Emotional and Social Support Assistant (ESSA)

North Star 82°, Bristol, Avon, BS10 7AH

12 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  As soon as possible

• Closing date

  1 November 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  20 October 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teaching assistant
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full time equivalent salary: £33,119.00 - £35,570.00 Annually (FTE) Actual salary £27,397 - £29,425 per annum

Emotional and Social Support Assistant (ESSA) job summary

North Star Academy Trust is seeking a committed, conscientious, and resilient Emotional and Social Support Assistant (ESSA) to join our dedicated team at North Star

82°. This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable young people, working within a supportive and highly motivated team.

About the Role

As an ESSA, you will:

Work one-to-one or in small groups with students to support their emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Design and deliver bespoke intervention programmes tailored to individual needs.

Apply specialist strategies and techniques to help students access the curriculum and reach their full potential.

Contribute to measurable improvements in both academic attainment and emotional/social development.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate will:

Have experience working with pupils who present challenging behaviour.

Demonstrate a strong understanding of Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

Be skilled in behaviour for learning techniques and committed to inclusive education.

Be willing to undertake relevant training to enhance their practice.

This role is perfect for someone passionate about supporting young people and helping them thrive both emotionally and academically.

You will be part of:

• A dedicated team of staff who strive for excellence
• A caring and inclusive ethos
• A school which has supportive trustees and parents with high expectations of the school

In return, we offer a competitive salary, pension, a supportive team, training and development and the potential for career progression for the right person.

Safeguarding Statement

North Star Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children , young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment . This appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check and positive references.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About North Star 82°

• Organisation type: Academy, ages 5 to 11
• Size: 54 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 5 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: North Star 82° website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/north-star-82

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