Interview with SEND Education Recruitment Specialist: Emma Knight

In this blog, you will learn:

• Insights into SEN education recruitment.
• The challenges facing the SEND education sector and how Spencer Clarke Group helps to overcome these challenges.
• Where the latest SEND education jobs are and how to apply for them. 

In our feature blog, ‘Interview with a recruiter’ we’ve been hearing from recruiters at Spencer Clarke Group to uncover insightful advice for successful hiring and candidate guidance across our specialisms.

This time, we’re speaking to Senior Consultant, Emma Knight, who specialises in SEND education recruitment. 

With nearly 10 years experience in the sector, Emma has witnessed first hand the challenges faced by SEN schools and the staff that work within them. From funding cuts to the rise in demand for services, Emma explains how we contribute valuable support in several practical and impactful ways.

Emma, tell us about yourself

I am a Senior Recruitment Consultant at Spencer Clarke Group, where I specialise in SEND education recruitment.

Outside of work I love spending my time with my husband and 8 year old son. We live very close to the Lake District so we try to take advantage of that as much as possible. When we are not out in the Lakes myself and my son are huge fans of musical theatre and anime. We are either watching a show, or at rehearsals for an upcoming show that my son is participating in. 

My love for musical theatre started from a very young age when I was involved in local amateur dramatic societies. The love and passion has definitely been passed down to my son who just loves to perform, so watch this space!

How did you end up in the world of recruitment?

I initially didn’t plan on entering recruitment, but I’ve always been passionate about working with people and helping them grow professionally. My background is in Customer Service and over time I realised I had a knack for identifying talent and understanding what motivates people. This realisation naturally led me towards the idea of pursuing a career in recruitment. 

I have been a specialist in SEN recruitment for nearly 10 years. I really enjoy the challenge of matching the right people with the right opportunities and seeing the positive impact it has on both the individual and the organisation. It’s incredibly rewarding to play a part in someone’s career journey.

What does your role entail at Spencer Clarke Group?

I am one of the SEN specialists here and I work with schools in the Manchester and Tameside area. I support schools with all recruitment needs including recruiting for Teachers, Teaching Assistants and support staff. 

I love being involved in supporting my schools in any way possible, from organising open days for recruitment to volunteering my time assisting with school trips.

In regards to candidates I love building a relationship with them and assisting them during their job search. Being a part of someone’s career journey, whether they are highly experienced or have limited experience, is so rewarding and I love placing them in a setting where I know they will thrive. 

Who do you work with?

I support primary, secondary and specialist settings in the Manchester and Tameside area. I love meeting the school staff and students and this gives me a great insight when trying to match the correct candidates to their school culture and values.

One of my favourite parts of recruitment is building a relationship with a Senior Leadership Team and getting involved in the school values and ethos.

Can you give us an insight into how your market works?

The SEN education market is always in high demand for skilled professionals. There’s a consistent and growing demand for qualified SEN professionals, particularly, SEN Teachers, Teaching Assistants with SEN experience, Learning Support Assistants, Behaviour Mentors, Speech & Language Therapists, SENCOs and more.

This demand is driven by increasing diagnoses of needs such as Autism, ADHD, SEMH and complex learning difficulties. There’s a national shortage of SEN professionals, particularly those with experience in managing EHCPs, de-escalation and behaviour strategies, and Autism and sensory needs. This makes recruitment competitive and often urgent.

Spencer Clarke Group plays a central role in this market. Many schools and SEN provisions rely on us because we maintain databases of pre-vetted, experienced staff. We respond quickly to urgent cover or long-term needs and we ensure the compliance process is fully completed (DBS, references and safeguarding).

We also recruit for day-to-day supply, temporary contracts, permanent roles and temp-to-perm models, where a school tries out a candidate before hiring permanently. 

When matching candidates to a school, there are a number of key qualities we seek, such as, SEN experience, patience, empathy and a strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection. 

What is the best thing about being a recruiter within education, specifically working with SEND schools?

The best thing about working as a recruiter in the SEND sector is the direct, positive impact I have on both the schools, students and candidates. Placements aren’t just about filling a vacancy; they’re about finding someone who can truly make a difference in a child’s life, often one who needs tailored support, consistency and understanding.

SEND settings can be incredibly specialised and complex, so when you find the candidate who connects with a student and helps them thrive, even in small steps, it’s deeply rewarding. 

You're not just recruiting, you're building teams that support inclusion, growth and opportunity for children who might otherwise be left behind.

There's also something uniquely meaningful about the relationships you build with both candidates and schools. It’s not a numbers game, it’s about people, passion and purpose.

What are the current challenges facing SEND schools and the education sector?

One of the main challenges facing SEND schools and the education sector are funding shortfalls. High needs budget pressures means that many local authorities are running deficits in their High Needs Block, which funds SEND provision.

Inadequate resources means schools often lack funding for specialist staff, equipment, or facilities and the rising number of EHCPs is also stretching budgets.

