SEN Tutor / Education Keyworker - The Harbour School
The Harbour School, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 8RA16 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
25 January 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
8 January 2026
Job details
Job role
- Teaching assistant
- HLTA (higher level teaching assistant)
- Learning support or cover supervisor
- Pastoral, health and welfare
- Other support roles
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4
Working pattern
- Full time: 37hrs per week (8:30 - 4.30 Mon-Thurs, 4pm finish on Fridays), Term time plus 1 week
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- Band G, £32,061 – £36,363 per annum (actual salary for term time plus 1 week £28,115 – £31,887 per annum)
What skills and experience we're looking for
Do you want to be the person who helps a young person discover their potential, build confidence, and feel proud of what they can achieve?
At our school, many of our students face challenges that make the classroom feel like an impossible place. They need someone who sees their strengths, celebrates the small victories, and refuses to give up – even when the odds feel stacked against them.
As we grow our team at our new Lighthouse Campus, we’re looking for an Education Keyworker who can step into the role of mentor, cheerleader, and guide. Someone who can help a student rediscover curiosity, spark confidence, and take those first steps toward believing in themselves. Every smile, every “I did it,” every tiny triumph matters – and as part of our team, you’ll witness them all.
You’ll be:
- Supporting students to overcome barriers, academically, socially, and emotionally.
- Designing and delivering creative and accredited learning programs, including Individual Learning Plans and Education Health Care Plans.
- Tracking progress, assessing outcomes, and adjusting support to meet individual needs, all with patience and positivity.
- Building trusting relationships – because connection comes before correction, and trust before teaching.
- Encouraging confidence, resilience, and self-esteem… even when it’s a slow burn.
- Using trauma-informed and restorative approaches to make students feel safe and valued.
- Transforming an “I don’t want to” into an “Okay, I’ll give it a try.”
We’re looking for:
- Experience supporting children with SEMH needs, exclusions, or other barriers to learning.
- A problem-solver who approaches challenges creatively and sees opportunity in difficulty.
- A team player who thrives in a collaborative, passionate, and supportive environment.
- Someone with NVQ Level 4 (or equivalent) and strong literacy and numeracy skills.
- Adaptable and resilient, ready to meet the unpredictability of each school day with creativity.
- Passionate about inclusive education and committed to helping every young person succeed, understanding that sometimes… just showing up is a victory.
What the school offers its staff
Why Join Us?
- Be a part of a school that truly believes in educational equity for all learners.
- A supportive team that genuinely cares about the students and each other.
- Training, CPD opportunities, and the chance to grow in your role.
- The opportunity to transform the educational journey of vulnerable young people.
- Build a career within the Southern Education Trust – where we believe in “making lives better”.
- A rewarding role where no two days are the same (predictability is overrated, anyway!) seeing students succeed against the odds.
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.
The Lighthouse Campus is a full-time educational provision for vulnerable students with complex social emotional and mental health learning needs for whom all other educational provision has broken down. Students demonstrate a range of highly challenging behaviours and at times pose significant risk to themselves and others.
The primary focus of The Lighthouse campus is to work effectively and holistically with the unmet emotional and relational needs of students using an emotional literacy framework which promotes relationships for wellbeing, learning of new social and emotional skills, behaviour change, engagement in learning, success and achievement.
This is more than just a job; it’s a chance to ignite passion, inspire growth, and make a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most.
Further information about the job
Please note: Must have a full clean driving license and be willing to use your vehicle for school business.
Lighthouse Campus address: Ranelagh Road, Portsmouth, PO2 8HA
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. See our Education Keyworker Job Description for further details on the role and our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy.
Closing date: 23rd January 2026
Interview date: 2nd & 3rd February 2026
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)Upload 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”.
Arranging a visit to The Harbour School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email recruitment@southern.education.
School location
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