Autism Advisory Teacher

JOB PURPOSE

• To support the learning, development, emotional wellbeing and independence of autistic children and young people.
• To support understanding of autism through delivery of training to a range of professionals and families.
• To develop inclusive practice for autistic children and young people in educational settings through Bi-borough.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Advisory and Teaching Role

• To provide training and advice to schools in the Bi-Borough on the inclusion and education of autistic children and young people and to promote access to the whole curriculum.
• To deliver specialised teacher support to autistic children and young people in the Bi-borough to raise achievement and increase independent learning and self-advocacy.
• To provide advice to the Bi-Borough SEN Department for statutory assessment, annual review meetings, suitability of placements and transition plans, as required.
• To advise the Local Authority on issues relating to the education of autistic children and young people
• To monitor the quality of provision for autistic children and young people and to advise, support and challenge settings as appropriate.
• To collect and analyse data to demonstrate the effectiveness of interventions and service delivery.
• To assist settings in devising learning programmes for autistic children and young people and in monitoring and reviewing their progress.
• To advise on teaching resources, equipment, adaptations to the school environment and modification of communication style to enable optimum access for autistic children and young people.
• To monitor and report on the progress of students on an individual basis and across the borough (termly outcomes).
• To advise and support parents regarding their children’s educational and emotional needs.
• To provide guidance to schools on special arrangements for external examinations.
• To promote equality and diversity for all children and young people and providing support, guidance to schools to ensure that autistic children or young people questioning their gender identity, sexuality or experiencing gender dysphoria are appropriately supported and included
• To promote whole school evidence-based approaches e.g. SCERTS, Level Up Autism

Teamwork and multi-agency working

• To establish effective professional relationships with colleagues in schools and early years settings.
• To establish and maintain close links with other professionals and officers in the Local Authority, parents, voluntary agencies; national professional bodies, as appropriate, to provide a co-ordinated service for autistic learners
• To form links with national organisations in the field of autism and pass on useful information to schools, parents and other professionals.
• To attend team meetings and other meetings as required.
• To provide monitoring data on a regular basis as required by the line manager, in accordance with the service specification.
• To support the line manager in the development and delivery of quality service, and to work co-operatively as a member of a professional team.
• To report to the line manager and to respond to supervision ad direction as required. This will include regular opportunities to review professional performance and to plan appropriate professional development.

Pastoral

• To be fully aware of and understand the duties and responsibilities arising from the Children Act 2014 and “Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026”, safeguarding children and young people as this applies to your role within the Council.
• To develop and maintain positive relationships with parents of autistic learners.
• To be responsible for a caseload of autistic learners and have oversight of their educational, social and emotional development (for specialist level of support).
• To work as required with the “team around the child”.

Continuing professional development

• To maintain your own professional development and keep up to date with current, local and national trends through attendance at appropriate INSET and professional meetings.
• To ensure that a good level of skills, knowledge and understanding of the curriculum, assessment and reporting arrangements are maintained
• To keep abreast of current development and research on children with autism and ensure that this knowledge is disseminated to other members of the Service and implemented in revised policies as appropriate.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Note to candidates: When completing your application form, please address your answers directly to each of the selection criteria below. This enables the panel to assess your ability to meet each criterion.

Equal Opportunities

• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to FWSS policies in relation to Equal Opportunity, Customer Care and service delivery, and the ability to implement these policies in the workplace.

Qualifications Essential

• QTS
• Postgraduate specialist autism qualifications/training
• Knowledge and understanding of the SEND Code of Practice and KCSIE 2026.

Desirable

• Evidence of on-going CPD related to SEND and autism e.g. SCERTS, Attention Autism, Autism Level Up, Augmented Alternative Communication, Intensive Interaction, TEAACH, Talking Mats
• Recent and appropriate experience in a teaching or advisory role

Skills; Experience and Attitude

Essential

• Outstanding record as a classroom practitioner
• Experience of assessing children with special educational needs in order to support school staff to plan for their needs.
• Provision of training and advice to colleagues and/or other professionals
• Proven ability to evaluate programmes of support, and to contribute to the process of review
• Proven ability to maintain effective monitoring and reporting procedures, demonstrating good written and analytical skills
• Ability to support ad challenge educational settings in the inclusion of pupils with autism
• Proven ability to modify and differentiate the curriculum
• Proven ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with pupils, professional colleagues, parents, outside agencies and community organisations
• The ability to work flexibly
• Excellent inter-personal skills
• Excellent communication skills both oral and written
• Excellent organisational skills
• The ability to keep well-ordered and efficient records that show impact of work undertaken through pupil progress
• Knowledge of a range of teaching strategies for children with SEND to ensure effective learning
• Ability to work with children and their teachers across the age range
• Be able to relate to all pupils, staff and parents/ carers in a positive and constructive way and inspire them to achieve more than they think possible.
• Ability to develop and deliver high-quality training using high standards presentational software, accessibility and interactivity features.
• Good presentational skills

Desirable

• Willingness to work collaboratively and co-operatively as part of an interdisciplinary team
• A willingness and ability to attend and share their knowledge of SEND within a whole service framework and to contribute to service development and training
• Interest in the use of social media
• Interest in the application of research techniques
• Use coaching approaches
• Willingness to embrace new technology e.g. AI in a classroom
• Experience in providing universal support

Safeguarding

At the Federation of Westminster Special Schools, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

In line with KCSIE 2026 and safer recruitment practices, the school will conduct an online search for all shortlisted candidates. You will be sent a link from Social Media Check to carry out an online search, as part of our Safer Recruitment process. The online search is part of our safeguarding checks and will seek publicly available information on candidates’ suitability to work with children.

DBS

Because of the nature of the job, it will be necessary for an Enhanced criminal record Disclosure to be undertaken (DBS). Therefore, it is essential in making you application you disclose whether you have any pending charges, convictions, bind-overs or cautions and, if so, for which offences, this post will be exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendments) Order 1986. Therefore, applicants are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provision of the Act, and, in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such convictions will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the school. The fact that a pending charge, conviction, bind-over or caution has been recorded against you will not necessarily debar you from consideration for this appointment.

Prevention and detection of fraud

The council is committed to the highest ethical standards and expects its employees to act with integrity, to be honest and trustworthy and to comply with all laws and regulations which apply to council business. The council collects information for a variety of local authority purposes including Housing Benefit. The information collected about you may be used for any local authority purpose. Information on you provided by you or by a third party may be checked with other information held by the council. This information may also be used by the council or supplied to other bodies to prevent or detect crime or protect public funds. Use of information about you and disclosures to anyone outside the council will only be carried out where law permits. If you have any queries about information held about you, all of which is held under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998, please contact the Director of Finance at Westminster City Hall, Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QP.

#J-18808-Ljbffr