Paediatric Occupational Therapist Band 6 - SEMH Specialist School, Ealing
£40,000 - £48,000 per annum, in line with NHS Banding
Term time only
Interviews are arranged ASAP
How many of the teenagers you have assessed were called “the behaviour problem” long before anyone asked what their senses were telling them?
I am currently working with a specialist SEMH secondary school in West London that needs a Band 6 Occupational Therapist to join its therapy team. If you understand that a young person who walks out of every lesson may be overwhelmed by the noise, this role puts that knowledge to good use.
If you work in a community or NHS team, you probably know the pattern. You assess a young person, write a thorough report and hand over your strategies. Then months pass before you find out whether anyone used them. In a school, you see your plan in action on Monday morning and adjust it by Wednesday.
About the School and the Young People
The school supports young people aged 11 to 19 with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, and every pupil has an EHC Plan. Many also have Autism or ADHD. Most arrive after difficult experiences at previous schools, and much of what looks like behaviour stems from sensory overload or difficulty with motor planning. Therapy is part of the school week. You plan alongside other therapists, and Teachers and Teaching Assistants carry your strategies into lessons every day.
What You Will Do
- Assess pupils’ sensory, motor and functional needs, and write practical reports linked to EHC Plan outcomes
- Deliver individual and small group sessions, including sensory regulation and fine motor work
- Build regulation strategies with Teachers and Teaching Assistants, and coach them so the work holds between your sessions
- Support older students with practical independence skills as they prepare for adulthood
- Contribute to annual reviews and share progress with families and the wider therapy team
About You
- A genuine interest in SEMH and in how anxiety and sensory needs shape a teenager’s day
- A degree in Occupational Therapy and current HCPC registration
- Paediatric experience, ideally with young people who have SEMH needs, Autism or ADHD
- Confidence using sensory regulation approaches in a busy school day
- Experience from NHS, community, independent or school-based practice, all welcome
Why This Role
You see the same young people every week, so you watch your interventions change how they get through a day. You work term time only, with a team that plans around each pupil. Pay is PAYE, so you know exactly what you earn with no umbrella company deductions, and free CPD comes with the role.
Commutable from Ealing, Harrow, Hounslow and Slough.
Interviews are being arranged now for a January start. Apply early, and you have time to visit the school and meet the team before you decide.
Parker Smith Inclusion is an ethical SEND specialist recruitment agency. We put people first, taking the time to get to know you and finding you the right career opportunity. We recruit across a wide range of SEND settings for all career stages, including support staff, Teachers, Therapists and senior leaders.
Interested? Apply today or call Heeji Moon on 0203 011 4848. Alternatively, send your up-to-date CV to heeji@psinclusion.co.uk.