Therapies Lead - Forest Bridge School, Maidenhead, Berks.

Forest Bridge School, a highly regarded special free school in Maidenhead, Berkshire, for children and young people with a primary diagnosis of autism, is seeking an innovative and experienced Therapies Lead for September 2026; however, a later start would also be considered. The school delivers an integrated approach that combines ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis), evidence-based therapy, and personalised curriculum pathways to maximise pupil outcomes and preparation for adult life. The school’s motto is “Through Adversity to the Stars” and is recognised for innovation, high expectations, and transformational outcomes for children and young people with autism.

The Role

The Therapies Lead will provide both clinical and operational leadership for the school's therapy services, working in partnership with the Head of Therapies. This includes oversight and support of the Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT), Occupational Therapy (OT), and Creative Arts Therapy teams, encompassing Music Therapy, Drama Therapy, and Art Therapy, to meet the needs of pupils with complex learning needs in association with and in addition to autism spectrum disorder. The Therapies Lead, in partnership with the Head of Therapies, will play a key role in the ongoing development, evaluation, and innovation of therapy provision, ensuring services and pathways are effective, evidence-informed, and aligned with the school's strategic priorities, vision, ethos, and teaching and learning practices. The Therapies Lead will contribute to whole-school improvement and be a member of the school’s middle leadership team. The position entails one day per week for leadership responsibilities and four days per week for maintaining a clinical caseload, providing direct therapeutic support to pupils, and contributing to the delivery of high-quality, integrated, multidisciplinary practice across the school.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide clinical and operational leadership, as well as strategic direction, to a team of highly motivated clinical lead therapists, working collaboratively to develop and optimise therapy services.
• With the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), work to deliver well-led, high-quality and cost-effective services.
• To provide coaching and mentoring to therapy clinical leads to develop leadership capabilities.
• To lead and continuously improve therapy referral pathways, working with classroom leaders to ensure timely access to services and effective management of pupil transfers and discharges.
• To oversee demand and capacity management within therapy services, ensuring the effective utilisation of resources and service provision.
• To provide expert therapeutic advice to the Senior Leadership Team, ensuring alignment with professional standards, school policies, governance requirements, and relevant national guidance.
• To support high-quality, evidence-based therapy provision through effective multidisciplinary collaboration across therapy and education teams.
• Act as an effective line of communication between the therapies team and leadership team.
• To be responsible for the smooth and appropriate performance and delivery of agreed targets and their development in conjunction with the Forest Bridge School Curriculum (FBSC).
• To work with the SLT to assess the impact of therapeutic interventions on pupil progress and use data to inform educational planning, target setting, and school development.
• To ensure that all therapy practice is provided within legal, professional and ethical boundaries as set out by the professional bodies and the Health and Care Professionals Council and in conjunction with the school’s professional and ethical standards.
• To be responsible for the overall therapies budget and financial performance in conjunction with the appropriate member of SLT.

We are looking for a candidate who has:

Essential

• A master's degree in a relevant therapeutic discipline (e.g., speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, or art psychotherapy) or equivalent demonstrable experience and expertise working at the master's level.
• 1-2 years implementing therapeutic services in a school setting.
• HCPC-registered.
• Experience with SEN, particularly children and young people with autism.
• Extensive post-qualification clinical experience in Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Music Therapy, Art Therapy, or Drama Therapy, including experience working with children and young people with complex needs.
• Experience in managing other professional groups.
• Skilled in designing and delivering service strategies that enhance pupil therapeutic pathways and improve therapy outcomes.
• Experience collaborating with other service providers.
• A background delivering training.
• A successful track record of working with children across a wide range of developmental and learning levels, from early learners to advanced communicators.
• Demonstrable interest in education and ABA.
• Formal presentation skills and being able to present complex information to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to act as an advisor and expert to senior leadership members and staff.
• Understanding of multidisciplinary therapy issues and current evidence-based practice developments.

Desirable

• Previous experience of operational management and leadership in therapy services.
• An understanding of the Ofsted framework/inspections.
• Financial and budgetary management skills.
• An understanding and some basic theoretical knowledge of behaviour analysis.

If you are an inspiring therapy professional who is passionate about leading multidisciplinary teams, shaping innovative practice, and enabling young people with complex needs to achieve greater independence and successful outcomes in adulthood, please forward your CV and covering letter to devra.farhi@harrishill.co.uk or by clicking the 'Apply' button. For a confidential discussion or candidate information pack, please contact Devra Farhi at 020 7820 7308 for further details. Applications close at 9 am on Wednesday, 1st July, with interviews commencing the week of 6th July. Forest Bridge School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children. The successful applicant will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and comply with all safeguarding requirements.