Psychology Graduate Teaching Assistant

Teaching Assistant (Pastoral & SEMH Support) – January 2026 Start

Location: Preston
Contract: Fixed Term (initially)
Hours: 8:45am – 3:30pm (occasional extended hours for meetings)
Salary: £420 - £480 per week (dependent on experience)

Are you looking to use your experience and passion for supporting children’s wellbeing within a mainstream Primary School setting?

A reputable Primary School in Preston is seeking to appoint a Teaching Assistant with strong pastoral experience, ideally holding a degree in Psychology, to support children across the school who require additional SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health) support. Senior Leaders are deeply committed to promoting positive mental health and ensuring every pupil receives the right level of care, and have therefore created this new role to strengthen their pastoral and inclusion provision.

The school is particularly keen to secure a candidate with knowledge of child development, mental health needs, or experience supporting children or vulnerable individuals. A Psychology graduate is especially encouraged to apply, as this background will add valuable insight and expertise to the pastoral team.

This is a rewarding and varied role where no two days are the same. Duties will include:

Providing 1:1 and small-group SEMH support

Liaising closely with class teachers and the SENCO regarding individual needs

Supporting wellbeing interventions both in classrooms and dedicated intervention spaces

Working alongside outside agencies where appropriate

Contributing ideas and strategies to enhance the school’s pastoral provision

The successful candidate will report directly to the SENCO and join a school where the Headteacher maintains an “open-door policy”, encouraging staff to share new ideas and contribute to whole-school improvement.

Strong relationship-building skills with both children and families are essential. Applicants must be open-minded, committed to inclusion, and able to demonstrate a clear understanding of individual needs. Resilience, flexibility, and confidence working with colleagues across all levels of the school are key to success in this role.

Requirements:

Degree-level qualification (Psychology preferred)

Experience supporting children or vulnerable individuals, ideally with SEMH needs

A commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, and pupil wellbeing

This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference to children’s lives while gaining valuable school-based experience in a supportive environment.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ’s on the Teaching Personnel website for details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.
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