Psychology Placement Year - SEMH School Support Role

Psychology Placement Opportunity – SEMH School | Full-Time | Term-Time Only | Ideal for Sandwich Year Students

Are you a psychology undergraduate looking for a meaningful and hands-on placement year?

Do you want to gain real-world experience working with children and young people with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs?

We are offering an exciting placement year opportunity for passionate and driven psychology students to join our dedicated team at a specialist SEMH school. Based in an inclusive setting, this role provides invaluable frontline experience for students pursuing careers in clinical, educational, or child psychology, mental health, or teaching.

The Opportunity:

• Location: Bournemouth, Dorset

• Role: Student Placement – Teaching Assistant / SEMH Support

• Hours: Full-time (Monday to Friday), term-time only

• Start Date: September 2025

• Duration: To end July 2026

What You'll Do:

• Support pupils with SEMH needs in the classroom and during activities

• Build trusted relationships that help young people feel safe, understood, and supported

• Work alongside experienced teachers, SEN specialists, and therapists

• Contribute to positive behavioural support strategies and interventions

• Observe, reflect, and learn about child development, trauma-informed practice, and inclusive education

✅ What We’re Looking For:

• Undergraduate psychology students completing a sandwich/placement year

• Experience supporting children or adults with mental health challenges in a previous position (voluntary or paid) is advantageous

• A genuine interest in child development, mental health, and education

• Patience, resilience, empathy, and a proactive attitude

• A willingness to learn and engage in reflective practice

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills

What You'll Gain:

• First-hand experience working with children with complex needs

• Mentoring from skilled professionals in education and mental health

• Insights into therapeutic and behavioural support techniques

• A solid foundation for future postgraduate study or careers in psychology, therapy, social work, or education

• A reference and record of placement for university

• Free or heavily discounted CPD training during your placement year

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.
Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer all our registered candidates FREE child protection and prevent duty training. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.
For details of our privacy policy, please visit the Teaching Personnel website.