Essential Job Information

The following information will be of interest to those seeking jobs or, considering a career in special needs. Teaching agencies and employers of SEN teachers may also find this of value.

• What is a SEN teacher?
• What is the work like?
• What qualifications are needed?
• How can you find work?
• Other key information

What is a SEN teacher?

‘SEN’ is an acronym for Special Educational Needs.

It is fair to say that all teachers are special needs teachers, since all classes in all schools usually have children with special needs in them. However, for the purposes of this site, we shall define a SEN teacher as a qualified teacher who is specifically employed to work with children and young people who have learning difficulties - for example, physically disabled, deaf or blind children, slow learners, emotionally vulnerable children and even gifted children.

Special educational needs teachers teach, as far as possible, in accordance with the National Curriculum, although it may be adapted to meet the needs of their pupils. Much of the time is spent teaching classes, but other work includes preparing lessons, setting and marking students' work, preparing students for exams and attending meetings.

Most special educational needs teachers work in mainstream schools. They can also work in special schools, pupil referral units, community homes, hospital schools or youth custody centres.

SEN teachers are fully qualified teachers who often have a number of years experience in mainstream schools, before specialising as a SEN teacher.

Salaries can range from apx £17k as an NQT to £34k as a senior teacher. Special educational needs teachers in England or Wales earn an extra £1,626 or £3,219 a year. Advanced skills teachers can earn up to £43k.

There is always a shortage of special educational needs teachers. There are many vacancies throughout the UK but there tend to be even more in London and south east England.

Back to top

What is the work like?

Working as a SEN teacher can be one of the most rewarding jobs in education, as well as one of the most demanding.

Special educational needs teachers work with children and young people who have a learning difficulty that requires specialist teaching. Students may be physically disabled, deaf or blind, slow learners or emotionally vulnerable.

Most special educational needs teachers work in mainstream schools. They can also work in special schools. Special educational needs teachers can also work in pupil referral units, community homes, hospital schools or youth custody centres.

Whatever the learning difficulty, teachers aim to help them achieve. As far as possible they teach the National Curriculum adapted to the students' needs. The teacher also helps them to develop their self-confidence, independence and attitudes.

The support provided depends on students' needs, for example teaching hearing impaired students to develop their speech, communication skills and sign language.
Much of the time is spent teaching classes, but other work includes:

• preparing lessons, developing and adapting materials
• setting, assessing and reporting on students' work
• giving advice and guidance to students
• talking to parents and carers, teachers and other professionals
• supervising teaching and classroom assistants
• supporting other teachers in working with students with special
educational needs
• arranging and attending reviews of students' progress
• organising activities, field trips or work experience
• attending meetings.

A special educational needs teacher should:

• have good communication and listening skills
• be able to communicate in the most appropriate way for their students
• build good relationships with students, parents and carers, teachers, teaching and classroom assistants, school governors, psychologists and other professionals
• like working in a team but use their initiative
• be well organised
• be able to manage classes well and deal with difficult behaviour
• be patient
• have a good sense of humour

SEN teachers typically work the same hours as mainstream teachers, often 9am to 3.30pm or 4pm, 39 weeks of the year.

Back to top

What qualifications are needed?

To work in a state school, people must first have QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). It is also preferable, but not always essential, to have some teaching experience. Information on gaining QTS can be obtained by visiting the TTA website at: www.teach.gov.uk

Depending upon the type of special needs work an individual is looking for, it may be necessary to undergo some specific training. However in some cases, such as working in a ‘PRU’ (Pupil referral Unit), it can often be more important to have the ‘right personality’ and aptitude for the job, rather than undergoing further training.

To train for special educational needs teaching, there are qualifications for teaching students with visual impairment, hearing impairment or multi-sensory impairment. Trainees must get one of these qualifications within three years of starting work with these students. Universities and colleges run training courses that last one year full time or two years part time, or by distance learning.

There are also courses at many universities and colleges for teaching students with other special educational needs. Some are general, while others concentrate on a certain area. Most are part time and last several months.

Back to top

How can you find work?

We can and will help you. We have extensive knowledge & contacts in the world of education recruitment!

There are numerous sources available to help you to identify jobs as a SEN teacher, including our message boards and our free online newsletters, so make sure you subscribe to it! (Subscribe Now!).

There are also a wide variety of education recruitment agencies (sometimes known as ‘Teaching Agencies’), who can help you to find work that suits. Teaching agencies are becoming increasingly specialised and many now have consultants who focus specifically on SEN jobs.

Teaching Agencies

There are hundreds of recruitment agencies nationwide, dedicated to the task of helping to find you a job. Some agencies are well known national high street names such as Reed, Select Education, Protocol and Celsian, however there are also many local agencies available too.

The standard of agencies can vary from area to area and it cannot be assumed that a national agency will be any better at finding you work than a local agency. A guide to Teaching Agencies, the services they offer and a comprehensive list can be found at: www.teachingagencies.co.uk

Alternatives to recruitment agencies include:

• Contact local schools directly
• Local jobs papers.
• National jobs papers such as the TES (Times Education Supplement), The Guardian or, The Independent.
• Contacting your LEA (Local Education Authority) see attached list and link
• Search online – see Great links

Back to top

Other Key information

There is a SEN Code of Practice in existence, which is useful to be aware of.

The SEN Code of Practice was brought into effect under the Education Act 1993 (now the 1996 Act), and gives practical guidance to LEAs and the governing bodies of all maintained schools on their responsibilities towards all children with SEN.

The Code seeks to help schools and LEAs obtain best value from the resources and expertise they devote to the education of children with special educational needs of various descriptions, from those who need a little extra help, to those with more serious learning difficulties.

One of the central themes of the Code is to promote the early identification and assessment of children with special educational needs, and in so doing try to prevent those difficulties escalating.

The Code is designed to help schools make effective decisions and offers guidance to LEAs as to the circumstances in which assessments and statements might be made. It does not tell them what to do in each individual case.

The guidance in the Code covers the following points in detail:

• school-based stages of assessment and provision
• statutory assessments of special educational needs
• statements of special educational needs
• assessments and statements for under fives
• annual reviews

Adapted from DfEE summary of the Code - a full downloadable copy is available here

The following acronyms are often associated with SEN work.

ADD/ADHD = Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit hyperactivity disorder
ASD = Autistic Spectrum Disorder
MLD = Moderate Learning Difficulty
MSI = Multi-Sensory Impairment
PMLD = Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
SLD = Severe Learning Difficulty
EBD = Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
PRU = Pupil Referral Unit
SENCo = Special Education Needs Co-ordinator

And more!!

Back to top