Occupational Therapist

Academics; City Of London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Academics is seeking a passionate Specialist/Advanced Occupational Therapist (Band 6/7 equivalent) for an independent school in West Drayton, West London. You will join a multidisciplinary therapy team and support children and young people with complex needs.

You will lead, supervise and mentor the OT team, manage a specialist caseload including autism and sensory integration, and translate clinical recommendations into practical classroom strategies for staff.

Qualifications

• Degree in Occupational Therapy and HCPC registration.
• Significant experience at Band 6 equivalent with autism and complex neurodevelopmental needs.
• Experience supervising, mentoring or line-managing junior staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, supervision and clinical governance for the OT team.
• Manage resources to maximise impact of therapy services.
• Mentor junior therapists and therapy assistants in ongoing professional development.
• Deliver evidence-based OT and SI assessments and interventions.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Clinical reasoning

Sensory Integration knowledge

Team supervision

Education

Undergraduate or postgraduate Degree in Occupational Therapy

Job description

About the Role

An independent special school in West Drayton, West London is looking for a passionate, proactive and highly skilled Specialist/Advanced Occupational Therapist (Band 6/7 equivalent) with a strong interest in Sensory Integration (SI), or proven experience in this area, to join its supportive multidisciplinary therapy team.

You will work alongside Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants to provide high-quality, evidence-based support to children and young people with complex needs.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership, Management & Clinical Supervision

• Provide effective leadership, support and high-quality clinical supervision to members of the Occupational Therapy team.
• Take responsibility for the operational delivery and clinical governance of the Occupational Therapy service.
• Assist with effective allocation of resources to ensure the therapy team has maximum impact.
• Mentor and develop junior Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants, supporting their ongoing professional growth.

Clinical Expertise & Caseload Management

• Manage a specialist caseload of children and young people with autism, severe learning difficulties and complex neurodevelopmental needs.
• Complete evidence-based Occupational Therapy and Sensory Integration assessments and interventions.
• Apply strong clinical reasoning to develop holistic student profiles, recommend environmental adaptations and support the development of functional life skills.
• Ensure clinical recommendations are translated into practical strategies that school staff can confidently implement within the classroom and wider school environment.

The Ideal Candidate

• An experienced mentor with a proven ability to supervise, support and develop junior colleagues and Therapy Assistants.
• A confident practitioner with strong clinical reasoning skills and knowledge of Sensory Integration, with the ability to turn complex clinical recommendations into practical strategies for the classroom.
• Adaptable, resilient and confident working within a busy and evolving educational setting.
• Interested in or experienced with Sensory Integration, ideally with relevant postgraduate training, CPD certification or demonstrable specialist knowledge.

Essential Requirements

• A recognised undergraduate or postgraduate Degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Current HCPC registration.
• Significant experience working at Band 6 equivalent level with children and young people with autism, severe learning difficulties and complex neurodevelopmental needs.
• Demonstrable experience providing clinical supervision, line management or mentorship to junior staff or Therapy Assistants.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience producing high-quality clinical advice, reports and recommendations for EHCPs and annual reviews.

Salary will be determined by the successful candidate's qualifications and relevant experience, and will be in accordance with the client's pay policy