SEND Teacher

Job title

SEN Teacher

Location

Dorset

Start date

After Easter 2026

About the school

This is a specialist education setting for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It offers a highly personalised and therapeutic approach to learning for pupils with a range of additional needs, including complex needs, learning difficulties and behaviours that may challenge.
Students are typically mixed gender, aged 7-19, and benefit from a structured, nurturing and well-supported environment designed to promote positive educational and personal outcomes.

Purpose of the role

To plan and deliver high-quality, engaging and differentiated teaching for pupils with autism and associated additional needs, enabling them to make progress academically, socially and emotionally within a specialist setting.

Key responsibilities

• Plan and deliver creative, differentiated lessons to meet individual learning needs
• Support pupils with autism and complex needs to access learning in a calm, structured and consistent environment
• Adapt teaching strategies in line with pupil communication styles, sensory needs and EHCP outcomes
• Work closely with teaching assistants to ensure effective in-class support
• Liaise with therapists, care staff and school leaders to provide a joined-up approach for each learner
• Monitor, record and report on pupil progress
• Create a safe, inclusive and nurturing classroom environment
• Support positive behaviour approaches and de-escalation strategies where needed
• Contribute to reviews, assessments, reports and wider school life
• Promote independence, communication and personal development for all learners

Person specification

Essential

• Qualified Teacher Status
• Experience teaching children or young people with SEND
• Strong understanding of autism-friendly teaching practice
• Experience differentiating lessons for a range of abilities and needs
• Confident classroom and behaviour management skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with support staff and multidisciplinary teams
• Strong communication, safeguarding and record-keeping skills

Desirable

• Experience in a specialist autism setting
• Knowledge of EHCP-led planning and outcomes-based teaching
• Experience supporting pupils with communication differences, sensory needs or behaviours that challenge
• Team Teach or similar positive behaviour training
• Experience across primary, secondary or mixed-age specialist provision