Trainee Teacher, SEN / High Needs

Employer: Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group

Location: Exeter, South West

Salary: Competitive salary

Job type: FULL_TIME

Posted: 2026-10-27T00:00:00Z

Sector: Education & Training

Entry requirements and working conditions

Job Description

Are you a dog or a dolphin? Wait, I’ll explain… We’re looking for people who want to swim alongside our students, challenging them and enabling them to become confident, independent and employable. We’re not looking for people who want to bark instructions and complete tasks on their behalf. You don’t need a teaching qualification for this role, but you do need enthusiasm, resilience and a passion for supporting young people with high needs on their journey to independence and employment. We’ll give you mentoring, on-the-job training, a reduced timetable and training to become a trained teacher with a much higher earning potential. This trainee role would suit a graduate with a passion for SEN or people experienced in supporting teenagers with mental health, learning or behavioural difficulties. If you’re an outstanding graduate, youth worker, probation officer, or teaching assistant for example, we’d love to hear from you. We’ll give you plenty of support from a dedicated mentor and an Advanced Teaching Practitioner. In your first year you’ll be on our Development Track, leading to a Level 3 Teaching Award. In year two, we’ll support you to gain your Cert Ed. What you’ll be doing… delivering small group sessions to post 16 students with high needs engaging students who may have struggled with confidence in the past supporting students to develop independence, communication and employability skills creating a positive, inclusive and inspiring classroom environment What we’re looking for… a graduate with a sound academic track record or experience of supporting young people to find confidence, independence and work a confident communicator who enjoys working with young people with high needs If your approach is to engage and challenge young people to learn for themselves and become confident, independent and employable, we really should be talking. If your approach is to instruct young people and complete tasks for them, then maybe we shouldn’t… Are you ready for the challenge? Come and join us in stunning North Devon, a few minutes from gorgeous beaches and picturesque Exmoor.

Apply on teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk