Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Cluster Lead Schools

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

Join the East London NHS Foundation Trust as a Band 7 Highly Specialist Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist. As a Cluster Lead, you'll lead a small team, manage a varied caseload in schools, and drive service improvement within the community. This rewarding position not only offers competitive pay but also supports your professional development. If you're passionate about working collaboratively to enhance the quality of life for children, we want to hear from you.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Substantial post graduate experience in paediatric speech and language therapy.
• Experience in assessment and intervention for a range of SLCN conditions.
• Experience in providing clinical supervision to SLT students.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate speech and language referrals and service delivery in schools.
• Provide clinical supervision and support to junior staff.
• Manage a caseload and deliver highly specialist assessment and intervention.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Clinical Assessment

Collaboration

Training

Education

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification

Health and Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice

Job description

Job summary

Band 7 - Highly Specialist Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist: Cluster Lead Schools Service

Paediatric Community Services- Newham, East London Foundation Trust

Are you an experienced speech and language therapist looking to develop your leadership skills?

We have an exciting opportunity, in our new joint commissioned SLT schools service, to be a 'Custer lead' SLT. This role will provide clinical leadership to a small team of schools speech and language therapists.

Within the role, you will have protected leadership time to coordinate and oversee the delivery of speech therapy to schools within your allocated cluster. This will include providing support, supervision and training to staff within your cluster along with line management responsibilities. The post holder will also manage a caseload of schools providing assessment, advice and intervention.

There will be opportunity to continue to develop your clinical skills and be involved in service development and improvement work. Come and be part of an award winning team!

Based at the child development centre, in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham, close to the Olympic Park in the heart of London's East End (with excellent transport links with the rest of London and Essex).

For more information, contact: Natalie Blanchard Clinical Lead Schools SLT service [e-mail] phone: [phone]

Main duties of the job

The post holder will take a lead as an autonomous practitioner in coordinating and overseeing the speech and language referrals and service delivery within a schools cluster group. This will include allocation of referrals and overseeing service delivery to schools, escalating issues to the service lead as appropriate.

The post holder will work as an autonomous practitioner managing their own caseload and schools and prioritising activities to meet demands and required deadlines. This will include assessing and supporting a range of communication difficulties in children and young people within the schools service. They will provide highly specialist assessment, diagnosis and management of Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and other associated language learning and communication impairments.

The post holder will be responsible for supporting a range of key stakeholders including school based staff, parents and carers and other members of the multidisciplinary team. This may involve training and modelling strategies to others working with the young person.

The post holder will support coordination of student placements and oversee the quality of placements -reporting any issues to the clinical lead.

To contribute to service development and deputise for the clinical lead

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Details Date posted

17 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£51,883 to £58,544 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-SS7258165

Job locations

west ham lane

84 West Ham Lane,

London

E15 4PT

Job description Job responsibilities

The post holder will be part of the speech therapy service school service and will have responsibility as a cluster lead to coordinate the services provided to schools within their cluster.

The cluster leadership duties will involve coordination and allocation of referrals made to the service including EHC Needs assessment. The role has 0.2 wte protected for the cluster lead /coordination role.

The post holder will ensure effective and efficient systems are in place for the smooth delivery of the core and traded services to schools. The post holder will be supported by the Clinical Lead for the service.

To be the First point of contact for SaLT colleagues and schools within the cluster locality; facilitating problem solving relating to service delivery issues e.g workload, complaints and providing support to colleagues

To provide training and specialist second opinions to SaLT colleagues in the cluster and lead on service improvement projects.

To provide clinical supervision including support, monitoring and assisting with performance management in conjunction with line manager

The post holder will be responsible for supporting parents and school based staff to deliver delegated therapy programmes in order to best support young people to access educational and community environments. This may involve training and modelling strategies to others working with the child/young person.

The post holder will provide highly specialist assessment, diagnosis and management of a variety of Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and other associated language learning and communication impairments for children and young peoples within the mainstream school service working as an autonomous practitioner maintaining their own caseload.

The post holder will contribute to refining pathways / models of provision to support young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). You will be a leading contributor to auditing and measuring outcomes in order to support staff development recruitment and retention within the SLT service.

