Learning Support Assistant role working with non verbal children, SPLCN and PMLD

Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead
Location: Maidenhead | Start Date: September 7^th and 14th 2026
Pay: £108 per day | Hours: 8:30 am – 3:45 pm – Monday to Friday (Term Time Only)

Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist? This is your clinical classroom.

If you are a Linguistics, Psychology, or Speech and Language Therapy graduate looking to build real-world experience before your MSc or NHS placement, this role offers something unique. You will be working with children who have speech and language challenges, global developmental delay, and complex communication needs—gaining hands-on exposure to the very challenges you will treat as a qualified speech and language therapist.

Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead – Education and Training - Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

Why this role is the perfect launchpad for Speech and Language Therapy:

• Understand Communication in All Its Forms: Many of the students we support are non-verbal or have significant speech and language delays. You will learn to recognise and interpret alternative forms of communication—from gestures and facial expressions to behaviour and vocalisations—building the foundational skills every SLT needs to assess and support children with complex needs.
• Support the Development of Functional Communication: You will work alongside speech and language therapists to implement communication programmes, using tools such as Makaton, PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. This hands-on experience gives you a significant advantage when you begin your SLT placements.
• Understand the Link Between Communication and Behaviour: Many of the students we support experience frustration, anxiety, and challenging behaviour because they cannot express their needs, wants, or emotions verbally. You will learn how to identify communication breakdowns and support children to find alternative ways to make themselves understood—a crucial skill for any speech and language therapist.
• Develop Your Clinical Observation Skills: You will learn to assess a child's receptive and expressive language, attention and listening skills, and social communication abilities in real-world settings. You will see how environmental factors, sensory needs, and physical positioning impact a child's ability to communicate effectively.
• Build Therapeutic Rapport with Non-Verbal Children: Communication is about more than words. You will learn to build trust through consistency, active listening, and patience—skills that are essential when working with children who have speech and language challenges or cognitive impairments.

Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead – Education and Training - Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

About the Role:

This specialist provision in Maidenhead supports young people with:

• Speech and language difficulties
• Global developmental delay
• Physical disabilities and mobility challenges
• Complex health needs and sensory processing differences
• Social communication difficulties

Your role will focus on supporting students to access their education, building their communication confidence, and helping them develop the functional language and social skills they need for daily life.

Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead – Education and Training - Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

This opportunity is ideal for those aspiring to become:

• Speech and Language Therapists (Paediatric or Dysphagia specialisms)
• Occupational Therapists
• Educational or Clinical Psychologists
• Special Educational Needs (SEN) Professionals
• Mental Health Practitioners

What You'll Be Doing:

• Supporting pupils 1:1 and in small groups with communication activities
• Implementing communication programmes under the guidance of qualified SLTs
• Using Makaton, PECS, and AAC devices to support non-verbal students
• Helping students build vocabulary, sentence structure, and social communication skills
• Encouraging engagement in speech and language-led programmes and daily routines
• Working closely with speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and SEN staff
• Promoting independence, confidence, and communication wellbeing
• Supporting students with sensory and physical needs

What We're Looking For:

We'd love to hear from you if you:

• Are a graduate in Speech and Language Therapy, Linguistics, Psychology, Health Sciences, or a related field—or have relevant experience in care, support work, or communication support
• Have a genuine interest in paediatric speech and language therapy, communication disorders, and neurorehabilitation
• Are patient, empathetic, and adaptable
• Have strong observation and active listening skills
• Understand how communication challenges impact learning, behaviour, and emotional wellbeing

No school-based experience is required — your attitude, empathy, and willingness to learn are what matter most.

Full training in Makaton, PECS, safeguarding, and communication support will be provided.

Start Date: September 2026

Milk Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We are proudly APSCo Compliance+ accredited, reflecting our dedication to the highest standards in safer recruitment. All applicants will be subject to thorough compliance checks in line with DfE, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and APSCo guidelines.

Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead – Education and Training - Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

Apply Now

Click 'Apply Now' to be considered for the September 2026 start in Maidenhead.

Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead – Education and Training - Aspiring Speech and Language Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead