Specialist Speech & Language Therapist Band 6

Swalcliffe Park School is a non-maintained charitable incorporated organisation specialising in day and residential education and care for autistic young people (aged 10-19 years old). We currently have 73 students on role and have been awarded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted for both Education (2019) and Residential care (2022, 2023 & 2024). The school also has Advanced Level Autism Accreditation and an Enhanced Practitioner Commendation.

 DEVELOPING SPECIALIST / SPECIALIST SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPIST

– NHS Band 6

Pay scale: NHS £34,581 - £42,618 per annum (pay award pending for 2024-2025)

Full Time, Term Time plus 13 weeks’ paid holiday and membership of Local Government Pension Scheme, comparable to NHS.

Start date: September 2024

Location: Near Banbury, Oxfordshire

Our team of Speech and Language Therapists have a passion for delivering innovative, personalised, and neuro-affirming care to our students. The therapy team is embedded throughout the school, both in education and in the residential setting and specialises in empowering our students to develop their strengths, interests, and abilities. Through the use of neuro-affirmative approaches including encouraging all forms and styles of communication we are able to support our students to develop meaningful and functional ways to communicate their needs, share their interests, develop friendships and self-advocate.

Our team is friendly, supportive and strive together to ensure that we deliver the best possible care for our students with dedicated time for team meetings, peer supervision and CPD. 

We have an opportunity to support applications from experienced Band 5s who would like to specialise and develop their careers supporting and advocating for neurodivergent young people. We would also welcome applications from existing and experienced Band 6s who would like to join a school and team where you can truly make a difference to the quality of life of neurodivergent young people. 

 The successful candidate will:

• be registered with HCPC and RCSLT;
• be responsible for a caseload of varying complexity;
• plan and deliver individualised and person-centred support utilising best practice and neuro-affirming approaches;
• plan and deliver high quality small group support; these may be due to a clinical need or as part of the school’s independence curriculum;
• assess the speech, language and communication needs of our students using a strengths-based approach;
• analyse ‘Quality of Life’ (QoL) data to inform therapeutic interventions for individuals and groups of students; 
• collaboratively work with teaching staff to develop and enhance language and communication strategies and supports within the classroom. This may be through joint planning and delivery of lessons;
• participate in the referrals, assessment and transitions (RAT) process for potential students,
• support junior colleagues through peer/ clinical supervision;
• support best practice within the school and disseminate knowledge by training others e.g. staff and parents;
• have opportunity to carry out project work to continually develop the SaLT service embedded across the school;
• contribute to identifying, maintaining, and advising around environmental adaptations and reasonable adjustments; and
• provide support to the residential setting. 

What can Swalcliffe Park school offer you?

·      Outstanding benefits package including 13 weeks’ paid holiday and a pension package comparable to NHS;

·      Beautiful countryside setting;

·      Ample and free onsite parking;

·      Working in an ‘Outstanding’ (2019) Ofsted rated school with Advanced Autism accreditation;

·      Comprehensive induction and ongoing training opportunities;

·      Development of clinical specialism in supporting and advocating for neurodivergent young people;

·      Opportunity to develop clinical supervision skills;

·      Access to a wide range of assessment and resources to support clinical work;

·      Fully integrated working within the school in a well established therapy service;

·      Being part of a supportive, proactive and forward thinking multidisciplinary team of Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Clinical Psychologists;

·      Regular and impactful MDT working;

·      Dedicated time for CPD, regular onsite clinical and managerial supervision and access to relevant CENs;

·      Weekly team meetings for best practice sharing, peer support and team development; and 

·      Career development opportunities.

Closing Date for applications: Monday 3rd June 2024 at noon

Interview/Assessment Centre Date: Tuesday, 11th June 2024

For more information about the role or to arrange an informal visit, please contact Sarah Skelton-James, Assistant Principal: Communication & Lead Speech & Language Therapist by telephoning 01295 780302 or by emailing sjames@swalcliffepark.co.uk. 

If you have further questions about the application process, please contact Jenny Rigby, HR & Compliance Manager by telephoning 01295 780302 or emailing jrigby@swalcliffepark.co.uk.  

This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be expected to undertake an enhanced disclosure. We are an equal opportunities employer.