Pupil Support Worker / Teaching Assistant
The Harbour School, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 8RA11 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September 2026
Closing date
5 July 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
24 June 2026
Job details
Job role
- Teaching assistant
- Learning support or cover supervisor
- Pastoral, health and welfare
- Other support roles
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 1, Key stage 2
Working pattern
- Full time: 37 hours per week, Term time only
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- £26,427 – £27,274 per annum (pro rata to £22,461-£23,340 per annum for term time only working)
What skills and experience we're looking for
Location: Primary at the Bay - Tipner Lane, Tipner, Portsmouth, PO2 8RA
Pupil Support Worker – The Bay Campus, Primary Provision
37 hours per week, Term time only, Permanent
£26,427 – £27,274 per annum (pro rata to £22,461-£23,340) per annum for term time only working)
Please note: UK driving licence and vehicle with business insurance is essential
Do you want to be the adult who helps a young person feel confident enough to take part, brave enough to try something new, and proud of what their body and mind can achieve?
Are you looking for a role where every day is different, every challenge is real, and every success – no matter how small – is truly life-changing?
Some students don’t fit into the mainstream – and that’s okay. They need a different kind of school, and we need a different kind of person. Someone who sees beyond the behaviour, who understands that trust takes time, and who knows that sometimes, just getting through the door is a victory.
We’re looking for a dedicated Pupil Support Worker to join The Bay Campus at The Harbour School, supporting children and young people in our primary provision with complex social, emotional and mental health needs who have an Education, Health and Care Plan.
As a Pupil Support Worker, you will:
- Work closely with teachers to support students in small groups and one-to-one, helping them engage with learning and rebuild confidence.
- Encourage resilience, emotional regulation, and positive choices, even on the hardest days.
- Work closely with families, and external professionals to provide the support our students need.
- Celebrate the small wins – because for some of our students, just showing up is a victory.
- Help students achieve their individual learning and behaviour targets.
- Supervise and support targeted students, both inside and outside of the classroom, promoting engagement and positive learning experiences.
We are looking for someone who:
- Sees the child, not the behaviour and can be a champion for young people who’ve struggled in mainstream education.
- Stays steady when emotions run high, is patient, understanding, and skilled at building positive relationships.
- Is a team player, who’s patient and understands that progress takes time.
- Helps students navigate emotions, frustrations, and challenges – showing them that adults can be reliable.
- Has experience of working with children and has knowledge or experience in SEMH, alternative provision, youth work, or a related field – or just a deep understanding of how tough life can be for some kids.
- Has 5 GCSE’s with a minimum grade C or above in English and Mathematics, or at least equivalent Level 2 qualifications in Literacy & Numeracy with relevant experience
- Never gives up. Even on the tough days. Especially on the tough days.
What the school offers its staff
What we offer:
- A small, supportive school environment where relationships come first.
- The chance to make a real impact on young people’s confidence, learning, and future choices.
- A team that supports each other – because this job is tough, but you’ll never be alone.
- Professional development opportunities because we’re all about helping you grow, both as a person and in your ability to juggle six things at once!
- A school that celebrates progress, not just results.
- Grow your career in a school and within Southern Education Trust – a growing trust that believes in “making lives better”.
- A rewarding role where no two days are the same and every day makes a difference!
About us:
The Harbour School is a multi-site organisation, with campuses at Bay Campus (including Primary at The Bay), The Bridge Campus, The Lighthouse Campus, and the Vista Campus (including The Horizon Service), all based within the city of Portsmouth. We also have an Outreach Support Team and a Hospital tuition service at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.
Further information about the job
If you’re the kind of person who celebrates the small wins, stays calm in any situation, and believes in second (and third… and fourth) chances, we want to hear from you.
Closing date: 5th July 2026
Interview date: 15th July 2026
Please note: Applications may be viewed on receipt and interviews arranged sooner than the above date.
Become part of our journey by completing our Support Staff Application Form and returning it to recruitment@southern.education if you would like to apply (please see our Pupil Support Worker Job Description and Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for further information).
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kate at the recruitment address, who will be happy to assist you.
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, this role involves directly working with children and significant contact with children, and therefore we expect all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check for this post prior to commencement. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.The Trust is an equal opportunities employer.
If successfully shortlisted the HR Department will also be conducting an individual online search including social media platforms of your ‘name, education and employment’, to demonstrate due diligence following ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ guidance. The search will not form part of the actual shortlisting process and any concerns arising from the search will be discussed directly with you.
Commitment to safeguarding
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) check is required for this post prior to commencement. The Trust is an equal opportunities employer.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About The Harbour School
- School type
- Academy, ages 5 to 19
- School size
- 123 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 5 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- The Harbour School website
- Email address
- recruitment@southern.education
The Harbour School is a special school for learners with Social, Emotional and/or Mental Health (SEMH) Needs and/or Medical Needs. The school operates from multiple sites situated across Portsmouth with provision extending beyond these physical locations.
As a trust, our ethos is encompassed in our vision “Learning together in pursuit of happiness”.
School location
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