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 74 students on role and have been awarded ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED for both Education (2024) and Residential care (2025). The school also has Advanced Level Autism Accreditation Beacon Status and an Enhanced Practitioner Commendation.
SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPIST – Band 5
Pay scale: NHS 2024 – 2025 - £29,970 – £36,483 per annum (depending on experience). Pay award pending NHS 2025-2026
Full Time during Term Time plus 13 weeks’ paid holiday and membership of Local Government Pension Scheme, comparable to NHS.
* Do you want to work in a beautiful Oxfordshire countryside setting?
* Do you want to provide weekly intervention and consistent, regular, and collaborative care to autistic children and young people?
* Do you want to work in a highly supportive team where you can learn from Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Clinical Psychologists?
If your answer is yes, then this is the perfect opportunity for you.
Our team of Speech and Language Therapists have a passion for delivering innovative, personalised, and neuro-affirming care to our students. The 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. We also support our students to develop their verbal and written language skills such as using the Shape Coding System™, preparing them for exams, providing vocabulary support and developing reading comprehension.
If you are newly qualified or starting out in your career, we can support you to complete your newly qualified competencies and we can provide high levels of support, clinical supervision, and dedicated time for CPD and reflective practice. We have a wealth of knowledge within our therapy team of Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Clinical Psychologists and work very closely together including time for regular learning opportunities such as joint working, team meetings, case discussions and MDT reflective practice.
We would welcome applications from final year SaLT students, newly qualified therapists, or more experienced Band 5s who would like to join a school and team where you can truly make a difference to the quality of life of autistic young people.
The successful candidate will:
* be registered (or pending registration) with HCPC and RCSLT,
* be responsible for a small caseload,
* plan and deliver individualised and person-centred support utilising best practice and neuro-affirming approaches,
* plan and deliver high quality small group interventions e.g. Lego Therapy, Vocabulary groups, Independence/Project
* assess the speech, language, and communication needs of our students,
* work closely with teaching staff to support language and communication in the classroom,
* work closely with other therapists to provide holistic multi-disciplinary support,
* support functional communication and independence within a range of activities such as going shopping, cooking, using public transport, keeping safe online.
What can Swalcliffe Park school offer you?
· Outstanding benefits package including 13 weeks’ paid holiday, and a pension scheme comparable to the NHS
· Beautiful countryside setting with ample and free onsite parking
· Lunch provided
· Commutable distance from Banbury, Chipping Norton, Stratford Upon Avon, Leamington Spa and surrounding areas
· Working in an ‘Outstanding’ (2024 & 2025) Ofsted rated school with Advanced Autism accreditation and Beacon Status
· Comprehensive induction and ongoing training and career opportunities
· Develop your understanding, knowledge and use of neuro-affirming approaches to support autistic young people
· 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 and working closely with a supportive, proactive and forward thinking multidisciplinary team of Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Clinical Psychologists
· Regular MDT working
· Support to complete your newly qualified competencies, if required
· Dedicated time for CPD, regular onsite clinical and managerial supervision, reflective practice, case discussions and access to relevant CENs
· Weekly team meetings for best practice sharing, peer support and team development
Closing Date for applications: Friday, 25th April 2025 at 12 noon. We reserve the right to close the advert earlier should we have sufficient suitable applicants to interview.
Interview/Assessment Centre Date: Tuesday, 6th May 2025
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.
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.