Make a Difference Through Sport
Love sport and want to use it to help young people thrive?
Not every achievement happens on a football pitch or in a sports hall.
Sometimes it's a student attending a lesson when they would normally struggle. Sometimes it's helping a young person regulate their emotions, build confidence, or feel part of a team for the very first time.
A large specialist SEND school in Leeds is looking for a Sports Graduate Teaching Assistant to support pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This role combines classroom support, physical activity, behaviour support, and relationship building to help students achieve their full potential.
This is much more than a sports role.
You'll use sport, movement, and physical activity as powerful tools to help young people develop confidence, communication skills, resilience, emotional regulation, and independence.
If you're a graduate in Sports Science, Physical Education, Sports Coaching, Psychology, or a related subject, and you're interested in SEND, education, mental health, behaviour support, or child development, this could be the perfect first step in your career.
The Role
As a Sports Graduate Teaching Assistant, you will:
✅ Support students with SEND in the classroom, during PE lessons, and through structured activities
✅ Build positive relationships with young people who may require additional emotional and behavioural support
✅ Promote confidence, communication, social skills, and emotional regulation through sport and movement
✅ Support pupils with Autism, ADHD, SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs), and other additional needs
✅ Adapt activities to ensure every student can participate, experience success, and remain engaged
✅ Act as a positive role model, encouraging students to develop independence and self-belief
✅ Work alongside experienced teachers, therapists, and SEND professionals within a specialist setting
Why This Role Matters
For many young people in specialist education, sport is much more than exercise.
It's confidence.
It's structure.
It's connection.
It's often the moment a young person discovers they can succeed.
You'll play an important role in helping pupils feel safe, valued, included, and capable both inside and outside the classroom.
This Role Is Ideal For:
Sports Science Graduates
Physical Education (PE) Graduates
Sports Coaching Graduates
Psychology Graduates
Aspiring Teachers
Future Educational Psychologists
Behaviour Mentors
Youth Workers
Occupational Therapists
Speech and Language Therapists
Anyone passionate about supporting children and young people with SEND
What We're Looking For
✔ A degree in Sports Science, Physical Education, Sports Coaching, Psychology, or a related field
✔ A genuine interest in supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs
✔ Patience, empathy, resilience, and a positive attitude
✔ Strong communication and teamwork skills
✔ The ability to build positive relationships with students and staff
✔ An understanding that progress looks different for every learner
✔ A willingness to learn, develop, and grow within a specialist education environment
Why Graduates Love Working in SEND
No two days are the same.
This role provides valuable hands-on experience supporting students with a range of additional needs while developing highly transferable skills for careers in:
Teaching
SEND Teaching
Educational Psychology
Occupational Therapy
Speech and Language Therapy
Behaviour Support
Youth Work
Mental Health Support
What Protocol Education Offers
Weekly PAYE pay - no umbrella companies
FREE access to our CPD Academy and training courses
FREE Thrive Training available
A dedicated consultant who genuinely listens and supports your career goals
Opportunities across specialist SEND schools, alternative provisions, and mainstream schools
Ongoing professional development and career progression opportunities
Ready to Make a Difference?
If you're looking for a rewarding graduate role where every day has purpose, and where sport becomes a tool for confidence, connection, and positive change, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today and begin your journey into SEND education.
Sports Graduate, Graduate Teaching Assistant, SEN Teaching Assistant, SEND Teaching Assistant, Sports Coach, Behaviour Support, Autism, ADHD, SEMH, Educational Psychology, PE Graduate, Sports Science Graduate, Special Educational Needs, Learning Support Assistant, Teaching Assistant Leeds, SEND School Leeds
All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.
Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service.
Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website
Salary description
£92.00 - £119.00 per day