Job Description
Senior Occupational Therapist
Full and part-time considered
* Schedule: Term-time only
* Start: ASAP
What You’d Be Doing
This is a school-based paediatric OT role focused on children with special educational needs (SEN).
Your work would include:
* Assessments (sensory, motor, functional skills)
* Therapy sessions (1:1 and group)
* Supporting activities of daily living (ADLs) like dressing, feeding, independence
Working closely with:
* Teachers
* Other therapists (e.g. speech & language)
* Contributing to service development and possibly outreach to other schools
The caseload spans ages 4–19, so it’s quite varied.
You’d need to be:
* A qualified and HCPC-registered Occupational Therapist
Comfortable working with:
Learning disabilities
Autism
Physical/sensory needs
Flexible and creative in therapy approaches
What’s Attractive About This Role
* Strong team support (good for development even at senior level)
* Built-in supervision and career progression
* Term-time only → better work-life balance than NHS roles
Opportunity to:
* Work holistically within education
* See long-term impact on children’s development
Things to Consider
* Term-time only means salary is pro-rata (not full-year pay)
* School-based roles can be:
* More structured around timetables
* Less clinical than hospital settings
* You may need to travel within the “southern hub” schools
This is ideal if you:
* Enjoy paediatric and SEN work
* Prefer a predictable schedule
* Like multidisciplinary teamwork in schools
* Want to focus on functional, real-life outcomes rather than purely clinical treatment