Occupational Therapy Role

Education Setting: Setting is both Primary and Secondary School

Job Category: Non-Teaching Staff

Gesher is an Ofsted Outstanding all-through school that caters for children aged 4- 16 with a range of mild to moderate special educational needs, including Autism and ADHD.

Gesher School embraces a neurodiversity affirming, strength-based approach, rather than an impairment-based and medical model approach.

This means that we accept, validate, and learn from a student’s developmental differences and aim to provide support and accommodations that affirm their neurodivergent identity, rather than thinking that the individual needs to be ‘fixed’ or ‘cured’ of their neurotype.

Meet some of our students

We are looking for an enthusiastic, creative, and passionate Occupational Therapist to join our Therapy team at Gesher School.

We offer fantastic opportunities to develop your skills as a practitioner within an innovative, supportive and collaborative team environment.

Some of our benefits include

• Regular clinical supervision and the support of an onsite therapy team.
• Half day admin day which can be taken at home.
• Paid half-day Friday closure in the winter months.
• 12 weeks of paid holidays plus paid extra Jewish holidays throughout the year
• Additional days off awarded following long service
• Monthly well-being events
• Monthly dedicated CPD

About the Role

The successful therapist will

• Plan, deliver and evaluate 1:1, paired and group evidence-based therapy programmes to support development of fine and gross motor skills, self-care skills and support sensory processing needs in order to enable children’s learning and meaningful engagement in school-based tasks.
• Complete comprehensive assessments when required to determine students’ individual Occupational Therapy needs.
• Deliver Occupational Therapy recommendations on students Educational Healthcare Plans (EHCP) and contribute to the annual review/ EHCP process.
• Develop effective working relationships with school staff and liaise regularly regarding implementation of programmes, provide in class support, advice and strategies; alongside delivering parent workshops to support the ongoing development of Occupational Therapy skills.
• Demonstrate the ability to work independently and as part of a team under the supervision of a senior Occupational Therapist.

You will join a supportive staff team where teamwork, flexibility and a positive personality are essential attributes.

About You

We are looking for someone who

• Is a qualified Occupational Therapist with HCPC registration.
• Has experience of working with children with SEN, preferably in a school setting.
• Demonstrates strong clinical reasoning and a flexible, creative approach to therapy.
• Is confident working independently and as part of a team.
• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Is motivated to innovate and contribute to service development.
• Has excellent organisation, prioritisation and time management skills.
• Has the right to work in the UK.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide a range of informal and formal assessment of pupils.
• To plan, provide and evaluate a range of evidence based therapeutic interventions to pupils including 1:1, paired, group and whole class sessions.
• To develop termly Personal Learning Plan (PLP) targets for pupils.
• To contribute to the Annual Review process by writing Annual Review reports and attending Annual Review meetings.
• To work with school staff to generate advice and strategies to support the pupils in class.
• To support staff in understanding how to create and maintain communication friendly classrooms.
• To establish constructive relationships with pupils, and interact with them according to individual needs, promoting the inclusion/acceptance of all pupils.
• To participate in the development and delivery of training to teaching and support staff, and to parents/carers.
• To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with professional standards for all clinical contacts.
• To attend regular clinical supervision and line management meetings, and to take part in the school’s professional development procedure.
• To maintain HCPC registration, demonstrate reflective practice and work within RCOT professional standards.
• To attend staff meetings and in service training as required
• To be part of Gesher’s admissions process, including carrying out assessment observations of potential new pupils.
• To be responsible for the development of your own Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• To participate in Gesher’s Appraisal process with the Head of Therapies.
• To comply with policies and procedures relating to pupil protection, health & safety, security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.

Interviews will be organised on a rolling basis. This ad may be withdrawn as a suitable candidate is identified.

Diversity is a core value of Gesher School.

We believe the power of diversity enriches all of us by exposing us to a range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.

As such, we actively encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to apply for roles at our school.

Gesher School is committed to safeguarding young people and staff. Successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

• Interview date: To be arranged and ongoing
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