Overview
Occupational Therapist - Coombe House School, Dorset Centre of Excellence. Join to apply for the Occupational Therapist - Coombe House School, Dorset Centre of Excellence role at Dorset Council.
Are you passionate about improving the lives of children and young people with additional needs? Coombe House School is looking for a qualified and experienced Occupational Therapist to lead and deliver high-quality therapy provision across our school. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a supportive, multi-disciplinary team and to further shape the impact of OT across a unique specialist educational setting.
As Our School-based Occupational Therapist, You Will
* Lead and further develop the school’s Occupational Therapy service.
* Carry out assessments and deliver individualised interventions for pupils with SEMH and autism.
* Work closely with teachers, leaders, parents, carers, and other professionals to ensure effective support.
* Provide training, advice, and strategies to staff to embed therapeutic approaches into classroom practice.
* Contribute to pupils’ EHCP reviews, reports, and progress planning.
We Would Love To Hear From You If You
* Hold a recognised degree in Occupational Therapy.
* Are registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).
* Have post-qualification experience in a relevant clinical area (SEMH, ASD, neurodiversity).
* Have had experience of working with children with sensory processing difficulties.
* Are confident in working collaboratively with staff teams, parents, and external professionals.
* Are enthusiastic, empathetic, and committed to making a difference.
Salary: Excellent salary range from £42,839 - £45,091 FTE per annum (Actual term time only + 2 weeks for this position is £39,609 - £41,691 per annum).
Working hours: full time (37 hours) 08:30 – 16:30 Monday to Thursday, 08:30 – 16:00 on a Friday. Flexibility around those hours can be discussed.
How to Apply: Please review the job description and person specification for further information about the role. Please contact Claire Taylor, Assistant HR Manager on 01747 449858 for any queries, or email [email protected]
Deadline for applications: Tuesday 30 September 2025
Interview will be held on: Wednesday 8 October 2025
Further Information
Coombe House School values the diversity of our workforce and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; this is a commitment which we expect all staff and volunteers to share. The successful candidate will be required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service check in line with the Governments safer recruitment guidelines.
This role is UK based and your Right to Work will need to be established as part of the appointment process. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 provide that certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’ and may not need to be disclosed to employers. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.
Cautionary Note on Safeguarding: Keeping Children Safe in Education. Coombe House School will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates as part of safeguarding checks. The search will be limited to determining suitability to work with children, and conducted with care to avoid bias or discrimination.
About Us
Our school: Coombe House School is an independent special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 with SEMH and ASD and associated difficulties. The school uses a therapeutic approach and focuses on positive relationships and viewing all behaviour as communication. The school is set on a private road in a secluded 55-acre site with over 160,000 sq ft of accommodation.
What Coombe House School can offer you:
* A workplace set in beautiful surroundings.
* Competitive salary.
* Pro-rated from 31 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, in line with the 41-week term-time contract.
* Enhanced NEST Pension Scheme (10% employers' contribution).
* Continuous professional development and training.
* Use of leisure facilities (gym and swimming pool).
* Death in Service (3 x salary).
* Health Care Plan after probation period.
* Supportive leadership team and multi-disciplinary team of SEN Specialists.
* Access to a confidential employee assistance programme.
* Wellbeing support, including qualified Mental Health First Aiders on staff.
* Queries: Claire Taylor, Assistant HR Manager, 01747 449858 or email [email protected]
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