The post holder will deputise for the clinical lead as required

Job description Job responsibilities

The post holder will be part of the speech therapy service school service and will have responsibility as a cluster lead to coordinate the services provided to schools within their cluster.

The cluster leadership duties will involve coordination and allocation of referrals made to the service including EHC Needs assessment. The role has 0.2 wte protected for the cluster lead /coordination role.

The post holder will ensure effective and efficient systems are in place for the smooth delivery of the core and traded services to schools. The post holder will be supported by the Clinical Lead for the service.

To be the First point of contact for SaLT colleagues and schools within the cluster locality; facilitating problem solving relating to service delivery issues e.g workload, complaints and providing support to colleagues

To provide training and specialist second opinions to SaLT colleagues in the cluster and lead on service improvement projects.

To provide clinical supervision including support, monitoring and assisting with performance management in conjunction with line manager

The post holder will be responsible for supporting parents and school based staff to deliver delegated therapy programmes in order to best support young people to access educational and community environments. This may involve training and modelling strategies to others working with the child/young person.

The post holder will provide highly specialist assessment, diagnosis and management of a variety of Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and other associated language learning and communication impairments for children and young peoples within the mainstream school service working as an autonomous practitioner maintaining their own caseload.

The post holder will contribute to refining pathways / models of provision to support young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). You will be a leading contributor to auditing and measuring outcomes in order to support staff development recruitment and retention within the SLT service.

The post holder will deputise for the clinical lead as required

Person Specification Education and Qualification Essential

• oRecognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
• oHealth and Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice
• oSuccessful completion of specialist courses relevant to the specialism,
• oClinical supervisors course for staff and students

Desirable

• oRegistered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist

Experience Essential

• oSubstantial relevant and varied post graduate experience within field of paediatric speech and language therapy
• oExperience of assessment and intervention within a wide range of SLCN conditions
• oExpereince of writing EHCP health advice and formulating specified and quantified interventions
• oExperience of providing clinical supervision to SLT students
• oExperience of developing and delivering training to staff and other professionals/ parents
• oExperience of working within an MDT
• oExperience of working within community and school settings
• oExperience of providing support and supervision for junior staff

Knowledge and Skills Essential

• oIn depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group)
• oIn depth knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group
• oAbility to work collaboratively with young people, parents and colleagues
• oAbility to share sensitive and complex information with families and professionals.
• or work alone or in a group for clinical sessions-working as an autonomous practitioner.
• oAbility to share sensitive and complex information with families and professionals
• oExcellent organisational , time management and prioritisation skills
• In depth knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the specialist client group)
• oUnderstanding of the principles of clinical governance /audit
• oKnowledge of standards of record keeping
• oKnowledge of safeguarding - adults and children

Person Specification Education and Qualification Essential

• oRecognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
• oHealth and Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice
• oSuccessful completion of specialist courses relevant to the specialism,
• oClinical supervisors course for staff and students

Desirable

• oRegistered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist

Experience Essential

• oSubstantial relevant and varied post graduate experience within field of paediatric speech and language therapy
• oExperience of assessment and intervention within a wide range of SLCN conditions
• oExpereince of writing EHCP health advice and formulating specified and quantified interventions
• oExperience of providing clinical supervision to SLT students
• oExperience of developing and delivering training to staff and other professionals/ parents
• oExperience of working within an MDT
• oExperience of working within community and school settings
• oExperience of providing support and supervision for junior staff

Knowledge and Skills Essential

• oIn depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group)
• oIn depth knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group
• oAbility to work collaboratively with young people, parents and colleagues
• oAbility to share sensitive and complex information with families and professionals.
• or work alone or in a group for clinical sessions-working as an autonomous practitioner.
• oAbility to share sensitive and complex information with families and professionals
• oExcellent organisational , time management and prioritisation skills
• In depth knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the specialist client group)
• oUnderstanding of the principles of clinical governance /audit
• oKnowledge of standards of record keeping
• oKnowledge of safeguarding - adults and children

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

west ham lane

84 West Ham Lane,

London

E15 4PT

Employer's website

https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

west ham lane

84 West Ham Lane,

London

E15 4PT

Employer's website

https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)