SEND Career Options

With many new teachers and teaching assistants leaving the education sector , perhaps it’s time to thoroughly assess if you have what it takes to be an educator of the future. Earlier in the month, we published a blog discussing the validity of psychometric testing as a more insightful way of recruiting suitable talent rather than using the more traditional methods of CV or application form submission. This can be viewed in the blog section of Senploy - click HERE.

Teaching Assistants play a crucial role in supporting educators, teachers, and pupils in various educational settings. Here are some jobs for teaching assistants:. 1. Classroom Teaching Assistant: A classroom teaching assistant works alongside the classroom teacher to support students with various tasks such as preparing teaching materials and resources, supervising students during class, recording progress, and managing the classroom when required.

If you're looking to start searching for a job in the Special Education Needs (SEN) sector, there are several steps you can take. Did you know that there are no mandatory minimum qualification requirements to be a Teaching Assistant, so it’s the perfect opportunity to start a new career without any prior experience. Here’s a few hints to help your search:. 1. Research: Start by researching the SEN job market. Look for job openings in your area or in the location where you want to work. Check out job boards such as Senploy, school websites, and visit educational job fairs to get an idea of the available opportunities.

In a blog last month, we revealed that the demand for high quality SEN tutors has been rising for a number of years. In the face of pandemic-induced learning loss, tutoring has proven itself to be one of the best solutions for addressing gaps in education and the Government responded by providing 300,000 courses in Autumn term of 2022, for example. The SEN sector is no different to mainstream education – tutors are a vital industry resource. Alongside teachers and other specialists, they provide the extra support required to help young people with special needs and disabilities to thrive. In many cases, an extra boost of learning delivered one-on-one can help transform a child’s attitude towards education.

Choosing a career path can be daunting and it’s extremely common for those in education or even later in life to be stuck wondering exactly what it is they want to do. For people that don’t have a certain industry or path in mind, the default choice tends to be work in sectors such as retail or hospitality – great options for some, but others simply settle for these roles due to lack of knowledge about other opportunities out there. A career has the power to transform someone’s life and rather than making a default choice or falsely believing that there are no other options, people should be encouraged to explore other avenues – one such example is a career in special educational needs (SEN).

In our last blog, we explored the value of non-qualified individuals to the special education sector. This relatively untapped talent pool can provide vital support to settings and their pupils. There’s plenty of interest, too – our job listings for ‘unqualified SEN teaching assistant’ receive an average of 13 applications per role. However, empowering the next generation of SEND heroes cannot be achieved on candidates’ interest and determination alone. Rather, they must be welcomed and supported by open-minded employers who are willing and able to encourage them on their career journeys. Only with this attitude and approach will both parties feel the true benefit of up-and-coming, unqualified SEND employees.

Alongside teachers, SEN tutors provide vital assistance to help special needs and disabled children reach their full potential. Whether needs are related to disabilities, impairments or physical needs, the one-on-one attention provided by a tutor can prove greatly beneficial in helping many children to discover that learning can be a positive and enjoyable experience.

As we enter into another new year, feeling the desire to take on a new challenge isn’t uncommon – and it’s a feeling that shouldn’t be ignored for too long. Staying in a job that no longer rewards, inspires or motivates can lead to poor performance, lack of confidence and even depression.

If you are new to working in the SEND industry or have just started to apply for your first role, it can be a very nerve-wrenching time. Working in SEND can definitely be challenging, but there are a wealth of benefits for those who focus on this specialism too. That said, to ensure you are prepared, it is important to get a good idea of what to expect before you start your new role or apply for jobs within this arena.

When you hear the term “therapist”, most people automatically picture a sofa and a therapist with a notepad asking questions about your childhood. However, when it comes to SEND Therapists, there is a lot more to them than you may think.

Do you feel dissatisfied with your current role? Are you stuck in a rut? Is the time right to seek a more rewarding career path? Don’t let lack of experience hold you back you. It’s never too late to try something new! Read this article for helpful tips on changing careers without experience.

If you are a qualified and trained teacher seeking a new career direction, you may be considering working with children with SEN. This is an extremely rewarding career path, well-suited to those who are creative, intuitive, and compassionate. If this sounds like you, working with SEN could be something you excel at and a worthwhile route to pursue. So, where should you start your SEN journey? Securing any teaching position can be a challenging endeavour, but we hope the information and advice detailed below will point you in the right direction.

How many jobs are there in special schools?. Special schools are those that solely provide education for children with special educational needs and / or disabilities (SEN or SEND). There are around 1,600 in the UK employing around 28,000 teachers. Around 2% of children attend them – but due to the high ratio of support they employ over 4% of teachers.