Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

Location: Maidenhead
Start Date: September 2026
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–3:45pm (term time only)
Pay: £108 per day
Trial/observation days available

Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead
Education and Training – Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

Gain frontline experience supporting vulnerable young people while reinforcing the value of education as a pathway to positive outcomes.

Are you an aspiring Art Therapist looking to build a career in mental health, creative therapies, or education?

This specialist provision in Maidenhead supports vulnerable students who are academically capable but require additional support due to Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Many pupils have experienced disruption in their education, and the school’s core focus is re-engaging them with learning and helping them recognise the long-term value of their education.

They are seeking an Aspiring Art Therapist to work as a Learning Support Assistant, supporting students to re-engage, achieve academically, and rebuild confidence in their ability.

In this setting, education is not just about attainment — it is about changing life trajectories.

Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead
Education and Training – Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

Why this role is unique

Unlike mainstream settings, this provision focuses on students who have the ability to succeed academically, but need targeted support to overcome barriers such as:

• SEMH needs (anxiety, trauma, behavioural challenges)
• Previous disengagement from education
• Interrupted school journeys
• Low confidence despite strong academic potential

Your role will centre on unlocking that potential and reinforcing the importance of education in shaping future opportunities.

Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant – Maidenhead – Education and Training – Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant – Maidenhead

How this role develops your experience

• Understanding behaviour: Gain insight into the psychological drivers behind disengagement
• Re-engagement strategies: Learn how to bring students back into education successfully
• Academic mentoring: Support capable students to achieve and exceed expectations
• Safeguarding experience: Work closely with vulnerable young people in a structured setting
• Relationship building: Become a consistent, trusted adult
• Creative therapeutic insight: Build foundational experience for future Art Therapy training

How Art Therapy Supports Non-Verbal Children

In this role, you will gain first-hand exposure to the powerful ways creative expression can reach students who struggle with verbal communication. For non-verbal children and those with selective mutism or severe anxiety, art therapy offers an alternative pathway to process emotions, build trust, and engage with their education. Through drawing, painting, and sensory materials, these students can:

• Communicate feelings and experiences that they cannot put into words, reducing frustration and isolation.
• Develop a sense of control and agency by making choices about colours, materials, and subjects, which is particularly empowering for children who feel unheard.
• Build a safe, non-judgemental relationship with a consistent adult, using the creative process as a bridge before verbal interaction becomes possible.
• Regulate their nervous system through rhythmic, repetitive creative actions (e.g., brushstrokes, clay work), which can reduce anxiety and improve focus in the classroom.
• Express traumatic memories indirectly, allowing for processing without the pressure of verbal disclosure, which is often too overwhelming.

By witnessing this process daily, you will develop a deep, practical understanding of how non-verbal communication and creative interventions can transform a child’s educational and emotional journey—foundational insight for any aspiring art therapist.

Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead
Education and Training – Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

Your responsibilities

• Support students 1:1 and in small groups to raise academic attainment
• Help pupils re-engage with learning and build positive routines
• Provide SEMH support to improve focus and behaviour
• Work with teachers to deliver tailored support strategies
• Encourage a culture where education is seen as valuable and achievable
• Support a safe, structured, and supportive learning environment

The students you support are capable — your role is to help them believe it and act on it.

Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead
Education and Training – Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

Who we are looking for

No prior school experience required — attitude and intent are key.

• Aspiring Art Therapist (or related field such as Psychology, Creative Arts, or Mental Health)
• Strong interest in mental health, creative therapies, or youth support
• Passion for helping vulnerable young people succeed academically
• Resilient, patient, and consistent
• Able to build strong, trusting relationships

What’s in it for you

• £115.90 per day
• Fast-track registration
• Flexible working options
• Access to 1000+ CPD courses
• Free wellbeing resources
• Discount and perks platform
• Dedicated consultant support
• Opportunity to work with an eco-friendly education agency
• Valuable frontline experience for Art Therapy Master’s/Doctorate applications

If you want to make a real impact by helping vulnerable but capable students reconnect with education, we’d love to hear from you.

Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead
Education and Training – Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead

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 Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead
Education and Training – Aspiring Art Therapist – Learning Support Assistant Maidenhead