educational needs is desirable, but we have lots of experience supporting TAs to do well from all sorts of backgrounds. Most importantly we are looking for the right person who can demonstrate a respect and ambition for our pupils– we look forward to hearing from you!

For an application form please apply via the Eteach Website: or the TES website Alternatively, please contact the SFS via email on [email protected]

Please note applicants must demonstrate how they meet all sections and subsections of the person specification for this role.

Safeguarding Recruitment Statement

Sherwood Foundation School is committed to equal opportunities, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are made subject to receipt of a completed application, satisfactory references and an Enhanced DBS check

Closing Date for Applications: Tuesday, 26 May 2026, Midday

Interviews: TBC

What the school offers its staff

Sherwood Foundation School

Senior Teaching Assistants

Salary: NJC, Grade 5-6, Point 12-20, £27,985 - £31,468 pro rata (equivalent to £32,070 - £36,585 FTE)

Contract: 36 hours per week worked across 5 days, Monday to Friday

Term Time plus one week (39 weeks) & Permanent

Start date: As soon as possible

Closing date: Tuesday, 26 May 2026, Midday

Sherwood Foundation School is a Foundation Special School located in the London Borough of Sutton and made up of three campuses:

Sherwood Park Campus: This is a specialist school for learners aged 3 - 19 years who have severe, multiple and complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This includes learners who have highly complex access needs resulting from their physical and/or health conditions. All learners require high levels of adult support to access learning.

Sherwood Hill Campus: This is a specialist school for autistic learners aged 3 - 19 years who have multiple and complex barriers to learning, requiring high levels of support to access education and learning around their peers. Many of our learners may also have severe learning difficulties and /or struggle to maintain a regulated state for learning.

Sherwood Manor Campus: This is a specialist school primarily for Autistic learners aged 11 - 19 years who have moderate to severe barriers to learning. Most of our pupils can access a highly adapted formal learning environment with high levels of adult support. Some of our learners struggle to deal with the demands of an adult led learning environment so may need a highly individualised learning offer to meet their academic potential.

As a SEND Teaching Assistant, you will be able to:

• communicate and work effectively and supportively as a member of the school team including students, parents and carers, other staff and external agencies.
• establish positive relationships with students and empathise with their needs
• provide levels of individual attention, reassurance and help with learning tasks as appropriate to students’ needs.
• physically support learners and push those who use wheelchairs and / or special seating systems within school and also hoist and position some of the pupils. Guidance and manual handling training will be given as to the most appropriate way to do this.
• work with learners on their independence and self-care procedures and support pupils with their intimate and personal care with dignity and respect.

Experience of supporting students in a classroom environment, including those with special educational needs is desirable, but we have lots of experience supporting TAs to do well from all sorts of backgrounds. Most importantly we are looking for the right person who can demonstrate a respect and ambition for our pupils– we look forward to hearing from you!

For an application form please apply via the Eteach Website: or the TES website Alternatively, please contact the SFS via email on [email protected]

Please note applicants must demonstrate how they meet all sections and subsections of the person specification for this role.

Safeguarding Recruitment Statement

Sherwood Foundation School is committed to equal opportunities, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are made subject to receipt of a completed application, satisfactory references and an Enhanced DBS check

Closing Date for Applications: Tuesday, 26 May 2026, Midday

Interviews: TBC

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.