Creative Arts Therapist

About the role:

• Position Status: Full‑Time
• Contractual Hours: 2 days per week – dates to discuss
• Contractual Weeks: Term Time (39 weeks per year)
• Salary: LSEAT H26 – H30
• Post Start Date: Sept 2026 or sooner if possible
• Closing Date: Monday 1st June

Welcome to Aspire Academy – a small, specialist primary school in Bexley for children aged 5–11 with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. We provide a nurturing environment that supports each child’s confidence and life skills through high‑quality teaching, therapeutic interventions and personal development.

Main Purpose of the Job:

The Creative Arts Therapist will deliver targeted therapeutic interventions to pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties and additional SEN. The role supports pupils in developing emotional regulation, communication and resilience via creative approaches, while contributing to whole‑school SEMH understanding, data analysis and collaborative planning.

Key Responsibilities of the Job holder:

• Therapeutic Intervention and Direct Work: Deliver individual and small‑group creative arts therapy interventions tailored to pupils’ SEMH and SEN needs. Use creative modalities (art, play, movement, storytelling) to support emotional regulation, expression of feelings, trauma processing, social skills and self‑esteem. Adapt therapeutic approaches to meet the developmental and emotional needs of primary‑aged pupils. Review and evaluate interventions to ensure they are purposeful and impactful.
• SEMH Data, Monitoring and Reporting: Work closely with SLT to support analysis of SEMH and mental health data at individual and whole‑school levels. Contribute to individual pupil profiles, SEMH tracking, and therapeutic impact reviews. Provide clear written and verbal feedback to staff and SLT on pupil progress and therapeutic outcomes. Feed into reports for professionals, meetings and reviews for individual children (e.g., EHCP reviews, inclusion meetings).
• Liaison with Parents and Carers: Liaise sensitively and professionally with parents and carers, sharing appropriate information about therapeutic support and progress. Attend and contribute to meetings with parents as required. Support parents’ understanding of children’s mental health and SEMH needs, signposting where appropriate.
• Working with Staff and the Wider School Team: Collaborate with teachers, support staff and behaviour teams to integrate therapy into school life. Provide professional insight to staff to support their understanding of pupils’ emotional needs. Contribute to multi‑disciplinary meetings, working alongside internal and external professionals where appropriate.
• Staff Development and Whole‑School Mental Health Awareness: Plan and deliver staff meetings and training sessions to promote awareness of creative therapies, develop understanding of mental health and SEMH needs, and support trauma‑informed practice across the school. Contribute to the school’s wider wellbeing and inclusion culture.
• Therapeutic Environment: Create, maintain and manage a welcoming, safe and therapeutic space for pupils. Ensure therapy resources are well‑organised, accessible and appropriate to pupils’ needs. Maintain confidentiality and safeguarding standards at all times.
• Professional Responsibilities: Be an active member of the school community, contributing positively to its ethos and values. Attend supervision, CPD and relevant meetings as required. Work within professional ethical guidelines and school policies. Uphold safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection requirements. Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role.
• General: The school will provide regular line‑management, peer supervision and subsidise external supervision. To work across the Academy as directed by the Senior Leadership Team. To promote a high level of safeguarding understanding for all pupils. To carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with Aspire Academy policies and relevant health and safety guidance and legislation. To participate in performance management and undertake training and professional development as appropriate. To undertake other duties appropriate to the post that may reasonably be required by SLT. To ensure that all services within the areas of responsibility are provided in accordance with Aspire Academy’s commitment to high quality provision. At all times carry out the responsibilities of the post with regard to Aspire Academy Equal opportunity policies. Attend school-based meetings and complete relevant administrative tasks. Be physically fit and prepared to undertake positive handling training with all staff as required by the SLT. Be prepared to use, and support other staff, positive handling techniques as a last resort in conflict management.

Equal Opportunities:

London South East Academies Trust is fully committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer and to creating a diverse, inclusive and respectful working environment, free from discrimination and harassment. We welcome and encourage applications from all, regardless of race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, parental status or marital or partnership status. As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we will offer an interview to applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role. London South East Academies Trust reserves the right to close the advert prior to the published closing date if a suitable applicant is identified. All appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check and, where relevant, a Children’s and/or Adult’s Barred List check. Self‑disclosure is required as part of the recruitment process and failure to provide a DBS certificate may result in withdrawal of an offer. All appointments are also subject to verification of the right to work in the UK.