Newly Qualified Occupational Therapist
| Posting date: | 14 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Up to £33,000 FTE DOE |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 29 January 2026 |
| Location: | Shropshire, West Midlands |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Acorn Care and Education |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 297540FAJ |
Summary
Job Title: Newly Qualified Occupational Therapist
Location: Higford School – Shropshire TF11 9ET
Salary: Up to £33,000 pro rata (dependent on experience)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, hours to overlap with core school hours (Part time hours may be considered)
Contract: Permanent (Term time only, or flexibility around full-time contract can be discussed based on your personal circumstances)
Our Vision
Empower every child, whatever their ability, with a world-class education that nurtures potential, inspires lifelong learning, and equips them to thrive in a diverse and evolving world.
Our Mission
We commit to unlocking our pupils’ potential through personalised learning, innovation, and opportunity, supporting growth and aspirations.
Our Promise
WE LISTEN. We never assume.
WE WORK TOGETHER. To make the remarkable happen.
WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE. To each other and for one another.
Our Promise describes the sort of people we are and our commitment to how we treat each other, work together and behave. It represents what’s truly important to us as individuals and as a team. It is easily translatable into behaviours we all practice and experience every day. It's the golden thread that runs through every leader, team and individual.
The role:
We are looking for a Newly Qualified Occupational Therapist to join our in-house clinical team at Higford School.
Working collaboratively with the education team, you will deliver bespoke Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention to pupils who may have experienced developmental trauma, be neurodivergent or have SEMH needs. You will work within the standards provided in the OFG Occupational Therapy Ways of Working. This will guide your practice within an education setting and clarify your roles and responsibilities, while taking into account the requirements of your governing and professional bodies. You will be given responsibility for holding an occupational therapy caseload, with the full support of your designated clinical supervisor and site lead, also contributing to staff training and consultation as required This post would suit a resilient, creative and enthusiastic individual.
Our Clinical Teams help maintain a person-centred, empowering approach always putting the pupils we support at the forefront of everything they do. All our settings maintain a strong safeguarding culture, and the pupils we support are heard, respected, and involved in decisions that affect them. We strive for excellence, which is why we are one of the leading service providers in the UK. With this in mind, we are looking for a Newly Qualified Occupational Therapist who shares our vision to use innovative approaches to enhance the quality of life and outcomes of the pupils we support.
Location: Higford School – Shropshire TF11 9ET – Higford School forms part of our Options Autism brand, and is an independent specialist day school, supporting children and young people aged 5 – 19.
Options Higford School
Education - Options Autism
For further information regarding this vacancy please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification attached.
Essential Criteria:
Recognised occupational therapy degree
Registered member of RCOT
HCPC registered
Relevant previous experience as student OT or in a previously held job
Previously engaged with people experiencing learning difficulty and/or neurodiversity in any setting
Good communication including relationship, analytical and judgemental skills
Good time management and organisational skills
Evidence of understanding the relationship between behaviour and communication
Basic understanding of physical needs, dexterity, coordination and sensory skills for assessment and treatment of client group
Basic IT skills
Understanding of information governance and confidentiality and record keeping standards
Ability to work collaboratively as part of the multi-disciplinary team
Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable:
Experience of multi-disciplinary working in a range of settings
Experience of communicating with/working with families/relatives and carers
Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group
Knowledge of different assessment tools, intervention programmes and formulation of treatment plans from a range of OT modalities
Why work for us?
Alongside working with a network of over 350 clinical colleagues with regular forums for peer reflection and practice development, Outcomes First Group offer an array of flexible benefit options.
Benefits
Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward and flexible benefits package including:
£2,000 training allowance
Life Assurance
Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.
A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
Cycle to Work Schemes
Electric Car Purchase Scheme
Critical illness cover
At Outcomes First Group we are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils and young people. All successful applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS
We reserve the right to close vacancies early, please submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
Job Ref: 297540
Location: Higford School – Shropshire TF11 9ET
Salary: Up to £33,000 pro rata (dependent on experience)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, hours to overlap with core school hours (Part time hours may be considered)
Contract: Permanent (Term time only, or flexibility around full-time contract can be discussed based on your personal circumstances)
Our Vision
Empower every child, whatever their ability, with a world-class education that nurtures potential, inspires lifelong learning, and equips them to thrive in a diverse and evolving world.
Our Mission
We commit to unlocking our pupils’ potential through personalised learning, innovation, and opportunity, supporting growth and aspirations.
Our Promise
WE LISTEN. We never assume.
WE WORK TOGETHER. To make the remarkable happen.
WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE. To each other and for one another.
Our Promise describes the sort of people we are and our commitment to how we treat each other, work together and behave. It represents what’s truly important to us as individuals and as a team. It is easily translatable into behaviours we all practice and experience every day. It's the golden thread that runs through every leader, team and individual.
The role:
We are looking for a Newly Qualified Occupational Therapist to join our in-house clinical team at Higford School.
Working collaboratively with the education team, you will deliver bespoke Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention to pupils who may have experienced developmental trauma, be neurodivergent or have SEMH needs. You will work within the standards provided in the OFG Occupational Therapy Ways of Working. This will guide your practice within an education setting and clarify your roles and responsibilities, while taking into account the requirements of your governing and professional bodies. You will be given responsibility for holding an occupational therapy caseload, with the full support of your designated clinical supervisor and site lead, also contributing to staff training and consultation as required This post would suit a resilient, creative and enthusiastic individual.
Our Clinical Teams help maintain a person-centred, empowering approach always putting the pupils we support at the forefront of everything they do. All our settings maintain a strong safeguarding culture, and the pupils we support are heard, respected, and involved in decisions that affect them. We strive for excellence, which is why we are one of the leading service providers in the UK. With this in mind, we are looking for a Newly Qualified Occupational Therapist who shares our vision to use innovative approaches to enhance the quality of life and outcomes of the pupils we support.
Location: Higford School – Shropshire TF11 9ET – Higford School forms part of our Options Autism brand, and is an independent specialist day school, supporting children and young people aged 5 – 19.
Options Higford School
Education - Options Autism
For further information regarding this vacancy please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification attached.
Essential Criteria:
Recognised occupational therapy degree
Registered member of RCOT
HCPC registered
Relevant previous experience as student OT or in a previously held job
Previously engaged with people experiencing learning difficulty and/or neurodiversity in any setting
Good communication including relationship, analytical and judgemental skills
Good time management and organisational skills
Evidence of understanding the relationship between behaviour and communication
Basic understanding of physical needs, dexterity, coordination and sensory skills for assessment and treatment of client group
Basic IT skills
Understanding of information governance and confidentiality and record keeping standards
Ability to work collaboratively as part of the multi-disciplinary team
Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable:
Experience of multi-disciplinary working in a range of settings
Experience of communicating with/working with families/relatives and carers
Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group
Knowledge of different assessment tools, intervention programmes and formulation of treatment plans from a range of OT modalities
Why work for us?
Alongside working with a network of over 350 clinical colleagues with regular forums for peer reflection and practice development, Outcomes First Group offer an array of flexible benefit options.
Benefits
Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward and flexible benefits package including:
£2,000 training allowance
Life Assurance
Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.
A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
Cycle to Work Schemes
Electric Car Purchase Scheme
Critical illness cover
At Outcomes First Group we are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils and young people. All successful applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS
We reserve the right to close vacancies early, please submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
Job Ref: 297540