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Occupational Therapy Assistant
Ican Charity
21,628.29 - 24,697 per year
Dawn House School, Helmsley Road, Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, NG21 0DQ
Full-time
22nd September 2025

Occupational Therapy Assistant

As an OTA, you will work under the guidance of qualified Occupational Therapists to help deliver therapy programmes, support pupils in class, prepare resources, and contribute to the wider life of the school.

Job details

Location

Dawn House School, Helmsley Road, Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, NG21 0DQ

Salary

Actual: £21,628.29 - £21,951.83 (FTE £24,333 - £24,697) Pay review pending

Hours of work

Full time: 35 hours per week, term time plus 1 week only

Contract

Permanent

Closing date

September 22, 2025

Dawn House School

Job Title: Occupational Therapy Assistant
Working pattern: 35 hours per week, term time only, plus 1 week during school closureStart Date: October 2025

Role Overview

We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) to join our friendly, multidisciplinary team at Dawn House School. This is an exciting opportunity to support children and young people with speech, language and communication needs, alongside associated sensory and physical challenges.

As an OTA, you will work under the guidance of qualified Occupational Therapists to help deliver therapy programmes, support pupils in class, prepare resources, and contribute to the wider life of the school.

Key Responsibilities

  • Work directly with pupils through 1:1 and group sessions, following therapy plans.

  • Support with assessments, interventions and the evaluation of therapy programmes.

  • Assist with sensory integration activities, self-care programmes, handwriting and motor development activities.

  • Contribute to maintaining therapy resources and equipment.

  • Provide administrative support to therapists and the therapy team.

  • Work collaboratively with teachers, therapists, assistants, parents and carers.

  • Promote inclusion by modelling strategies in classrooms and supporting pupils’ access to the curriculum.

What we are looking for someone who is:

  • Experienced in working with children or young people (in school, healthcare, or similar settings).

  • Skilled in building positive relationships and communicating effectively with pupils, colleagues and families.

  • Organised and proactive, with good literacy, numeracy and IT skills.

  • Adaptable and creative in supporting children with additional needs.

  • Committed to the values and ethos of Dawn House School and Speech and Language UK.

It would be desirable if you have:

  • Training or qualifications in Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy, child development or a related field.
  • Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team or following individualised intervention programmes.
  • An interest in pursuing a career in health, therapy or education.

About Us
Dawn House, a Speech and Language UK school, is a day and residential school dedicated to supporting children with complex speech and language challenges. We provide integrated education, therapy, and care to pupils aged 5-19. Our school has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted and offers a collaborative, child-centred environment with communication at its heart. Join our passionate and dynamic team, where we give young people the communication skills they need to face the future with confidence. Visit our website here.

Why Us?

Because…Dawn House School is a Speech and Language UK specialist school for children aged 5-19 with complex or severe speech and language challenges. You will collaborate with a team of therapists, educators, and external professionals and shape mental health practices and drive meaningful change in education.

Because…We know that with the right help, children can go on to thrive and our school is designed to give them the best possible futures.  You will work closely with students aged 5-19 who face communication and emotional challenges.

Because…1.9 million children in the UK are currently struggling with talking and understanding words and you can help change that.

How to Apply

To apply please send the completed Application Form together with the further information form to School Business Administrator catherine.ingram@dawnhouse.org.uk

Informal enquiries about this post can be made to Nicole Khosla, Deputy Head of Occupational Therapy on 01623 795361, nicole.khosla@dawnhouse.org.uk

The closing date for this vacancy is 9am on Monday, 22nd September 2025

Have a look at our application pack to find out more about this opportunity and the difference you can make to children’s lives.

Accessibility Support
We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. If you require any adjustments or need to apply in a different format, please contact our People Team at  hr@speechandlanguage.org.uk and we will be happy to assist you.

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer. Find out what this means here

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we carry out safer recruitment principles, as well as appropriate vetting and verifications on all school staff.

In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education the successful candidate’s employment is subject to an enhanced DBS and barred list check. All shortlisted candidates will be subject to an online search covering content that is in the public domain.

A copy of our Safeguarding policy can be found here: School Safeguarding Policy