Special Needs Teacher - West London
- ASAP start, full-time, term time only, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4pm
- Long-term to permanent, QTS essential
- MPS/UPS Outer London, £41,246 to £54,047 per year, paid via PAYE
- Interviews arranged ASAP
What does it take for a thirteen-year-old to walk into a classroom when every sound and every change feels like too much, and who do they look for when they get there?
In this Special Needs Teacher role, you could be the person. I am working with a specialist SEND school in West London that needs a qualified SEN Teacher to work with secondary-aged pupils with Autism (ASC), Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) and Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD). Every pupil has an EHCP. Many are non-verbal or have limited speech, and some communicate distress through physical behaviours.
Is your current role using what you know?
Many experienced SEN Teachers reach a point where they know their pupils inside out, yet spend most of their energy on paperwork, cover and crisis. If you are the Teacher others turn to when a young person is struggling, it is worth asking whether your school gives that skill the time and backing it needs. This role puts your experience with autistic young people at the heart of the job, with a team around you who share the load.
About the school
The school supports autistic pupils and pupils with learning difficulties across a wide age range. This vacancy sits in the secondary department. Classes are small, and each has its own Teaching Assistant team who know every young person's communication style, sensory needs and early signs of distress. Staff plan around the reason for a behaviour and share progress openly, however small it may look on paper.
The school is within easy reach of Hounslow, Feltham, Twickenham, Staines-upon-Thames, Ashford and Richmond, which makes it a realistic commute for Teachers across West London and north Surrey.
About the pupils
The pupils in this role are in KS3. They work at very different developmental stages, from early communication and sensory learning to early reading, number and life skills. Some talk freely. Others communicate through symbols, signing, gesture or behaviour. Some pupils show physical behaviours, including biting and spitting, when they feel overwhelmed or unsafe. The right Autism Teacher sees those moments as information and uses them to plan the next day.
About the role
There are two ways this SEN Teacher role can work, and the school will talk you through them at the interview. You could teach a consistent KS3 class for the year and build deep relationships with a small group of young people. Or you could work across several classes, bringing consistency and specialist teaching wherever the school needs it most. Both routes suit a Teacher who adapts quickly and stays calm.
Your responsibilities
- Plan and teach lessons for autistic pupils with MLD and SLD, adapting each lesson to every young person's stage
- Teach a consistent KS3 class, or work across classes, depending on the school's needs
- Use visual timetables, symbols, Makaton and structured routines to reduce anxiety and build independence
- Respond calmly and safely to behaviours that challenge, including biting and spitting, following each pupil's support plan
- Lead your Teaching Assistants so every adult uses the same approach across the school day
- Set, track and review EHCP targets, and give families clear, honest updates
Who does this role suit
- Qualified Teachers with QTS (essential)
- Special Needs Teachers with experience of autistic pupils whose behaviour challenges
- Mainstream secondary or primary Teachers who have worked in a resource base or SEND unit and want to specialise
- Teachers who stay steady after a hard day and return with a fresh plan
- Teachers with Team Teach or positive handling training, which is useful but not essential
Salary and benefits
- MPS/UPS Outer London, £41,246 to £54,047 per year, depending on experience (not suitable for ECTs)
- Weekly pay through PAYE, with no umbrella companies and no hidden deductions
- Long-term contract with a clear route to a permanent position
- Free CPD while you work with Parker Smith Inclusion
- Honest interview preparation and ongoing support from a SEND specialist consultant
About Parker Smith Inclusion
Parker Smith Inclusion is an ethical recruitment consultancy that works exclusively in SEND. PS Inclusion only recruits for long-term and permanent roles, because pupils with additional needs do their best with adults who stay. Over 300 schools work with PS Inclusion, more than 1,500 educators have found new roles through the team, and over 400 have left five-star Google reviews. You complete one registration, and your consultant searches for you, including roles that are never advertised publicly.
How to apply
If you can picture yourself in this classroom, call me on 0203 011 4848 or email heeji@psinclusion.co.uk with your up-to-date CV, including your full employment history. You can also apply through psinclusion.co.uk. The school is interviewing now for an immediate start, and I would like to speak with you this week so you do not miss a slot. If this role is not quite right, I am happy to talk through other SEND Teacher roles we have available.