Integrated Therapy Assistant
Job Description
| Job title | Integrated Therapy Assistant |
| Responsible to | SENCo/Deputy Headteacher |
| Professional supervisionfrom | Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, School Counsellor and Integrated Therapeutic Practitioner, according to the work being undertaken |
| Key relationships | SENCo, Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher, Speech and Language Therapist,Occupational Therapist, School Counsellor, Integrated Therapeutic Practitioner, classteachers, teaching assistants, residential childcare practitioners, Family Support andChild Protection Officer, Associate Senior Leader for Pastoral, Culture andEngagement, parents/carers, outside professionals and wider school staff |
Responsibility and purpose
The Integrated Therapy Assistant will actively promote and extend the therapeutic reach of provision across the school. The post holder will work as part of the integrated therapy team, supporting Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, school counselling, play therapy and counselling-informed approaches, cognition and learning assessment, and classroom-based therapeutic practice.
The role is designed to ensure that therapeutic advice is not limited to individual sessions, but is embedded into everyday classroom routines, relationships, communication approaches, sensory regulation strategies and learning opportunities. The post holder will work closely with therapists, the SENCo, class teachers, teaching assistants, residential staff and pastoral colleagues to help pupils access learning, develop communication, build emotional regulation and make progress towards their individual outcomes.
The post holder will undertake assessment administration, intervention support, resource preparation, progress recording and impact monitoring under the direction of appropriately qualified professionals. They will work within clearly defined professional boundaries and will receive regular supervision.
General responsibilities
• Be familiar with the school curriculum, age-related expectations, teaching and learning approaches and assessment frameworks relevant to the pupils supported.
• Actively commit to Marchant-Holliday School’s vision, values and ethos.
• Promote inclusive, trauma-informed, relational and non-punitive practice across all aspects of the role.
• Work within the school’s policies and procedures, including safeguarding, behaviour, health and safety, confidentiality and data protection.
• Use IT systems and technology accurately and effectively to record, monitor and support pupil intervention and progress.
• Demonstrate and promote the positive values, attitudes and behaviours expected of pupils and adults.
Integrated therapeutic practice
Support agreed work linked to Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, counselling, play therapy and counselling-informed provision, emotional wellbeing programmes and classroom-based therapeutic practice.
• Deliver agreed individual, small group and class-based interventions under the direction of the relevant professional.
• Prepare and adapt therapeutic resources, activities, visual materials, communication supports and sensory resources.
• Support pupils during transitions, unstructured times, classroom learning and wider school activities where therapeutic approaches are required.
• Observe pupils in class and other settings, where requested, to support assessment, planning and review.
• Work within clear professional boundaries and do not undertake counselling, psychotherapy, play therapy, Occupational Therapy or Speech and Language Therapy independently.
Assessment, cognition and learning
• Support the administration of cognition and learning assessments under the direction of the SENCo and relevant professionals.
Support baseline assessment for new pupils, including gathering information linked to learning, communication, sensory needs and access to the curriculum.
Undertake agreed reading, language, communication and learning assessments such as JLL, RAPT, BPVS, YARC, TALC and WRAT, where trained and supervised to do so.
• Support agreed Occupational Therapy assessment processes such as Beery VMI, Sensory Profiles and clinical observations, where trained and supervised to do so.
Collate assessment information and contribute to pupil profiles, intervention plans and review documentation.
• Help translate assessment findings into practical classroom strategies, resources and routines.
Speech, language and communication
• Deliver agreed speech, language and communication interventions in class, small groups and 1:1 settings.
• Support pupils’ use of communication strategies, visual supports and Alternative and Augmentative Communication tools, where appropriate.
• Make communication books, visual supports, social narratives and other resources under the direction of the Speech and Language Therapist and other relevant professionals.
• Support staff to understand and use communication strategies consistently across the school day.
Occupational Therapy and sensory regulation
• Deliver agreed Occupational Therapy interventions in class, small groups and 1:1 settings.
• Support the use of sensory regulation approaches, sensory resources, assistive aids and practical strategies under the direction of the Occupational Therapist.
• Support staff to understand pupils’ sensory, motor, functional and regulation needs and to use agreed strategies safely and consistently.
• Contribute to the organisation, preparation and maintenance of therapeutic equipment and resources.
Classroom embedding and staff support
• Work alongside class teams to model agreed therapeutic strategies in a practical and supportive way.
• Support staff to embed communication strategies, sensory approaches, regulation tools and emotional wellbeing resources into daily routines and learning opportunities.
• Contribute to class-based planning discussions where therapeutic advice needs to be incorporated.
• Help staff build confidence and consistency through demonstration, coaching and collaborative problem solving.
• Support staff training and whole-school development activity led by members of the integrated therapy team.
Recording, monitoring and administration
• Maintain accurate, timely and objective records of assessment, intervention and pupil progress using agreed school systems and proforma.
• Provide feedback and short reports for the SENCo, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, School Counsellor, Integrated Therapeutic Practitioner and class teams, as agreed.
• Support the integrated therapy team and SENCo in evaluating the impact of interventions and identifying next steps.
• Contribute information for annual reviews, pupil progress meetings, EHCP outcome tracking and other relevant review processes.
• Support with preparation of resources, ordering, stock checks, filing, data collation and other administrative systems that enable effective therapeutic provision.
Ensure records are stored and shared in line with GDPR, confidentiality and school policy.
Additional duties
• Support club time activities, lunch and playtime supervision, morning drop off and afternoon pick up when required.
• Support classroom cover during staff absence when required and when this is consistent with the needs of the school.
Assist in preparation for school events and reasonable associated tasks.
Safeguarding
• Understand responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and child protection and know how to raise concerns promptly.
• Remain vigilant to ensure pupils are protected from potential harm by following safeguarding and child protection policies and protocols.
Work within the requirements of data protection legislation at all times.
• Read and follow the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy, Safer Recruitment Policy and related procedures.
Personal development
Keep knowledge and understanding relevant and up to date by reflecting on practice, seeking guidance and identifying relevant continuing professional development.
• Take opportunities to build the skills, qualifications and experience needed for the role, with support from the school.
• Participate actively in supervision, appraisal and performance management review processes.
• Demonstrate openness to feedback, professional curiosity and a commitment to improving practice.
This job description is not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post. It is representative only. Other reasonable duties may be allocated from time to time commensurate with the general character of this post and its grading. Where such duties amount to more than a temporary adjustment to the main responsibilities of the job description, it will be amended accordingly and will be subject to periodic review.
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