SEND & SEMH Education Roles | Teachers & Support Staff | East Sussex

There are plenty of routes into SEND. Not all of them start in a SEND school.

I'm currently recruiting Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Learning Support Assistants, Behaviour Mentors and other support staff for specialist SEND and SEMH schools across East Sussex.

Some of the people I work with have built their entire careers in specialist education.

Others arrive through a completely different route.

They've worked in mainstream schools, youth services, care, coaching, mentoring or other roles supporting young people, and eventually realise that many of the skills they've developed are exactly the ones specialist schools value.

So, whether SEND is already familiar territory or something you're considering for the first time, I'm happy to have that conversation.

Where I'm recruiting

I work with specialist primary and secondary settings across Hastings, Battle, Eastbourne, Hailsham, Seaford, Newhaven, Lewes and surrounding areas.

The opportunities vary considerably between schools, but regularly include:

• SEND & SEMH Teachers
• Teaching Assistants
• Learning Support Assistants
• Behaviour & Engagement Mentors
• 1:1 Support
• Pastoral & Intervention roles
• Flexible day-to-day work
• Long-term and ongoing placements

Some schools need experienced specialist educators. Others are able to look at people with strong transferable experience who are ready to move into SEND.

What does working in SEND actually involve?

That depends enormously on the setting and the young people you're supporting.

You might be helping a pupil access learning in the classroom, working individually with somebody who needs more focused support, helping with emotional regulation or supporting a young person to re-engage after they've found education difficult.

There will be challenging days.

Plans won't always survive first contact with the classroom. Progress isn't always linear, and the approach that works brilliantly with one pupil might achieve absolutely nothing with another.

That's part of why relationships matter so much.

The strongest people I've worked alongside in SEND weren't necessarily the loudest or the strictest people in the room. They were often the ones who took the time to understand the young person, remained consistent and knew how to adapt without losing their boundaries.

A bit about why I recruit in this area

Before moving into recruitment, I worked directly within SEND education myself.

That experience is useful now because I know that specialist schools aren't interchangeable.

Someone can be excellent at their job and still find themselves in a setting that simply doesn't suit them.

So when we speak, I'll want to understand a little more than what's written on your CV.

What experience do you have? Which age groups do you enjoy? What sort of environment suits you? Are you looking for something long-term or would you prefer some flexibility?

From there, I can talk you through the opportunities I have and we can see what feels like a sensible fit.

Experience outside education?

It's still worth getting in touch.

Depending on the role, relevant backgrounds can include:

• Care and support work
• Youth work
• Sports coaching
• Mentoring
• Tutoring
• Childcare
• Mainstream education

I won't pretend every background is suitable for every vacancy, but I'm always happy to look at the experience you've actually got rather than simply searching your CV for a particular job title.

The practical details

Teaching Assistant and LSA opportunities are paid from £92.60 per day, with qualified teaching roles paid to scale where applicable.

I'm recruiting for flexible, long-term and ongoing opportunities throughout the 2026/27 academic year, with access to CPD and professional development.

You'll need an Enhanced Child Workforce DBS registered on the Update Service. If you don't currently hold one, you'll need to apply through us and join the Update Service. I'll support you through the process, although the associated cost is covered by the applicant.

We'll also require your full employment and education history and references covering 24 months of employment in total where possible, prioritising recent and relevant employment.

Interested?

You don't need to know exactly which SEND role or school you're looking for before you get in touch.

Apply, tell me a little about yourself and what you're looking for, and we can have a proper conversation about the opportunities available across East Sussex.

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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