Personal Care Assistant
Application Deadline: 1 June 2026
Department: Student Services
Employment Type: Seasonal – Full Time
Location: Southgate Campus
Compensation: £27,541 – £30,602 / year
Description
Are you passionate about supporting young people with additional needs to access education, build independence and achieve their potential? Do you want a role where your day‑to‑day work makes a genuine, visible difference in someone’s life? If so, we would love to hear from you.
This is a rewarding and varied role that combines in‑class learning support with personal care, working with students with a range of physical, cognitive and additional needs in a mainstream further education setting. Based at our Southgate campus, you will work closely with the Study Support Lead, vocational tutors and wider Student Services staff to remove barriers to learning and ensure every student you support can participate fully in college life.
You will support students both in the classroom and with their personal care needs, which may include the use of specialist equipment such as hoists, peg feeding and suction. You will manage a caseload of students, draw up support plans with SMART targets and monitor progress, building trusted relationships that encourage and enable each learner to grow in confidence and achievement.
Key Responsibilities
What You’ll Be Doing
- Learning support: Support students with additional needs in the classroom, assisting with learning resources, digital tools, specialist equipment, aids and adaptations, and contributing to the development of a bank of resources to support students.
- Personal care: Provide personal care support to students as required, including the use of specialist equipment such as hoists, peg feeding, suction and drainage, and support with all aspects of daily personal care needs.
- Support planning: Draw up agreed support plans with SMART targets, monitor and evaluate progress, identify students at risk of not achieving and intervene or refer appropriately.
- Caseload management: Manage a caseload of students, liaising with teaching staff, the inclusion team and external partners to ensure support is focused, appropriate and impactful.
- Behaviour support: Manage behaviours and emotional regulation including challenging and confrontational behaviour, applying appropriate strategies with patience, consistency and care.
- Records and reporting: Keep accurate, timely records on all students in line with GDPR, and produce qualitative and quantitative reports to meet audit, Ofsted, Matrix and other inspection requirements.
- Wider contribution: Participate in appropriate meetings, training and reviews, contribute to quality improvement, and take part in College‑wide activities such as open days and enrolment.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
What You’ll Bring
Essential
- A relevant Level 2 qualification
- English and Maths at Grade 5-9 or equivalent
- Proven experience of working in FE or a secondary school setting
- Proven experience of working with students with learning and physical disabilities, including both education support and personal care
- Proven experience of supporting students with all aspects of personal care, including feeding, hoist use and bathroom support
- Experience of setting SMART targets and monitoring student progress
- Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with young people and to motivate and engage learners
- Clear understanding of the barriers young people face and strategies to overcome them
- Knowledge and understanding of how to support students with challenging behaviour and emotional dysregulation
- Good IT and communication skills, including the ability to support students with digital and adaptive technology
- Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and safeguarding
Even Better If You Have…
- Training certificates in the use of hoists or peg feeding
- Experience working with students with complex physical or medical needs
- Knowledge of relevant legislation including the Equality Act, SEND Code of Practice and safeguarding frameworks
Benefits
We offer employees a generous holiday allowance of 31 days annual leave for our support staff plus bank holidays. Pro Rata for part‑time employees.
Optional benefits available include:
- Annual Season Ticket Loans
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Employee Support Helpline
- Eye Tests for DSE Users
- Flu vouchers
- Gym Facilities
- Hair Salon Services and Beauty Treatments
- High Street Discounts
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