SEN Class Teacher in Wednesbury

Elm Tree Primary Academy is a brand new special school in Sandwell for autistic pupils from Reception to Year 6 with additional learning needs, located on Friar Park Road Wednesbury. This is a very exciting opportunity for Victoria Academies Trust to appoint an enthusiastic and highly motivated teacher. We welcome applications from teachers with a range of experience in working with autistic pupils with additional learning needs. The position allows the successful candidate to be part of a small team and grow with the school as it reaches its full capacity by September 2025.

Key Responsibilities

• Carrying out the professional duties of a teacher under the reasonable direction of the Head Teacher, in line with the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document and relevant amendments.
• Operating within the Trust’s policies, including the Equal Opportunities Policy.
• Managing the learning and achievement of all pupils in the class, ensuring equality of opportunity.
• Setting and attaining the highest possible standards in work and conduct.
• Treating pupils with dignity, building respectful relationships and observing appropriate boundaries.
• Working proactively and effectively in collaboration and partnership with learning, parents/carers, academy councilors, other staff and external agencies for the best interests of pupils.
• Acting within statutory frameworks that define professional duties and responsibilities per current teacher’s standards.
• Promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people within the school.
• Coordinating a subject or whole‑school area (subject management as required).
• Developing a curriculum area and monitoring its effectiveness to feed into the School Improvement Plan.
• Assisting in the production, evaluation and review of whole‑school policies and guidelines appropriate to the phase and subject responsibilities.

What We Offer

• A commitment to continuing professional development.
• A supportive and hardworking staff team.
• A welcoming and highly motivated environment.
• Opportunities to network with teachers across the Trust.
• Flexible working, subject to operational requirements.
• Access to the VAT employee benefits platform.

Essential Qualifications

• Degree‑level education.
• Full Qualified Teacher Status.
• A record of successful teaching (performance reviews, observations, references).
• The ability to manage, guide and support a small number of teaching assistants.
• Understanding of and experience in autism.
• A good understanding of positive approaches to supporting children who are dysregulated.
• Ability to personalise the curriculum.
• An effective communicator – written and oral.
• Good organisational skills.
• The ability to work positively within a team.
• Flexibility and creative thinking.
• Ability to motivate and enthuse pupils across a variety of subjects.
• Ability to coordinate a subject within the school or across a department.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Evidence of further professional qualifications in additional needs and disabilities.
• Evidence of continued professional development related to autism, communication strategies, sensory processing needs.
• Teaching experience in a primary or secondary setting, within a specialist environment.
• Teaching experience in a special school setting.
• Ability to use a range of augmented communication (e.g. signing, interaction aids, objects of reference).
• Understanding of low‑arousal approaches.
• Understanding of sensory processing needs and strategies.
• Knowledge of appropriate curriculum for pupils in identified key stages.
• Experience working with a multidisciplinary team including speech and language therapists.
• Experience delivering extra‑curricular activities.

Personal Qualities

• Open‑minded and creative.
• A reflective practitioner.
• Able to motivate others.
• Sensitive and responsive to the needs of children.
• ICT literate.
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage time.

Commitments

• Supporting pupils with additional needs.
• Positive teamwork.
• Raising standards for all pupils.

Additional Skills

• Competent swimmer.
• Minibus driver.

Legal and Safeguarding Requirements

The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure. All shortlisted candidates will undergo an online search as part of the recruitment process. This post is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Appointment will be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure confirming the appointee is not on the Children’s Barred List. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to disclose any convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings that are not “protected” as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). Elm Tree Primary Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Equal opportunities: The trust promotes equal opportunities and is an employer that welcomes applications from candidates of all ages, genders, ethnic backgrounds, religions, sexual orientations, disabilities, and other protected characteristics.