Overview
Job Title: Specialist Learning Support Assistant – Autism (Reduced Year)
Salary: Commencing at £25,055 with progression to £25,686 per annum pro rata
Closing Date: 2025-10-26
About the Role
This is a reduced year role: 37 hours per week, 40 weeks per year.
Leeds City College are recruiting for a Specialist Learning Support Assistant in Autism to join their SEND department.
This role allows the college to benefit from expertise around a SEND specialism, such as Autism, Medical and SEMH. You will work with staff and students to ensure that your specialist area of expertise is promoted within the college.
The role will be based across three of the main campuses, but may involve working across other departments to share good practice and knowledge.
What You Will Do
- Lead on designated area of specialism, supporting other staff to increase their knowledge and understanding of this.
- Oversee the Oasis Room and respond positively to students who need to use the space.
- Provide 1:1 and small group mentoring and support as required.
- Support the High Needs Team Leader with the timetabling of LSAs.
- Support department management with the planning and delivery of training related to your specialism.
- In conjunction with the SEND Team Leader, identify students who require your specialist support and plan, deliver and evaluate interventions.
- Support on transition arrangements for SEND learners.
- Undertake duties of a Learning Support Assistant as require.
About You
- Five GCSEs at Grade 4/C or above (or equivalent) including English and maths
- Specialist SEND qualification relevant to the post.
- L3 Award in Education and Training or L3 Teaching Assistant qualification (or equivalent) or achieve within a year of appointment.
- Experience of working within a team who support students who have high needs or SEND to support their learning through identifying strategies and preparing young people for adulthood.
- Expertise in a specific area of specialism with regards to SEND (e.g. autism, dyslexia, medical, SEMH).
- Knowledge of preparation for adulthood and what it means for students with SEND.
- Experience of dealing with a range of SEND needs, and understanding of support and de-escalation strategies.
- Experience of working in a learning environment with young people and supporting / mentoring other learning support staff.
Benefits
The group offers a range of excellent benefits, including:
Annual leave:
Curriculum and Management: 44 days plus bank holidays
Curriculum support and business support: 39 days plus bank holidays
Pension schemes with generous employer contributions:
Teachers’ Pension Scheme
Local Government Pension Scheme
People’s Pension Scheme
CPD opportunities:
Annual staff conference plus 2 additional staff development days.
Qualifications including PGCE, Apprenticeships, Leadership and Management courses.
Employee wellbeing initiatives: Family Friendly Policies, discounted onsite spa (Printworks) and gym (Park Lane).
Travel and commuting: Discounted travel available through Metro card, Northern Rail, First Bus, Arriva Bus and Cycle to work schemes.
Flexible and hybrid working opportunities: Please speak to the recruiting manager regarding flexible opportunities as these differ between roles.
About Us
Leeds City College is one of the largest further education institutions in the country and is one of the biggest providers of apprenticeships regionally.
We provide a vibrant and diverse learning environment, delivering excellent and innovative education which is supportive, inspiring and life changing. Leeds City College’s values put students first and are at the heart of everything the college does.
We are committed to lifelong learning and investing in our staff. You’ll have access to a broad variety of training and professional development designed to help you continually develop and grow. We offer a wide range of job vacancies, and our large size means there are always exciting opportunities to progress.
Join us on the journey to being the best that we can collectively be for our students, apprentices, staff and our stakeholders.
SAFEGUARDING
At Luminate Education Group we are committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our students including children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow the Safer Recruitment requirements and best practice as set out within Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance. All successful applicants will be required to complete mandatory pre-employment checks which include an enhanced DBS check, online checks and must have two satisfactory references. Please be aware that it is a criminal offence to apply for this post if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity in connection to children.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in recruitment is key to our Group’s values. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace that embraces equality, diversity and inclusion in all its forms, where every candidate is treated with fairness, respect, and equity. Our recruitment processes are designed to ensure equal opportunities, remove bias, and promote a diverse talent pool. We continually assess and improve our practices to ensure that every individual, regardless of background, has an equal chance to succeed. By championing EDI, we aim to create a workforce that reflects the richness of our communities and drives innovation through diverse perspectives. To find out more about what our commitment to EDI means to us please Click here to learn more about our EDI objectives.
RECRUITMENT AGENCIES
We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not forward any unsolicited CVs in relation to any of our advertised roles or speculatively. If we require support with any of our vacancies we will get in touch with agencies directly.
- We do not recognise submissions of unsolicited or speculative CV applications from recruitment agencies.
- We shall not be liable for any fee / commission in the event we employ a candidate that may have been submitted as an unsolicited/speculative application from an uninstructed recruitment agency.
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
