SEN Teacher
Highfield School, Ossett, West Yorkshire, WF5 9BS8 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
10 February 2026 at 3pm
Date listed
2 February 2026
Job details
Job role
- Teacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- Main Grade / Upper Pay Scale
Additional allowances
SEN 1 allowance
What skills and experience we're looking for
Qualifications and experience
- Qualified teacher status
- Degree
- Successful relevant teaching experience
- Experience of working with pupils who have SLD or other specific educational needs is desirable
Skills and knowledge
- Knowledge of SLD and related education needs, such as ASC, Speech and language development, visual, hearing, social and emotional difficulties, communication difficulties or physical difficulties is desirable
- Knowledge of the National Curriculum
- Knowledge of effective teaching and learning strategies
- A good understanding of how children learn
- Ability to adapt teaching to meet pupils’ needs
- Ability to build effective working relationships with pupils
- Knowledge of guidance and requirements around safeguarding children
- Knowledge of effective behaviour management strategies
- Good ICT skills, particularly using ICT to support learning
Personal qualities
- Committed to providing the best opportunities and ensuring outstanding outcomes for learners and promoting the ethos and values of the school
- High expectations for children’s attainment and progress
- High expectations for developing independence, resilience and a determination to succeed
- Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively
- Commitment to maintaining confidentiality always
- Commitment to safeguarding and equality
- An ambitious team player with excellent interpersonal skills
- Able to maintain a positive approach when faced with challenges
- Able to motivate, inspire and encourage learners to strive for excellence in all areas.
What the school offers its staff
In return we can offer:
- Fantastic students who are positive, keen to learn and progress
- A dedicated and skilled workforce, committed to making a difference
- A school with high aspirations and a strong commitment to professional development where every person is valued
- An excellent CPD opportunities
- Staff wellbeing service including physiotherapy, mindfulness, counselling, weight management, chronic illness support, menopause support, GP consultations, private medical operations, stress awareness sessions.
Further information about the job
The ideal candidate will be confident in using their knowledge and expertise to deliver lessons that meet the needs of all pupils, giving regular feedback and encouraging our young people to take a responsible and conscientious attitude to their own work and personal development. Ideally, you will have a good understanding of our pupils' special educational needs and/or prior experience of working in education.
The successful candidates should be:
- committed to providing the best opportunities and ensuring outstanding outcomes for learners;
- an ambitious team player with excellent interpersonal skills;
- an excellent classroom practitioner with high expectations of self, pupils and the community we serve;
- able to maintain a positive approach when faced with challenges;
- able to motivate, inspire and encourage learners to strive for excellence in all areas.
You will join a team of hardworking, friendly and committed staff, governing body and engaged parents. We offer a well-resourced environment and good opportunities for professional development. You will be motivated by your belief that every child can achieve and that their potential needs to be stretched and challenged. Whilst previous experience of working in a SEN environment would be desirable, excellent teaching skills and the right motivation, personal qualities and levels of resilience are just as important.
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
This job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Highfield School
- School type
- Special school, ages 11 to 19
- School size
- 208 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Highfield School website
- Email address
- psayle@highfield.wakefield.sch.uk
We are a local maintained school providing education for pupils with severe learning needs. Our pupils come from all over the Wakefield area and some from further afield, to benefit from our specialised teaching, excellent pastoral care and the wide range of specialist support services and interventions we provide through our curriculum offer.
Our ambition is to ensure that every pupil is well prepared for the next stage of their education and for adult life, be that finding meaningful employment, continued education, supported or independent living.
At Highfield school we provide a student-centred curriculum, delivered in an inclusive environment. Students develop their communication, independence and social skills to make good or better personal progress towards their EHCP outcomes. We prepare them for the responsibilities and experiences of adult life, building resilience opportunities throughout the curriculum.
Our school vision statement ‘maximising potential for confident and independent futures,’ is embedded through our six-strand curriculum across four pathways in year 7 to 11. These are, semi-formal, formal and blended and SCERTS. The SCERTS curriculum pathway introduced in September 2022, which is a comprehensive intervention model for students with autism and their families. In Post 16 we have three pathways which are, Moving on, Futures and City Futures, which was introduced in September 2022.
Highfield is a school which caters for students with severe and complex learning difficulties and autistic spectrum conditions. A significant number of our learners have associated complex needs relating to visual, hearing and speech impairment, social and emotional difficulties, communication difficulties, a range of chromosomal difficulties and in some cases, physical difficulties.
The development of our fantastic green field site has seen the inclusion of a purpose built Post 16 facility, a sensory room, a library, a fitness suite and the refurbishment of the main entrance, administration office spaces and our Emotional Health and Well- being area. We also have a wide range of outdoor facilities including a wildlife area which supports our Forest School status, a poly tunnel for horticulture, Animal Unit and well maintained sports facilities that contribute to the positive learning experiences of our students. Visitors to our school comment very positively on the warm welcome they receive and the quality of the provision, as well as the outstanding attitudes and behaviour of our fantastic students, of whom we are very proud.
We have a large, well-qualified and committed staff group who work very effectively in teams. All staff members are well supported through supportive appraisal processes to improve their practice and are encouraged to develop professionally. There are clear progression pathways identifiable within the school.
The school has grown significantly during the past five years and has made substantial changes to its model of leadership and curriculum in order to better meet the needs of our pupils. Our most recent Ofsted, November 2023, found that the school was Good overall with outstanding personal development, behaviour and welfare.
Arranging a visit to Highfield School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email psayle@highfield.wakefield.sch.uk.
School location
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