Support officer jobs in Leeds

About us

The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) has an unswerving commitment to high quality, evidence-informed teacher education, and is on a mission to improve the quality of teacher and leader development across the system.

At the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT), we believe teaching is a fundamental societal good and both a privilege and a responsibility. We are seeking an experienced and compassionate Student Support Officer to support in the areas of disability and inclusion for our Initial Teacher Education programmes and on behalf of our partners for the High Performance Initial Teacher Training programme.

About the role

This is an important new role reporting to the Student Support Lead (Disability and Inclusion). The post-holder will provide support and advice to trainees with a wide range of needs, including disabilities such as SpLD, autism and ADHD, as well as mental health conditions. They will write Reasonable Adjustment Plans (RAPs), work with partners to ensure agreed support is implemented effectively, escalate cases where appropriate, and contribute insight to help strengthen student support, inclusion and wellbeing practice across NIoT. Above all, the role is focused on enabling an outstanding student experience.

If you are passionate about student wellbeing and motivated by the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in teacher development, we would love to hear from you.

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of delivering one-to-one support to a range of learners with disabilities and other additional needs, including writing support plans.

• A strong understanding of the Equality Act (2010) and other relevant legislation related to disability rights and accommodations.

• Familiarity with Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) and Access to Work

• Excellent understanding of reasonable adjustments and the creation of tailored plans, including knowledge of adjustments to assessments, learning and teaching.

• Educated to degree level and/or significant relevant experience.

• Ability to provide sensitive and empathetic support to trainees regarding their disability and welfare support needs.

• A commitment to the aims of the National Institute of Teaching.

• An interest in the education sector and a belief in the value of teachers and school leaders.

• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.

• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.

• Knowledge of data protection regulations and best practices in handling sensitive information.

• Proficient in the use of MS Office software packages, such as Word, Excel and Outlook, as well as search engines and online databases.

Desirable Criteria:

• Previous experience delivering disability and/or mental health support in a higher education setting, such as a Disability, Mentoring or Wellbeing Service.

• Further postgraduate training related to student support, such as Study Skills, Mentoring, SEND, disability support.

• Experience of working in or with the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) sector.

Key benefits:

• Flexible & Hybrid working

• At least 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays)

• Local Government Pension Scheme

• Comprehensive employee benefits including enhanced parental leave

The National Institute of Teaching is committed to creating a diverse environment and ensuring that all qualified applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices and are open to job shares, secondments, part-time, and flexible working schedules.

We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities.

Contract: Fixed term for 4 years due to funding.

Location: Within commutable distance of one of our campuses in Beckenham, Birmingham, Blackburn, Doncaster, Redcar, Bristol or Bradford.

How to apply

For more information and to apply online, please visit our vacancies page.

Closing date: 4.00pm on 27 August 2026.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Candidates must already have the right to work in the UK, as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

This post requires a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with a Children’s Barred List Check and Occupational Health Check is required as a condition of employment.