SEN support means working closely with children who have additional needs, often one to one: communication aids, sensory breaks, carefully built routines, and small steps celebrated hard. It suits deeply patient people who can stay calm when a day goes sideways and who find real joy in tiny wins. Honestly, it can be physically and emotionally demanding, and progress is measured in months, not days. It is also skilled, valued and in demand, and schools invest in the people who are good at it.
Your day is shaped around one child or a small group: meeting them at the door, settling them in, working through tasks broken into tiny steps. You watch for triggers and step in early. There are visual timetables to run, notes for the SENCO, and moments of pure delight when something clicks.
AI now helps adapt resources, draft communication plans and keep the paperwork behind support plans up to date. Some children also benefit directly from assistive tools. Reading a child's mood, keeping them safe and celebrating their wins stay entirely yours.
Some schools ask for qualifications, but relevant experience alone can get you in. A DBS check is mandatory.
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Teaching assistant · Cover supervisor / HLTA