training and education
E-learning modules
£90 - £95 per day
Cambridge
Are you an exceptionally experienced, dedicated, and resilient Teaching Assistant (TA) or Learning Support Assistant (LSA) ready to commit fully to supporting young people with the most significant and complex special educational needs?
Do you thrive in an environment requiring medical awareness, personal care competence, and advanced communication strategies, where you facilitate small, life-changing steps of progress every day?
We are seeking a proactive, compassionate, and reliable full-time individual to join a highly supportive, dedicated, and specialist SEN school community located in the Cambridge area. If you are passionate about providing the highest level of comprehensive, structured, and nurturing care, we want to hear from you.
The Opportunity
A vital, full-time, and immensely rewarding opening exists for an experienced TA/LSA to work within a well-regarded, specialist provision near Cambridge. This role requires working with pupils who have the most complex and profound needs across the primary and secondary age ranges, including:
- Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD)
- Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD)
- Significant medical needs (e.g., Epilepsy, tube feeding, specific equipment)
- Associated physical disabilities and high dependency needs (e.g., using hoists, mobility aids).
Your contribution will be central to helping students access a sensory-based, multi-disciplinary curriculum, ensuring their safety, comfort, and engagement. This is a highly practical and therapeutic role where you will be instrumental in creating a calm, supportive, and medically-aware environment, primarily supporting pupils on a 1:1 or 2:1 basis.
Core Responsibilities
- Provide intensive, tailored support to named pupils, meticulously implementing their EHCP targets, medical protocols, and personal care routines.
- Assist pupils with all aspects of complex personal care, including manual handling (using hoists/slings), feeding, toileting, changing, and dressing, always maintaining dignity and adhering to strict procedures.
- Monitor and record health and well-being data, administer medication (following training and delegation), and respond effectively and calmly to medical events (e.g., seizures) according to protocols.
- Facilitate and support the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) methods, focusing on object cues, sensory prompts, switch work, and voice output devices to maximise communication opportunities.
- Work closely with therapists (e.g., Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language) to integrate therapeutic exercises and handling techniques into the daily routine and learning activities.
- Assist the teacher in preparing and adapting a highly sensory and differentiated curriculum, utilising specialist equipment and resources to ensure comfort and optimal positioning (e.g., specialist seating, standing frames).
- Maintain accurate, detailed, and professional records of medical monitoring, personal care logs, progress against targets, and incidents for professional discussions and statutory reviews.
Essential Profile
- Previous, demonstrated experience supporting children or young people with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) and significant physical and medical needs is essential.
- Competence in or proven willingness to undergo training for complex personal care, manual handling (hoisting), and basic medical procedures (e.g., feeding tube awareness).
- A robust understanding of sensory processing needs and the ability to adapt the environment and interaction style accordingly.
- Proven track record of using specialist communication systems for non-verbal or minimally verbal learners (e.g., AAC devices, switches, symbols).
- High levels of physical and emotional resilience, exceptional reliability, and unwavering patience, coupled with a proactive, meticulous approach to health and safety.
- Excellent communication skills, and the ability to work effectively and discreetly as part of a multi-disciplinary team, including medical staff.
- Possession of an Enhanced Child DBS on the update service (or willingness to complete one promptly).
Benefits of Joining Us
- A competitive daily pay rate of £90 - £95, reflective of your experience supporting complex, high-dependency needs.
- Guaranteed full-time hours in a specialist provision near Cambridge that prioritises staff well-being, collaborative practice, and small class sizes.
- Access to specialist, accredited training in areas such as Manual Handling, specific medical competencies, and advanced AAC technology.
- A profoundly rewarding role where you will directly contribute to the quality of life, comfort, and dignity of the students you support.
- £300 Refer A Friend scheme (terms apply).
How to Apply
If you are a dedicated and supportive individual ready to make a difference in a school setting, please apply immediately with your CV or contact Neeraj at neeraj.kommaravalli@randstad.co.uk for more information.
We are the UK market leader for recruitment in education. We have nearly two decades of experience helping teachers and support staff find temporary and permanent roles in schools, colleges, and nurseries. We partner with over 2,500 schools each week, supporting more than 135,000 children every day across the country, which allows us to find the right match for your skills.
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