SEMH Teacher – Small Nurturing Setting – Richmond
Full-time during term time - January Start
Long-Term to Permanent, PAYE in line with MPS Outer London; £210 - £277 PAYE per day
*** Interviews are arranged ASAP ***
You are probably teaching in a setting where the paperwork keeps growing and the time for actual relationships keeps shrinking. You know how to build trust with young people. You know how to read a room, adapt on the spot, and hold your nerve when a lesson goes sideways. But somewhere along the way, the systems and structures around you stopped making space for that kind of work.
This role is different. Not in a vague, brochure-friendly way. Different because the school is built around a simple conviction: that young people with SEMH needs learn best when they feel safe, known, and respected. Academic progress follows from that. It does not lead it.
The school is a growing SEMH specialist provision in Richmond, part of a well-regarded multi-academy trust with a long track record in specialist education. It operates across two sites, one in Hampton and one in Twickenham, and supports pupils aged 7 to 19, all of whom hold an EHCP. You will be working with KS3 and KS4 pupils, delivering a curriculum adapted to their developmental stage rather than their year group. Class sizes are small, with up to eight pupils per class and a high adult-to-pupil ratio.
The pupils you will work with carry significant histories. Many have experienced trauma, attachment difficulties, and chronic anxiety alongside their SEMH needs. Some also have Autism or ADHD. What they need from a teacher is consistency, emotional intelligence, and a genuine belief in their worth. If that describes how you already work, this role is worth your time.
What the role involves
You will plan and deliver lessons that meet pupils where they are, not where the national curriculum says they should be. You will work closely with a small, collaborative team around each young person. You will contribute to their wider support, not just their academic progress. No two days follow the same pattern. That is not a warning. For the right person, it is the point.
Qualified Teacher Status is welcome but not required. If you have significant experience teaching or supporting young people with SEMH, Autism, or complex needs, and you understand trauma-informed practice, your application is worth submitting. Teachers moving from mainstream backgrounds are supported with SEND training from day one.
Who this suits
This role suits someone who has worked with dysregulated or vulnerable young people in a school, residential, or community setting. It also suits qualified or unqualified teachers who have been looking for a setting where the culture actually matches the values on the wall. Psychology or education graduates with relevant experience are welcome to apply.
If you are interested, apply now or contact Heeji Moon at Parker Smith Inclusion.