Special Educational Needs Teacher Job Information | National Careers Service

The work

This job could include teaching children with:

• mild to moderate learning difficulties
• specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia
• physical disabilities
• hearing or visual impairment
• emotional or behavioural problems.

As an SEN teacher your work would involve:

• teaching National Curriculum subjects, which may have been adapted to pupils’ needs
• helping pupils to develop their self-confidence, independence, abilities and attitudes
• preparing lessons and teaching materials
• marking and assessing work
• putting up displays in the classroom
• collaborating with other professionals, such as medical professionals, speech and language therapists and educational psychologists
• speaking to parents and carers about their children's progress
• going to meetings and training
• organising outings, social activities and sporting events.

You can find out about National Curriculum subjects on the following website:

• National Curriculum

You could work in an ordinary class, a special class in a mainstream school, or in a special school. You could teach pupils individually or in small groups, and you would often be helped by teaching assistants.

Hours

In state schools in England and Wales, you would usually work 39 weeks a year. In Scotland, you would work a standard 35-hour week for 195 days a year.

You would work during school hours (usually 9 am to 3.30 pm or 4 pm) as well as outside school hours, for example to prepare lessons and go to meetings.

Income

The main salary scale is from £21,102 to £30,842 a year (£26,000 to £35,568 in inner London).

Teachers who reach the top of the main salary scale may apply to be assessed for the upper salary scale. This ranges from £33,412 to £35,929 a year (£40,288 to £43,692 in inner London).

SEN teachers may receive extra allowances.

For details of all the salary scales, see the Teaching Agency website.

• Teaching Agency - salary scales

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

To work as an SEN teacher in a state school you will need a teaching qualification and mainstream teaching experience.

Most independent schools will also prefer you to be a qualified teacher, although it is not always essential.

For details of entry requirements and routes to becoming a qualified teacher, see the Nursery Teacher, Primary School Teacher and Secondary School teacher job profiles on this site, and the Teaching Agency website.

• Teaching Agency - Get into Teaching

Northern Ireland

For details of routes into teaching in Northern Ireland, see the Department of Education Northern Ireland website.

• Department of Education Northern Ireland (DENI)

Training and development

Your initial teacher training (ITT) course will include a special needs element. Once you are a qualified and experienced teacher, you can take further training for special educational needs.

As an SEN teacher in a mainstream school, your local education authority will usually arrange periods of training whilst you are working.

You can also take relevant postgraduate certificates, diplomas or Masters degrees at some universities. Course content and titles vary according to the type of special education or disability being covered. These courses are usually offered part-time or by distance learning.

You will need specific qualifications to teach pupils with hearing impairment, visual impairment or multi-sensory impairment. Universities and colleges run training courses taking one year full-time, two or three years part-time, or by distance learning. Some universities offer relevant postgraduate diplomas or Masters degrees.

You must have sign language skills if you want to teach hearing-impaired pupils. To become a Qualified Teacher of Visual Impairment you must be able to show that you are proficient in Braille.

Skills and knowledge

To become a special educational needs teacher, you will need to have:

• an interest in the education and welfare of pupils
• good communication and 'people' skills
• the ability to work in a team but also use your own initiative
• organisation skills
• the ability to manage classes and deal with challenging behaviour
• willingness to assist with personal care needs if necessary
• patience and a good sense of humour.

More information

Signature
Mersey House
Mandale Business Park
Belmont
Durham DH1 1TH
Tel: 0191 383 1155
Textphone: 0191 383 7915
www.signature.org.uk

Teaching Agency - Get into Teaching
Teaching Information Line (freephone): 0800 389 2500
www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching

Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB)
105 Judd Street
London
WC1H 9NE
Tel: 020 7388 1266
www.rnib.org.uk

British Association of Teachers of the Deaf
www.batod.org.uk

Department of Education Northern Ireland (DENI)
Rathael House
Balloo Road
Bangor
BT19 7PR
Tel: 028 9127 9279
www.deni.gov.uk

Opportunities

You will find most opportunities for SEN teaching in mainstream schools.

In mainstream schools, you may have the opportunity to progress to special educational needs co-ordinator, or head of the special needs department. In special schools, you could be promoted to deputy headteacher or headteacher.

There are also opportunities to work in pupil referral units, hospital schools or youth custody centres.

You may find the following links useful for vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):

• Education Guardian
• Times Educational Supplement

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

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