SEN Teacher

Salary/Rate:£39,000 - £50,474
Job type:Permanent
Town/City:Merton
County:South West London
Type of Role:Qualified Teacher
Job ref:11252
Post Date:22.12.25
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Meet Our Recruiter

About the Role

SEN Teacher – Autism & Severe Learning Difficulties

Special School – Sutton
Start Date: January 2026
Contract: Full-time, Long-term
Salary: M1 – M6 (Inner/Outer London weighting as applicable)

We are seeking a calm, empathetic and highly person-centred SEND Teacher to join a supportive and well-established special school in Sutton from January 2026. This full-time, long-term role is ideal for teachers with experience in special education or those from mainstream settings who are passionate about working with autistic pupils and learners with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD).

Our pupils require highly structured, predictable and nurturing learning environments. Many are pre-verbal or minimally verbal, learn best through sensory, visual and experiential approaches, and benefit from consistent routines and trusted relationships. Progress is measured in small, meaningful steps that support communication, independence, emotional regulation and quality of life.

The Role

As a SEND Teacher working with autistic pupils and learners with SLD, you will:

  • Plan and deliver highly personalised learning experiences, focused on communication, engagement, independence and functional life skills

  • Create a low-arousal, sensory-aware classroom environment that supports regulation, safety and emotional wellbeing

  • Use specialist approaches such as TEACCH, visual supports, sensory integration strategies, AAC and structured routines

  • Adapt learning to meet pupils at their developmental level, celebrating progress in engagement, interaction and self-help skills

  • Work closely with teaching assistants to ensure consistency, structure and continuity throughout the day

  • Observe, assess and record progress against EHCP outcomes, using qualitative and developmental measures rather than solely academic data

  • Collaborate with speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, behaviour specialists and families to provide holistic support

  • Support pupils with personal care, transitions, and emotional regulation, where required

  • Promote dignity, choice, independence and positive self-identity for every learner

  • Maintain high standards of safeguarding, care and professional conduct at all times

The Ideal Candidate

You will:

  • Hold QTS (or an equivalent recognised teaching qualification)

  • Have experience or a strong interest in working with autistic children and/or pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties (experience is welcomed but not essential)

  • Demonstrate a calm, patient and emotionally attuned approach to teaching and behaviour support

  • Understand that progress may be slow and non-linear, and value small, meaningful achievements

  • Be flexible, reflective and responsive to individual sensory, communication and emotional needs

  • Work confidently as part of a multidisciplinary team, valuing collaboration and shared expertise

  • Be committed to ongoing professional development in autism, communication and specialist SEND practice

What We Offer

  • M1 – M6 pay scale

  • A nurturing, inclusive school culture with strong leadership support

  • Extensive SEND-specific CPD, including autism and SLD-focused training

  • Well-resourced classrooms with access to specialist equipment and therapeutic input

  • A highly skilled team of teaching assistants and therapists

  • The opportunity to make a profound and lasting difference to pupils’ lives and development

If you are an educator who believes that learning should be accessible, respectful and tailored to the individual, and who values connection over compliance, we would love to hear from you.

Apply now through Parker Smith Inclusion and be part of a team that changes lives every day.
For more information, contact Jamie Martinez, SEND Consultant.

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