SEMH Teaching Assistant

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SEMH Teaching Assistant – Specialist School, Portsmouth

£88–£100 per day (depending on experience)
Location: Portsmouth
Start Date: September 2026
Hours: 08:30 – 15:30
Contract: Long-Term | Potential to Become Permanent

Are you a resilient, empathetic and dedicated Teaching Assistant looking to support young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs?

Supply Desk are currently recruiting for an SEMH Teaching Assistant to join a well-established specialist school in Portsmouth from September 2026. This rewarding role offers the opportunity to work closely with students who require additional emotional, behavioural and educational support, helping them overcome barriers to learning and achieve positive outcomes. The school provides both specialist education and alternative provision for pupils with SEMH and associated needs, with a strong focus on personalised support, wellbeing and aspiration.

About the Role

As an SEMH Teaching Assistant, you will work alongside teachers and pastoral staff to support students both in and out of the classroom. Many pupils may have experienced challenges within mainstream education and require consistent, nurturing support to help them regulate emotions, build relationships and engage positively with learning.

You will be instrumental in creating a safe and structured environment where students feel valued, supported and ready to learn.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Providing 1:1 and small-group support to pupils with SEMH needs.
• Supporting students with emotional regulation, social interaction and behaviour management.
• Building positive, trusting relationships that promote engagement and resilience.
• Assisting teachers in delivering accessible and engaging lessons.
• Encouraging independence, self-confidence and positive learning behaviours.
• Implementing behaviour support plans and personalised learning strategies.
• Working collaboratively with teachers, SEND professionals and pastoral teams.
• Promoting student wellbeing, safeguarding and inclusion at all times.

About the School

• Specialist provision supporting children and young people with SEMH and additional needs.
• Strong emphasis on nurturing relationships, emotional development and successful outcomes.
• Small-group learning environment with tailored interventions to meet individual needs. [
• Well-established pastoral and safeguarding support structures.
• Opportunities to work alongside experienced practitioners and multidisciplinary teams.
• Ongoing training and professional development available.

What You’ll Need

• Experience working with children or young people in education, care, coaching or support settings.
• Understanding of SEMH, SEND or behaviour support strategies.
• A calm, patient and consistent approach.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to remain resilient when managing challenging situations.
• A genuine passion for supporting vulnerable learners.
• An Enhanced DBS on the Update Service or willingness to obtain one.

Why Work with Supply Desk?

• Competitive daily rates of £88–£100 per day.
• Long-term opportunities with potential for permanent employment.
• Access to CPD, including SEMH, behaviour management and safeguarding training.
• Dedicated consultant support throughout your placement.
• Opportunities to develop specialist SEND experience.
• Refer a Friend Scheme – earn up to £150 for successful referrals.

Apply Now

If you’re passionate about supporting students with SEMH needs and want to make a lasting difference to the lives of young people, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit your CV today or contact the Supply Desk Hampshire team to find out more about this exciting SEMH Teaching Assistant opportunity in Portsmouth starting September 2026.

Supply Desk is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS, including a children’s barred list check and, where applicable, a vulnerable adults barred list check, is required for all successful candidates.

To be considered for the role and the rates advertised, you must meet the minimum experience, training or qualifications stated and have the legal right to work in the UK. To be considered for a higher rate, in addition to meeting the minimum criteria, you must be able to demonstrate additional experience, training, and if applicable, qualifications. This role complies with AWR (2010) regulations protecting agency workers’ rights. Please note that this job expires after 90 days-you can, however, still apply to be considered for similar roles.