Principal Therapist – Specialist Autism School – London

Principal Therapist – Specialist Autism School

Occupational Therapist

£48,000 to £60,000 per annum

Term-time only, 35 hours per week

Southall

Overview:

Compass Associates are delighted to be partnering with a renowned charity provider of specialist autism education and support. With an extensive portfolio of specialist schools, residential services and community programmes, they are dedicated to providing exceptional education, care and therapeutic support for autistic children and young people with complex needs.

Together, we are seeking an experienced Principal Therapist to join their specialist school in Southall, supporting children and young people with autism and complex needs.

This is a senior clinical leadership role ideal for an experienced therapist looking to combine hands-on therapy with team leadership and service development within a multidisciplinary school environment.

You will play a key role in ensuring therapy is fully integrated into the educational experience, supporting students to achieve meaningful outcomes both academically and developmentally.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver specialist Occupational Therapy interventions to children and young people with autism and complex needs
• Provide clinical leadership and supervision to therapists and therapy assistants
• Support the implementation of evidence-based therapy approaches across the setting
• Ensure therapy services align with current SEND and Ofsted frameworks
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and school leadership discussions

Requirements

• Qualified Occupational Therapist
• HCPC registration (essential)
• Significant experience working with autism and complex needs
• Previous leadership experience (2 years minimum) or extensive experience as a senior therapist
• Strong understanding of EHCP processes and SEND frameworks
• Experience working in education, specialist schools, SEN settings, or paediatric services
• Excellent communication and leadership skills

Salary and Benefits:

This role offers a salary of £48,000 to £60,000 per annum, dependent on experience and qualifications, alongside a generous benefits package including:

• 12 weeks paid school holidays (term-time only contract, full pay)
• Auto-enrolled pension scheme
• Enhanced sick pay
• Comprehensive induction and ongoing professional development
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Life Assurance
• Online staff discount platform (shopping discounts, cycle to work, season ticket loan and more)
• Access to 24-hour employee assistance programme and Headspace App

• Flexible benefits and salary sacrifice schemes