Coombe House School
Wiltshire
£39,609 - £41,691 per year
Salary:
From £42,839 – 45,091 FTE per annum (Actual term time only + 2 weeks for this position is £39,609 – 41,691 annum).
Job type:
Full Time, Permanent
Apply by:
30 September 2025
Job overview
Join our supportive and talented Therapy team as an Occupational Therapist
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.
Our school
Coombe House School is an independent special school that provides education for pupils aged 5 to 19 with SEMH and ASD and associated difficulties, which represents the largest group of children and young people supported by an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) in Dorset and nationally. All pupils on roll have an EHCP. The school uses a therapeutic approach to support pupils with their individual difficulties. Everything the school does is based on the formation and maintenance of positive relationships and viewing all behaviour as communication. The school is accessed via a private road and enjoys a secluded setting within its grounds. The accommodation extends to over 160,000 sq ft, set within in grounds of 55 acres.
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 annum).
Working hours are 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.
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 (weeks added to and included in your salary).
* Enhanced NEST Pension Scheme (10% employers' contribution).
* Continuous professional development and training
* Use of leisure facilities (gym and swimming pool), at specified times.
* Death in Service (3 x salary).
* Health Care Plan after probation period - claim back costs towards dental check-ups, eye tests, prescription charges and therapies.
* Highly supportive leadership team and working alongside a multi-disciplinary team of other SEN Specialists.
* Access to a free, confidential employee assistance programme.
Wellbeing support, including qualified Mental Health First Aiders on staff body.
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 for any queries, or email
Deadline for applications: Tuesday 30 September 2025
Interviews will be held on Wednesday 8 October 2025
This post involves working with children or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them and will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
We are committed to safeguarding and expect everyone who works in our school (and visitors to our school) to share this commitment. We take all safeguarding and welfare concerns seriously and encourage our pupils to talk to us about any worries they may have. We will always act in the best interests of the child. The successful applicant must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and an enhanced DBS.
Recruiter contact:
Email us
Call us
About Coombe House School
Coombe House School
Donhead St Mary, Salisbury Road, Shaftesbury
Wiltshire
SP7 9LP
United Kingdom
Coombe House School is an independent special school that provides education for pupils aged 5 to 19 with SEMH and ASD and associated difficulties. All pupils on roll have an EHCP and the school uses a therapeutic approach to support pupils with their individual difficulties. Everything the school does is based on the formation and maintenance of positive relationships and viewing all behaviour as communication.
We are seeking candidates who thrive on working in a challenging but immensely rewarding environment, who are passionate about supporting the development of social, life and independence skills and who genuinely want to make a difference in the lives of pupils. To truly meet their needs, and set them up for successful adult lives, we think beyond conventional education and meet their broader holistic potential and help to influence the society that they are part of to be more connected, inclusive, and compassionate.
We recruit regularly to support the rapid growth of the school.
All staff at Coombe House School demonstrate compassion, understanding and flexibility in their approach ensuring progression is central to all lessons whilst giving our pupils the confidence to grow as they progress. We believe passionately in supporting and nurturing our pupils as well as aspiring to provide them with outstanding and creative learning opportunities.
Some of the benefits of working at Coombe House School include a workplace set in beautiful surroundings, a competitive salary, use of facilities - gym and swimming pool (at specific times), access to an employee assistance programme with excellent free counselling support services, and continuous professional development and training, Death in Service (3 x salary) for all staff from day one.
For Teachers we offer the Teachers' Pension Scheme and non-teaching staff a 10% employers' contribution to the NEST Pension Scheme. After the probation period we also offer a highly subsidised Health Care Plan where you can claim back costs towards dental check ups, eye tests, prescription charges and therapies.
If you have any questions regarding the recruitment process or require any further details please contact Claire Taylor, HR Officer on or by email
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Find out more about working at our unique, special school offering excellent teaching and learning opportunities for children and young people aged 5 to 19, with complex needs.
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