From Residential Care to the Classroom – A Rewarding New Chapter with Protocol Education
Are you a residential children’s care worker with a passion for supporting young people?
Now is the perfect time to bring your incredible experience into the classroom as a SEND Support Assistant, working in schools across Newcastle with Protocol Education.
Your background in care has already equipped you with the patience, resilience, and empathy needed to make a real impact – and now you can do just that in a structured, supportive school environment.
Why Make the Move from Care to Education?
Working in schools offers a refreshing change of pace and an opportunity to grow professionally while still making a deep, lasting difference in the lives of young people.
The Benefits of Working in Schools:
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Better Work-Life Balance – Enjoy school hours, weekends off, and regular holidays
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A Consistent, Structured Setting – Clear routines, established policies, and a team around you
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Ongoing Training & Support – Access to CPD courses and qualifications to boost your career
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Long-Term Relationships – Work with the same students over time and see real progress
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Daily Rewards – Be part of those “lightbulb” moments where learning just clicks
What Kind of Placements Are Available?
Protocol Education works with a variety of schools across Newcastle, offering flexible placements to suit your strengths, experience, and lifestyle.
Here’s what’s on offer:
1. Special Educational Needs (SEND) Schools
Support pupils with a range of needs such as autism, speech and language difficulties, physical disabilities, or complex behaviours.
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1:1 or small group settings
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Full-time or part-time roles
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Ideal for those with therapeutic or behavioural care experience
2. Mainstream Primary & Secondary Schools
Provide additional support within a mainstream classroom, helping individual pupils thrive alongside their peers.
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Inclusive settings
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Build your education experience
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Supportive school teams
3. Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) & Alternative Provisions
Work with pupils who have been excluded or are at risk of exclusion, often requiring emotional and behavioural support.
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Smaller, nurturing environments
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High-impact roles
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Perfect for care workers with experience in de-escalation and trauma-informed approaches
4. SEMH (Social, Emotional & Mental Health) Support Roles
Help students struggling with emotional regulation, anxiety, or behavioural challenges by building trust and routine.
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One-on-one mentoring
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Long-term relationships
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Great for those with a therapeutic care background
Why Protocol Education?
We’re one of the UK’s leading education recruitment specialists, and our Newcastle team is here to support you every step of the way. We’ll help match your background in care with the perfect school role, provide ongoing training, and be your cheerleaders from day one.
Location: Across Newcastle
Hours: Full-time, part-time & flexible supply roles
Pay: Competitive daily rates, paid weekly
Ready to take your care experience into the classroom?
Join Protocol Education today and discover how rewarding a career in education can be.
Apply now and start your next chapter – where every day makes a difference.
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.