Another challenge comes from the rising demand for SEND services. There's an increase in diagnoses of autism, ADHD and mental health conditions and with more children in the system, combined with better awareness, this is driving up demand for specialist places and support.

Challenges are also encountered in staff training. Shortages in specialists means there’s a lack of trained SEND specialists, including Speech Therapists, Educational Psychologists and SENCOs.

Burnout also creates obstacles in the system. Mainstream Teachers often feel underprepared or unsupported in managing complex needs, leading to stress and retention issues and specialist SEND schools are struggling to recruit and retain qualified staff due to workload and pay. 

The push for inclusive education often leaves mainstream schools ill-equipped to support complex SEND needs. I have also witnessed some local authorities over placing students in special schools due to mainstream capacity and skill gaps and variability across regions means children’s access to support depends heavily on local resources and policies.

The EHCP process is also experiencing its own challenges. Families report excessive delays in assessments, EHCP issuance and securing provision. A high proportion of EHCP decisions are being appealed, placing pressure on the SEND Tribunal system. Quality and timelines of assessments vary significantly between authorities.

Mental health in schools is also something that must be focused on. Many pupils with SEND also experience anxiety, depression, or trauma, often exacerbated by unmet educational needs.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services are overstretched, with long waiting lists and limited school integration.

How does Spencer Clarke help overcome these challenges?

We are a specialist SEND recruitment agency that plays a key role in helping the education and SEND sectors overcome some of their most pressing challenges. 

While we cannot directly fix systemic issues like funding or policy, we contribute valuable support in several practical and impactful ways. 

We help schools and local authorities recruit qualified SEND professionals, including SENCOs, Learning Support Assistants, Teachers, Educational Psychologists and EHCP Coordinators, on a permanent, temporary, or interim basis. 

Through an established network, we can provide rapid deployment of staff to fill urgent vacancies, reducing disruption to pupils and teaching staff. 

We vet all candidates carefully, ensuring that placements meet necessary qualifications and safeguarding standards and we understand the complex legal and procedural requirements of SEND, which ensures we can place professionals who are genuinely equipped to navigate the system.

Our contribution to the SEND ecosystem lies in reducing staffing shortages, supporting overwhelmed local authorities and helping education settings maintain legally compliant and high-quality provision; all of which are critical to improving the experience and outcomes for children and young people with SEND

What advice would you give to an education professional looking for their first position in a SEND school?

Starting a career in a SEND can be deeply rewarding, but it also brings unique challenges. Whether you're a Teacher, Teaching Assistant, or Support Worker, here’s some advice to help you prepare and stand out:

Learn about SEND

Take some time to read up on common needs like autism, ADHD, and SEMH. Every child is different and that’s what makes the job so interesting!

Get some hands on experience

If you haven’t worked in a SEND school yet, try to volunteer, shadow a staff member or help out in a mainstream school with SEND pupils. This is all great experience.

Be yourself and be ready to learn

SEND schools look for people who are patient, kind, calm under pressure, willing to learn and adaptable. You don’t need to be an expert, just show you care and want to help.

Make your CV and application stand out

On your CV, you should talk about any experience you’ve had with children or young people (even outside of school), why you’re interested in SEND and any training you have, such as safeguarding or behaviour management.

Contact us

We can help you find your first role and match you with a school that fits you. We work with schools who offer short-term or trial roles that lead to permanent jobs.

Prepare for interviews or trial days

Be friendly, ask questions, and don’t worry if you’re nervous. Just show you’re open, respectful, and ready to support the students.

My most important tip

SEND schools are looking for people who care, not just qualifications. If you’ve got the right attitude and want to make a difference, you’re already on the right path!

What does the future hold for you at Spencer Clarke Group?

Spencer Clarke Group is known for supporting internal growth and with their help I want to enhance my expertise in my field even further. There’s a really strong supportive culture here where people thrive. This isn’t just because it’s a great company, it’s down to the friendly, driven and genuinely collaborative team that exists.
You’re recognised for your achievements, not just your stats and there’s a good balance of fun, focus and ambition. This is why my future is so exciting at Spencer Clarke Group and I feel incredibly lucky to have an opportunity to grow.

Teaching, school support staff and school facilities jobs 

If you’re searching for a new career opportunity, why not take a look at the latest education and school facilities jobs, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant job opening becomes available. 

Recruit teaching, support and facilities staff

As a specialist education recruitment agency, we support mainstream and SEND schools with their recruitment needs. 

Whether you’re searching for teaching, support, or facilities staff, we have exclusive access to some of the best educators in the North West.

If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?

• Primary schools - Jimmy Callagher 
• Secondary schools - Liam Jones
• SEND schools - Jamie Heath 
• School facilities - Emma Dobson

Who is Spencer Clarke Group?

Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations. 

In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of. 

We operate in two sectors:

Private Sector

Public Sector 

In eleven specialisms:

Accountancy & Finance

Education & SEND

Construction, Trades & Labour

Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing

Housing

Corporate Functions & Business Support

HR & Workforce Development

IT & Digital

Property & Asset Management  

Planning, Development & Regeneration 

Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering