Occupational Therapist – Specialist SEMH School

A leading independent specialist school supporting pupils with ACEs, SEMH needs and associated SEND is seeking a dedicated and skilled Occupational Therapist to join their therapy team. This is an opportunity to make significant, meaningful impact within a school that places relationships, trauma‑informed practice, and therapeutic support at the centre of everything it does.

The Role

You will be the on‑site therapeutic lead for Occupational Therapy, delivering 1:1 sessions, group interventions, classroom support, and environmental adaptations. Working collaboratively with teachers, families, and external professionals including CAMHS, you’ll ensure pupils receive high‑quality, ethical, and holistic OT provision.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Building strong, relational connections with pupils with ACEs, trauma backgrounds, SEMH needs and complex SEND

Planning and delivering structured OT interventions alongside flexible “need‑it‑now” support

Providing in‑class OT guidance, modelling trauma‑informed and sensory‑informed strategies

Setting up and maintaining a calm, purposeful OT/therapy space

Completing functional assessments, sensory assessments, OT reports and progress reviews

Tracking SEMH and functional development using the school’s assessment framework

Liaising with external professionals including CAMHS and social care

Delivering OT‑focused training and refreshers for staff

Supporting reintegration, transitions and key developmental milestones

Building supportive, positive relationships with families, including regular communication

Upholding safeguarding, confidentiality, and all relevant policies

About You

Degree‑level, fully qualified Occupational Therapist with HCPC registration (essential)

Experience working with children or young people in SEMH/SEND or challenging settings

Strong communication and organisational skills

Excellent understanding of child development, sensory needs, trauma, attachment, and mental health

Confident working independently while collaborating fully as part of a multidisciplinary team

Emotionally resilient, reflective, and passionate about helping young people thrive

Desirable: Additional training in sensory integration, trauma, SEND, or child mental health.

Why This School?

Strong, embedded relationships-first therapeutic model

Multidisciplinary, supportive, values-led environment

Real scope to influence whole‑school OT practice

Ongoing CPD, reflective practice and professional development

A role where your OT expertise truly transforms outcomes

Reasonable Adjustments:

If you consider yourself to have a disability or require any reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process or within the workplace, please highlight this at the earliest opportunity by contacting our team. With this information, we will provide appropriate support to you throughout the process and into your work placement.

We are unable to support or accept applications from candidates who are residents within the Red or Amber list of the Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England, based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Workforce Support and Safeguard List.

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