Job Title: ASD Teaching Assistant (Special School)
Location: Southwark
Start Date: ASAP
Contract: Full-time, Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 3:30pm
Salary: £100 per day

 

We are seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic ASD Teaching Assistant to join a Special School in Southwark, London, supporting pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and associated complex needs. This role is ideal for individuals passionate about specialist SEN provision and supporting neurodiverse pupils to thrive in a structured, nurturing environment.

 

You will work as part of a skilled SEN team, supporting pupils with a range of communication, sensory, social, and emotional needs, helping them to access learning, regulate emotions, and develop independence.

 

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide targeted 1:1 and small-group support to pupils with ASD, in line with individual EHCPs and behaviour support plans.
• Support pupils with communication differences, including the use of AAC strategies such as PECS, Makaton, visual timetables, and now/next boards.
• Assist in implementing structured teaching approaches, including TEACCH-informed strategies and predictable routines.
• Support emotional regulation and positive behaviour through sensory regulation strategies and trauma-informed practice.
• Work closely with the class teacher and wider SEN team to adapt learning activities to meet individual sensory and learning needs.
• Create a calm, consistent, and low-arousal learning environment to support engagement and wellbeing.
• Monitor, record, and report pupil progress, contributing to reviews and multi-disciplinary discussions with professionals and families.
• Support pupils during transitions, unstructured times, and community-based learning where appropriate.

 

Qualifications and Skills:

• Experience supporting children or young people with ASD in a special school or specialist SEN setting is highly desirable.
• A strong understanding of autism, including sensory processing differences, communication needs, and emotional regulation challenges.
• Patient, resilient, and empathetic, with the ability to respond calmly to behaviours that may challenge.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills, with the ability to follow and contribute to individual support plans.
• A Level 3 qualification in Supporting Teaching and Learning, SEN, or a related field is desirable (but not essential).
• An up-to-date Enhanced DBS check, or willingness to obtain one.

 

Ribbons & Reeves are London’s leading education recruiters, specialising in long-term and permanent placements across mainstream and specialist SEN schools. We are proud to support professionals who are committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of pupils with autism and additional needs.