PE Teacher - Autism and SEMH Specialist School
Mole Valley, Surrey £28,000 to £45,000 per annum
Long-Term to Permanent
Immediate Start, Full-time (term time only)
*** Interviews are arranged ASAP ***
Some PE teachers enjoy their jobs. And then there are PE teachers who feel like their job actually means something. If you are in the first group and wondering whether you could be in the second, this advert is worth a proper read.
This is a role in a specialist school in the east side of Surrey, working with children and young people aged 7 to 16. Every pupil here has Autism, and many present with co-occurring SEMH needs, including anxiety, emotional dysregulation, sensory processing differences and significant communication difficulties. Some have had very difficult experiences with mainstream education before arriving here.
They do not need a traditional PE teacher. They need someone who understands that movement, sport and physical activity are powerful tools for regulation, confidence and wellbeing, and who knows how to use them thoughtfully.
The School
This school is genuinely different, and that is not a phrase I use lightly.
It sits within an extensive natural environment in Surrey, with a large outdoor space that forms a real and meaningful part of the curriculum. Outdoor learning is not a seasonal add-on or a reward activity. It is embedded into the school day, and as a PE teacher, that gives you a working environment and a set of resources that most schools simply do not have access to.
Inside, the facilities are purpose-built and well-resourced. Class sizes are small. The staff-to-student ratio is strong. The leadership team is visible, experienced in specialist education and genuinely invested in the well-being of the staff, not just the pupils. Therapists, including occupational therapists and speech and language therapists, work alongside teaching staff as part of the school's daily structure. You are not working in isolation here.
Every aspect of this school has been designed with the needs of autistic young people in mind. That includes the physical space, the sensory environment, the timetable and the way the wider team works together. When you arrive, you notice it almost immediately.
What the role involves
No two days in this role will look identical. That is part of what makes it worthwhile and challenging.
Your core responsibilities will include:
- Planning and delivering PE lessons that are adapted to individual needs, sensory profiles and communication differences
- Supporting pupils who find group settings, competitive environments, physical contact or unexpected changes particularly difficult
- Using physical activity purposefully as a tool for emotional regulation, resilience and confidence building
- Collaborating closely with therapists, teaching assistants and the wider school team around each individual pupil
- Contributing to outdoor education and enrichment curriculum activities, making full use of the school's exceptional natural setting
- Building honest, consistent and trusting relationships with pupils who may have experienced significant disruption in their education
There will be lessons that go exactly as planned. There will also be lessons where a pupil arrives dysregulated, where a sensory trigger changes the dynamic entirely, or where the most important thing you do that day has nothing to do with your lesson plan. Knowing how to respond in those moments, staying calm, staying consistent and staying curious, is what this role actually requires.
Who Thrives in This Role
You do not need years of specialist SEND experience to be considered for this position. What you do need is the right outlook.
The PE teachers who do well in settings like this tend to share a few things in common. They are patient, but not passive. They are consistent, even when things are difficult. They are genuinely curious about what makes each young person tick, and they get satisfaction from the small wins as much as the big ones.
You understand that for some of these pupils, walking into a sports hall, getting changed in the presence of others, or taking part in a team activity is already a significant ask. You meet them where they are. You adapt without losing structure. You bring energy without bringing pressure.
You are also honest with yourself about why you want to work in this environment. Not because it sounds rewarding in theory, but because you have thought about what these young people actually need and you genuinely want to be part of providing it.
If you are currently in mainstream and finding it harder to make the kind of difference you went into teaching for, this is the kind of role that reminds you why you chose this career.
Backgrounds that translate well into this role include:
- PE teachers from mainstream who want smaller groups and deeper relationships
- Teachers or coaches who have worked in PRUs, SEMH schools or alternative provision
- Sport science graduates with a genuine interest in working with young people with additional needs
- Outdoor education specialists with a teaching qualification
- Those with lived experience of Autism or SEMH through family, care or community roles
- Anyone who has supported young people through physical activity in a therapeutic or community context
Training and Development
If you are transitioning from mainstream to specialist education, you will be properly supported from day one. SEND training is built into your journey at this school, not offered as an optional extra. The school invests in its staff because it understands that the quality of its team directly shapes every pupil's experience.
As your confidence and expertise grow, so do the opportunities available to you. This is a school where good people are recognised, and careers are developed.
The Details
- Role: Long-term to permanent
- Salary: £28,000 to £45,000 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)
- Start date: Immediate
- Location: Surrey (rural setting, commutable from Dorking, Guildford, Horsham and surrounding areas)
- Setting: SEN school for pupils aged 7 to 16 with Autism and SEMH
If you are interested, apply now or contact Heeji Moon at Parker Smith Inclusion.