SEN Teacher - SLD/PMLD - Southwark - September 2026
£216.58 - £237.64 PAYE per day, in line with M2 to M4 Outer London (£42,234 - £46,339 per annum)
Monday to Friday, term time only
Interviews are arranged ASAP
As a qualified teacher working in special education, you already understand that what you do goes well beyond delivering a curriculum. You read a room differently than most people do. You notice when a pupil who has not spoken in three days makes eye contact, and you know exactly what that means. The question worth asking yourself is whether the school you are in right now gives that work the space and support it deserves.
This is a Teacher role at a supportive and creative special school in Southwark, South East London, supporting a class of pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties. The age range spans 11 to 19. Every pupil holds an Education, Health and Care Plan. Many are non-verbal or pre-verbal, and the school operates a fully integrated multidisciplinary team, with therapists working directly alongside teachers throughout the school day rather than in separate sessions.
The school is genuinely calm. Not managed-calm or suppressed-calm, but a place where relationships between staff and pupils have been built carefully over time and where that consistency shows in how pupils move through their day. Class sizes are small. Adult-to-pupil ratios are high. Leadership is visible, present, and committed to staff development, with that commitment backed up in practice.
The school day here has a rhythm you build with your class rather than impose on it. Your pupils are working at very early stages of development, and progress looks different in this setting. It is not measured in levels or grades. It shows up in a pupil tolerating a new sensory experience, in a consistent response to an object of reference, in a moment of shared attention that did not happen last week. The therapists working alongside you in the classroom are not visiting professionals dropping in for a session. They are part of your team in the most literal sense, and the planning, the daily decisions, and the understanding of each child are genuinely shared.
The work asks you for something specific. You will be comfortable with nonverbal and preverbal communication as a natural part of how you teach, not as an accommodation you make. AAC, Makaton, visual supports, and sensory approaches will already be in your toolkit. Personal care and physical support are part of the role, and you will approach both with the matter-of-fact steadiness that pupils in this setting need from the adults around them. What the school is looking for beyond your QTS and your SLD or complex needs experience is someone who can hold a calm, consistent presence on days when that is harder than it sounds.
The role is available as a permanent position or on a long-term basis with a view to permanency, starting September 2026.
To apply or find out more, contact Heeji Moon at Parker Smith Inclusion on heeji@psinclusion.co.uk or call 0203 011 4848.
Working with Parker Smith Inclusion, you will be supported by a consultant who works exclusively in SEND and who takes the time to understand what you are actually looking for, not just which boxes you tick on a job description. You will know exactly what you will be paid from day one, with full PAYE transparency and no hidden costs or umbrella arrangements.
Parker Smith Inclusion is an ethical specialist SEND recruitment consultancy supporting educators, schools, and local authorities. PS Inclusion operates on a PAYE-only basis with transparent pay, capped fees, and no hidden costs. Over 400 five-star Google reviews from educators reflect the standard of support you can expect.
Parker Smith Inclusion is a specialist SEND recruitment agency. We put people first, taking the time to get to know you and finding the right career opportunity. We recruit for SEND roles across a wide range of settings for all career stages, including support staff, teachers, therapists, and senior leaders. Whether you are an experienced professional or just beginning your career in specialist education, there is a path for you. If this role is not right for you but you are keen to explore other opportunities, get in touch at heeji@psinclusion.co.uk or call Heeji Moon on 0203 011 4848.