Teaching Assistant Opportunity
- Annual Salary: From £95 per day
- Location: Primary School in Plymouth
- Job Type: Temporary (01/06/2026 - 22/07/2026)
- Working Hours: 8:30am-3:30pm Monday to Thursday, Friday until midday
We are seeking a calm, flexible, and emotionally attuned Teaching Assistant to support a pupil with demand avoidance and emotional regulation needs within a primary classroom in Plymouth. This role is ideal for someone who is compassionate, adaptable, and committed to supporting children with complex emotional needs.
About the Pupil
The pupil is bright and capable, engaging well with learning when emotionally regulated. However, they experience significant demand avoidance, impacting their engagement, compliance with instructions, and transitions during the school day. At times, refusal to engage can arise suddenly and without an obvious trigger, requiring a patient, reassuring, and adaptable approach from the supporting adult.
The Role
- Provide consistent, low-pressure support to help the pupil feel safe, understood, and ready to return to learning.
- Employ a flexible and responsive approach, especially during transitions from preferred or reward-based activities back into structured learning.
- Work confidently alongside visual supports, including visual timetables.
- Adapt strategies when established reward systems do not prevent disengagement.
Classroom Setting
- Support needs in this busy classroom environment can shift quickly. You may need to transition from focused pupil support to assisting a small group or table to maintain learning across the class.
- Regularly support another pupil currently undergoing the EHCP process, ensuring the wider class remains settled and supported.
Essential Qualities
- Calm, patient, and emotionally resilient.
- Comfortable working in unpredictable situations.
- Confident prioritizing emotional regulation over behaviour compliance.
- Experienced in, or interested in learning about, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) informed approaches.
- Able to remain consistent and supportive during extended periods of dysregulation.
Contract Details
- Dates: 01/06/2026 to 22/07/2026
- Location: Primary school based in Plymouth
- Pay: £95 per day minimum
- On-site car parking available
Further details about the pupil will be shared with suitable candidates. If you are passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of children, we would be keen to hear from you.
How to Apply
To apply for this Teaching Assistant position, please submit your CV and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you are interested in this role.