Special educational needs teacher

Special educational needs (SEN) teachers work with children who have physical, hearing or visual impairments, or emotional, behavioural or learning difficulties. They might use special equipment and teaching methods, such as sign language or Braille. In Scotland, the equivalent career is learning support teacher.

Also known as:

• Learning support teacher
• SEN teacher

Work activities

Special educational needs (SEN) teachers work with pupils who need extra support in their learning. They might work with students with sensory impairments, limited physical mobility, or behavioural, emotional or learning difficulties. They encourage students to develop self-confidence and independence, and to reach their full potential. They put into place individual education plans for each student and write reports on students’ progress. SEN teachers have to be adaptable and try different approaches, depending on the individual student.

SEN teachers may teach Braille to students with visual impairments or sign language skills to students who have hearing impairments. Most SEN students have their needs met in mainstream schools, learning alongside other students. Teachers might work with SEN students in a learning support department, a special unit attached to the school or in mainstream lessons, perhaps with the help of a SEN teaching assistant.

There are special schools for students with severe or complex needs. Some SEN teachers visit students in a number of schools and/or at home. Other SEN teachers work in hospitals or private residential schools. SEN teachers work closely with parents and guardians, offering advice and guidance. They also go to meetings with other teachers and healthcare specialists. There are administrative duties as well, such as keeping records of students’ progress.

Personal qualities and skills

As a special educational needs teacher, you’ll need:

• To be friendly, caring, optimistic and adaptable.
• The ability to encourage and motivate students.
• Tact, patience and tolerance.
• Good communication skills.
• To maintain discipline and deal with challenging behaviour.
• Good organisational and planning skills.
• Good teamwork skills to work with other teachers and health and social care professionals.
• Creative and practical skills to develop stimulating, appropriate activities and resources.

Pay and opportunities

Teachers in the state education sector are paid on a scale according to their qualifications, experience and responsibilities. The pay rates (per year) are approximate. Qualified teachers start on £30,000 and can progress up to £46,525 over time (2023-24 pay levels). Trainee teachers earn less than this, with training taking a number of years. SEN teachers in both special and mainstream education are also entitled to an allowance of a minimum of £2,283 to support their duties, providing certain conditions are met. SEN teachers in the private sector may earn more.

Teaching hours may range from 8.30am to 4pm, with some lesson off for lesson planning, marking and other preparation. Teachers may also spend time working outside these hours, often working long hours in the evening and at weekends. They often have to work in the evenings and at weekends to prepare lessons and mark work. Teachers are not typically in school during the spring, summer and winter vacations; however, they may need to do some marking and planning work at these times.

Employers are state and private schools. There are also opportunities to teach in other countries. Some teachers supplement their income by teaching privately, marking national exams or writing textbooks.

Where are vacancies advertised?  

Vacancies for classroom teachers are advertised by local authorities and in the local and national press, including the Guardian and the Times Educational Supplement (TES). There are also job boards, for example, eTeach and the Teaching Vacancies service.

Entry routes and training

To teach students with special educational needs (SEN), you need to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) through initial teacher training (ITT). Teacher training courses include SEN; qualified teachers can also take further, specialist training. Most postgraduates take a PGCE in a secondary education subject or primary education. Some primary education PGCEs allow you to specialise in a particular subject. Courses are usually one-year full-time. Some two-year, part-time courses are available (although not in every subject).

There are also the employment-based School Direct and Teach First schemes, plus the new postgraduate teaching apprenticeship scheme. On these salaried routes, you will earn unqualified teacher salary, which in 2023 starts at £20,598.

Once employed, newly qualified teachers (NQTs) must complete a three-term induction period, usually within a single school year. Specialist training can be in-service, provided by a local authority, or at a university that offers postgraduate SEN courses. Specialist training is essential for those teaching students with hearing, visual or multi-sensory impairments. For example, you must have basic sign language skills if you want to teach hearing impaired pupils. To become a qualified teacher of visually impaired pupils, you must be able to show that you are skilled in Braille. To achieve QTS, student teachers need to pass tests in English and maths. Welsh medium applicants will also complete a literacy test in Welsh.

Special educational needs teachers can become special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs), heads of department or specialists in particular types of SEN.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

All candidates for secondary school teacher training need GCSEs (or recognised equivalent qualifications) at grades 9-4 in English and maths. In England, if you want to teach at Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14), you must also have a GCSE (or recognised equivalent qualification) at grades 9-4 in a science subject.

To enter a degree, such as a BEd or BA/BSc with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), you’ll need to meet other qualification requirements, depending on the course and subject. You’ll usually need a further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4 and at least two A-levels. Alternatives to A-levels include:

• Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 Nationals
• The International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, course requirements vary, so please check prospectuses carefully.

To enter a secondary education PGCE course, your degree should usually be related to the subject you want to teach. Universities usually accept degrees with at least 50% relevant content. For a primary education PGCE, you need any degree that is relevant to the primary National Curriculum.

Adult opportunities

If you don’t have the qualifications you need to enter a degree course, you might be able to start one after completing a college or university Access course. You don’t usually need any qualifications to start an Access course, although you should check this with the course provider. Some PGCE courses are available part-time, over two years. If you’re not very confident about your (secondary) subject knowledge or don’t have the qualifications to begin postgraduate training straight away, you might be able take a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course first. Your course provider will assess whether you need to increase or refresh your knowledge. SKE courses are available in a limited number of subjects.

Related careers

• Art therapist
• British sign language (BSL)/English interpreter
• Drama therapist
• Education welfare officer
• Music therapist
• Nurse - learning disabilities
• Occupational therapist
• Rehabilitation worker - visual impairment
• Speech and language therapist
• Teacher
• Teaching assistant