English Teacher HOD

English Teacher and Lead Practitioner - Mitcham, Outer London.

Up to £62,771 + TLR + excellent benefits

Championing Best Practice and Innovation in Special Educational Needs

Please note: There is a potential opportunity for a Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payment with this position, reflecting the strategic importance of this role in elevating SEN practice.

The ideal candidate will be a passionate English Teacher and SEN expert, capable of training, mentoring, and leading dedicated staff in the effective implementation of strategies for communication, interaction, and positive behaviour support across Early Years and Primary settings. You will be instrumental in developing and disseminating best practices for pupils with diverse learning needs.

Those Huge Small Victories Here, the staff are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in their young people, and this role is pivotal in empowering them to do so. They celebrate the little things - for some of their young people, engaging positively with a new communication aid or successfully navigating a social interaction is a big win. They call these huge small victories, and you'll be key in equipping their teams to achieve them, making a profound cumulative difference.

Get out what you put in You'll be at the forefront of supporting staff who work with children and young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and/or Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. Your role will be to enhance their skills, knowledge, and confidence, enabling them to help pupils learn, develop their abilities, and raise their self-esteem. This position requires resilience, dedication, and a deep understanding of SEN pedagogy, but the impact you'll have on staff capability and ultimately on student progress will be something you're really proud of.

One of the best environments in SEND this school, residing within an 18th Century building in the heart of Mitcham, is an example of their commitment to providing exceptional learning environments. The pupils come from many different boroughs to attend the schools and are lucky to experience 'a life changing love of learning.' They are proud of their pupils and their dedicated teams. Your expertise will help teh schools continue to achieve and build upon successes, such as their recent 'Good' Ofsted rating.

Skill set requirements -

• Must have extensive, proven experience working directly with pupils who are autistic and a deep understanding of their diverse learning profiles.
• Needs to be highly skilled in developing and delivering training on various communication methods for pupils with diverse needs, including those who are non-verbal (e.g., proficient in and able to train others on Makaton, PECS, PODD, and other AAC approaches).
• Must have significant experience in understanding, and supporting staff to manage, challenging behaviour, with a strong focus on identifying the function of behaviour and implementing proactive, positive support strategies.
• Be adaptable and experienced in developing SEN strategies applicable across the 4 to 11 age range (Early Years and Primary).
• Be an innovative practitioner, able to guide colleagues in thinking "outside the box" to design and implement bespoke, accessible curriculum adaptations and learning interventions, leveraging a wide range of tools and resources.
• Have an expert-level understanding and practical application of evidence-based autism strategies (e.g., TEACCH, Attention Autism, SCERTS, Social Stories) and be able to lead their implementation and mentor staff in their effective use.
• Demonstrable experience in designing and delivering impactful professional development and training for educational staff.
• Strong ability to coach, mentor, and inspire colleagues to develop their SEN practice.

Bring your whole-self to work The young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs - and the workforce reflects that diversity. You'll be more than a specialist; you'll be a catalyst for best practice because of:

• Your 'can do' attitude - a collaborative leader who rolls up their sleeves to support and empower others.
• Your genuine passion for special educational needs and the profound impact effective pedagogy and support can have.
• The ability to translate complex SEN theory into practical, actionable strategies for diverse educational teams.
• Your enthusiasm and expertise to champion and continuously improve SEN provision across our group.
• You'll also need significant previous teaching experience in SEN settings and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Further qualifications or accreditations in SEN or staff development would be advantageous.

Interested in joining us?Please apply now or call Paul Hirchfield on . We look forward to hearing from you!We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to an appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service check along with other relevant employment checks, including satisfactory references.