Teaching Assistant​/Learning Mentor - Harbour School

Every day won’t be easy – Every day will matter. Progress is slow – Impact is huge

At Harbour School Dorset, we support young people with significant Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) and Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) needs. Many have struggled in mainstream settings. Some have lost trust in adults. Some will push you away before they let you in.

You know what a Teaching Assistant role is – this is not that role. We’ll be honest. This role takes patience, resilience, emotional strength and consistency. Progress can be slow. Building trust can take months. Some days will feel like two steps back.

And then, one day…

A student who wouldn’t enter the classroom sits beside you.

A young person who never spoke says your name.

A student who didn’t trust adults asks for help.

Those moments are everything.

As a Learning Mentor, you’ll help students feel safe, regulate emotions, rebuild confidence and reconnect with learning. This is not a traditional classroom support role. Some days you’ll be sitting on the floor for hours beside a distressed student, taking a walk, being shouted at – or celebrating something as small (and as huge) as a student writing their name.

Academic progress matters – but connection comes first.

“The learning mentors encourage me to express myself in a constructive and useful way. They make me feel safe and valued, help me work through my emotions, and ensure I do not feel judged for how I am feeling”

This is the difference you’ll make.

• Calm under pressure; emotionally resilient and reflective
• Able to stay consistent even when rejected
• Patient and non-judgemental
• Comfortable with slow progress and small steps
• Motivated by impact rather than quick wins

Experience with young people, SEMH, ASC or trauma-informed work is helpful – but attitude, resilience and emotional intelligence are also so valuable.

This job can be emotionally demanding.

You will be tested.

You will be rejected before you are trusted.

But if you stay – if you show up consistently – you will change lives. And once a student finally lets you in, the breakthrough is bigger than any exam result.

We’ve come so far over the last 3 years, growing to capacity with around 150 students. And this is just the beginning for us as we shape our future…

Our approach is relational, trauma-informed and rooted in understanding behaviour as communication. We believe every child can thrive with the right support, progress looks different for every student, relationships come before results, consistency changes lives.

• A skilled, compassionate, genuinely supportive team who reflect together, and understand the emotional weight of the work.
• Friday afternoons off
• Strong induction and ongoing training
• Career progression within Southern Education Trust
• A school that celebrates progress, not just academic data
• A role where the impact is real, human and lasting

If you believe in second chances, value relationships over quick results, and want work that truly matters, we would love to hear from you.

Become part of our journey, by completing our Support Staff Application Form and returning it to [email protected] if you would like to apply. See our Learning Mentor

Job Description for further details on the role and our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy .

Closing date: 15th March 2026

Interview date: W/c 23rd March 2026