Band 7 Occupational Therapist - Leadership role
Specialist SEND School | Central London | Permanent | Term-Time Only - 35 weeks| allocated admin time - at least 2 PPA sessions per day which can be WFH
£45,000 – £49,000 + £3,000 Leadership Allowance (actual salary not prorated)
Some Occupational Therapy roles in education allow you to contribute. This one allows you to shape the way therapy is delivered across an entire school community.
A highly regarded 11–19 specialist SEND school in the heart of London is seeking an experienced Band 7 Occupational Therapist to join their permanent team. This is an exciting opportunity for a therapist who wants their work to have genuine impact, while also developing leadership responsibility within an established multidisciplinary environment. It will also be an ideal role for an experienced paediatric OT who is looking for a role that works around their own family life, as you will have access to all school holidays. You might be eager to move your NHS based experience to a role in which you can see children develop year on year and bear witness to the impact your OT provision has to their development over time; something that not all OT roles will have.
The School
This school supports young people with a broad and diverse range of needs. All students are verbal, but their learning profiles span a wide spectrum. From highly able students achieving strong academic outcomes to those accessing a curriculum aligned with year 1-level learning.
What makes this setting special is the way the school operates: Education and therapy are not separate services, they are fully integrated. Every part of the school works collaboratively to ensure students receive the right support to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.
The Therapy Model
Therapists here are not isolated practitioners delivering sessions around the timetable. Instead, you will work within a genuinely collaborative and integrated therapy model, where therapy and education function together to support learning and independence.
You will join a well-established multidisciplinary team (MDT), including:
- Occupational Therapists
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Physiotherapist
- School Counsellor
The team works closely with teaching staff so that therapy strategies are embedded into the daily life of the school. They look for staff whose approach is child-centred at the very core, this is essential for this model to work, all functions working for the same goal!
The Opportunity
For the right Occupational Therapist, this role offers the chance to:
- Take on leadership responsibility within the therapy provision, if you are ready for progression
- Contribute to whole-school approaches to sensory and functional support
- Influence how therapy integrates within education
- Work collaboratively with a highly experienced MDT
- Be part of a wider group of SEND schools, offering professional connection and development opportunities beyond the individual setting
- Work 35 weeks per year
A Role Designed to Support Clinicians
The school recognises the demands placed on therapists and has structured the role to allow clinicians to do their best work.
Occupational Therapists are provided with:
- At least 10 dedicated PPA sessions per week for report writing, planning and admin
- Flexibility to complete this time from home once established in the role
- A supportive leadership team that understands the value of integrated therapy and team collaboration
Salary and Benefits
- £45,000 – £49,000 salary (term-time only)
- £3,000 annual leadership allowance
- Permanent role
- Start date September or sooner if available
Who This Role Would Suit
This position would suit an experienced Band 7 Occupational Therapist who:
- Enjoys working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team
- Wants to influence therapy practice across a school
- Is passionate about supporting young people with SEND to access education in meaningful ways
- Is ready to step into, or further develop, leadership responsibility
Roles where therapy is truly integrated into education are rare. This school has built a culture where every professional is part of the same mission, ensuring students receive the support they need to succeed both in school and beyond.
For the right Occupational Therapist, this role offers the chance to do deeply meaningful work while helping shape the future of therapy within the school. For any further details, please contact Emilie on 020 3011 4848 or apply directly here!