Occupational Therapist – Specialist SEND School

Location: Hackney, East London
Hours: Full-time or part-time opportunities available
Salary: Competitive, dependent on qualifications and experience
Start Date: To be confirmed

Make a meaningful difference through specialist occupational therapy

Parker Smith Inclusion is working with a specialist SEND school in East London to recruit a dedicated and compassionate Occupational Therapist to join its multidisciplinary team.

This is an opportunity for an Occupational Therapist who is passionate about helping children and young people with additional needs develop the functional skills, confidence and independence they need to thrive both in school and in everyday life.

The school takes a holistic approach to education, combining academic learning with therapeutic support and opportunities to develop practical life skills. As part of a collaborative team, you will play an important role in understanding each pupil’s individual strengths and needs, helping them access learning and make meaningful progress towards their personal goals.

Both full-time and part-time working arrangements are available.

The role

As the Occupational Therapist, you will deliver specialist assessments and interventions tailored to pupils’ individual needs, working closely with teaching staff, support assistants, families and other professionals to ensure therapy is embedded within each pupil’s wider educational programme.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Conducting occupational therapy assessments using appropriate standardised and functional assessments, observations, checklists, case histories and interviews.
• Developing individualised therapy programmes based on pupils’ assessed needs and EHCP outcomes.
• Reviewing and evaluating interventions regularly, adapting support where necessary to maximise progress.
• Contributing to multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings and working collaboratively with other professionals to inform individual education plans and therapeutic strategies.
• Preparing clear, accurate clinical records and professional reports, including contributions to EHCP requests and annual reviews.
• Supporting the wider staff team to understand pupils’ occupational performance, strengths and areas of need.
• Advising and guiding learning support assistants and other colleagues implementing occupational therapy strategies.
• Delivering staff training to strengthen understanding and promote consistent, effective support throughout the school.
• Maintaining appropriate therapy resources, clinical documentation and professional records.
• Liaising with parents, school colleagues and external agencies to promote a joined-up approach to pupil development.
• Managing your own workload, prioritising assessments and interventions in line with pupils’ needs and service requirements.

The ideal candidate

We are looking for an Occupational Therapist who combines strong clinical knowledge with a warm, patient and collaborative approach. You will be motivated by helping children and young people overcome barriers to participation, develop everyday skills and achieve greater independence.

You will ideally have:

• A recognised Occupational Therapy qualification.
• Current registration with the relevant professional regulatory body.
• Experience or a strong interest in working with children and young people with SEND.
• The ability to assess individual needs and develop appropriate, outcome-focused intervention plans.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce professional reports.
• Confidence working as part of a multidisciplinary team and sharing specialist advice with colleagues.
• The ability to organise your own caseload, manage competing priorities and maintain accurate records.
• A commitment to ongoing professional development and maintaining your registration.
• A proactive, flexible and compassionate approach, with a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for pupils.

Why consider this opportunity?

• The chance to make a direct and lasting difference to children and young people with additional needs.

• A role where therapeutic support is an important part of the wider educational experience.

• Opportunities to collaborate with teaching staff and other professionals to support holistic pupil development.

• Flexibility to explore either full-time or part-time working arrangements.

• The opportunity to contribute your specialist knowledge to a supportive, multidisciplinary environment.

Safeguarding and professional standards

The successful candidate must be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. An Enhanced DBS check will be required, and the postholder must adhere to safeguarding, confidentiality, health and safety and relevant professional requirements.

Maintaining professional registration, continuing professional development and appropriate clinical records will form an essential part of the role.

Interested?

If you are an Occupational Therapist looking for a rewarding opportunity to use your clinical expertise within a specialist SEND environment, Parker Smith Inclusion would love to hear from you.

Register your interest today to discuss the opportunity and explore how your experience could make a difference to pupils’ lives.