Job Description:

Learning Support Assistant – EYFS (1:1 Support) – Significant SEMH Needs

Location: Primary School, Hedge End
Start Date: November 2025
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8.30am–3.30pm
Pay: £88–£98 per day

Are you someone who can make a real difference through consistency, compassion and connection?

Supply Desk is working with a welcoming primary school in Southampton seeking a dedicated, reliable and nurturing Learning Support Assistant to support an EYFS-aged child with significant SEMH needs.

This is a rewarding opportunity for someone who can build a trusting and respectful relationship, providing a calm, consistent presence alongside clear boundaries, routines and expectations.

The ideal candidate will balance empathy and understanding with a confident, structured approach, recognising that behaviour is a form of communication and responding with patience, resilience and emotional intelligence.

The role will involve:

• Providing dedicated support to an EYFS-aged child with significant SEMH needs.
• Building a trusting, respectful and positive relationship through consistency and reliability.
• Creating a safe, nurturing and structured environment where the child feels understood and supported.
• Establishing clear boundaries, routines and expectations, ensuring these are maintained consistently.
• Supporting the child to regulate their emotions and develop strategies to manage challenging feelings and situations.
• Responding calmly and positively to dysregulation, frustration and challenging behaviours.
• Encouraging engagement in learning, play and social interactions at a level appropriate to the child's developmental needs.
• Promoting independence, confidence and positive relationships with others.
• Working closely with the class teacher, SENCO and wider school team to ensure a consistent approach.
• Recognising and celebrating small steps of progress and achievement.

The ideal candidate will:

• Be exceptionally reliable, consistent and committed to providing stability for the child.
• Have the ability to build trusting and respectful relationships with young children.
• Demonstrate a balance of warmth, empathy and understanding alongside firm, fair and consistent boundaries.
• Remain calm, patient and resilient when faced with emotionally challenging situations.
• Understand that behaviour is communication and be willing to look beyond the behaviour to identify underlying needs.
• Be confident in maintaining routines, expectations and structure.
• Have emotional intelligence and the ability to respond sensitively to a child's individual needs.
• Be reflective, adaptable and open to guidance from the wider school team.
• Ideally have experience supporting children with SEMH needs, emotional regulation or challenging behaviour, although the right attitude, personality and willingness to learn are equally important.

Why join this role?

We are looking for someone who understands that progress isn't always measured in academic achievements. Sometimes, success is a child feeling safe enough to trust you, managing a difficult emotion or taking a small step towards independence.

If you are someone who is warm, emotionally intelligent, dependable and able to provide the consistency and structure this child needs, we would love to hear from you!

Click apply to submit your CV and a member of the Supply Desk team will be in touch.

Refer a Friend – Earn £100!

Do you know another fantastic teacher or support professional? Refer a friend to Supply Desk and receive £100 once they have successfully completed five days of work with us.

Safeguarding

Supply Desk is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check and meet Safer Recruitment standards.