Primary SEN Teacher - The Bay Campus
| Posting date: | 24 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 19 April 2026 |
| Location: | Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 8RA |
| Company: | Teaching Vacancies |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | a7e63e0c-f908-4d22-80e0-2b25dee48fb1 |
Summary
What skills and experience we're looking for
Please note: Must have a full clean driving license and be willing to use your vehicle for school business.
Do you want to be the person who helps a child feel safe, seen, and proud of what they can achieve?
At The Bay Campus, many of our pupils have experienced learning as something overwhelming, frustrating, or out of reach. They need someone who notices their strengths, celebrates the tiny steps forward, and believes in them wholeheartedly – even on the days when they don’t believe in themselves.
We’re looking for an exceptional Primary Teacher who can be the calm in the storm, the encourager, the guide, and the steady voice that says, “You can do this.” Someone who understands that progress isn’t always linear… but every spark of curiosity, every brave attempt, every “I tried my best today” is worth celebrating.
Because here, every victory matters – and as part of our team, you’ll see them happen right in front of you.
What you’ll be doing:
• Creating a safe, nurturing and predictable classroom where pupils feel valued and ready to learn.
• Planning and delivering engaging lessons that are responsive to individual needs, including those with SEND and SEMH.
• Using assessment thoughtfully to understand where a child is, what they need, and how you can help them grow.
• Supporting pupils socially, emotionally and academically, and celebrating even the smallest progress with genuine joy.
• Using trauma‑informed, relational and restorative approaches that help pupils feel safe, calm and understood.
• Working closely with colleagues, families and external partners to make sure each child has the support they deserve.
Who we’re looking for:
• Holds QTS and brings a passion for teaching primary‑aged pupils.
• Understands the power of patience, empathy and consistency in helping children thrive.
• Has strong knowledge of, and experience teaching, the primary curriculum and can adapt teaching to meet diverse needs.
• Can bring high expectations and high nurture into the same room.
• Is reflective, resilient and not shaken by the unpredictable moments that come with SEMH needs.
• Works collaboratively, communicates openly, and believes no child is “too hard to reach.”
• Brings creativity, curiosity and a sense of possibility into each day – because our pupils deserve nothing less.
What the school offers its staff
About Us:
The Harbour School is a multi-site organisation, with campuses at Bay Campus (including Primary at The Bay), The Bridge Campus, The Lighthouse Campus, and the Vista Campus (including The Horizon Service), all based within the city of Portsmouth. We also have an Outreach Support Team and a Hospital tuition service at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.
Primary at The Bay is a full‑time specialist and Alternative Provision for pupils in Years 5 and 6 with complex SEMH needs, including those with EHCPs, those unable to attend mainstream school, and children who have experienced exclusion or changes in care placements. We provide a nurturing, relationship‑centred environment built on the belief that every child has the potential to grow and succeed.
Why we can offer:
• A skilled, compassionate, genuinely supportive team who reflect together, and understand the emotional weight of the work.
• Friday afternoons off
• Strong induction and ongoing training
• A school that celebrates progress, not just academic data
• A role where the impact is real, human and lasting
• Free access to the Employee Assistance Programme and our Cycle to Work Scheme.
• The opportunity to develop your career in a School, and within the Southern Education Trust – a growing Trust where our mission is “making lives better”.
This is more than just a job; it’s a chance to ignite passion, inspire growth, and make a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most.
Further details about the role
Location: Primary at The Bay Campus, Tipner Lane, Tipner, Portsmouth, PO2 8RA
Closing date: 19th April 2026
Interview date: w/c 27th April 2026
Please note: Applications may be viewed on receipt and interviews arranged sooner than the above date.
Become part of our journey by completing our Teacher & Leadership Application Form and returning it to recruitment@southern.education if you would like to apply (please see our Primary Teacher Job Description and Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for further information). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kate at the recruitment address, who will be happy to assist you.
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, this role involves directly working with children and significant contact with children, and therefore we expect all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check for this post prior to commencement. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.The Trust is an equal opportunities employer.
If successfully shortlisted the HR Department will also be conducting an individual online search including social media platforms of your ‘name, education and employment’, to demonstrate due diligence following ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ guidance. The search will not form part of the actual shortlisting process and any concerns arising from the search will be discussed directly with you.
Commitment to safeguarding
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) check is required for this post prior to commencement. The Trust is an equal opportunities employer.
Please note: Must have a full clean driving license and be willing to use your vehicle for school business.
Do you want to be the person who helps a child feel safe, seen, and proud of what they can achieve?
At The Bay Campus, many of our pupils have experienced learning as something overwhelming, frustrating, or out of reach. They need someone who notices their strengths, celebrates the tiny steps forward, and believes in them wholeheartedly – even on the days when they don’t believe in themselves.
We’re looking for an exceptional Primary Teacher who can be the calm in the storm, the encourager, the guide, and the steady voice that says, “You can do this.” Someone who understands that progress isn’t always linear… but every spark of curiosity, every brave attempt, every “I tried my best today” is worth celebrating.
Because here, every victory matters – and as part of our team, you’ll see them happen right in front of you.
What you’ll be doing:
• Creating a safe, nurturing and predictable classroom where pupils feel valued and ready to learn.
• Planning and delivering engaging lessons that are responsive to individual needs, including those with SEND and SEMH.
• Using assessment thoughtfully to understand where a child is, what they need, and how you can help them grow.
• Supporting pupils socially, emotionally and academically, and celebrating even the smallest progress with genuine joy.
• Using trauma‑informed, relational and restorative approaches that help pupils feel safe, calm and understood.
• Working closely with colleagues, families and external partners to make sure each child has the support they deserve.
Who we’re looking for:
• Holds QTS and brings a passion for teaching primary‑aged pupils.
• Understands the power of patience, empathy and consistency in helping children thrive.
• Has strong knowledge of, and experience teaching, the primary curriculum and can adapt teaching to meet diverse needs.
• Can bring high expectations and high nurture into the same room.
• Is reflective, resilient and not shaken by the unpredictable moments that come with SEMH needs.
• Works collaboratively, communicates openly, and believes no child is “too hard to reach.”
• Brings creativity, curiosity and a sense of possibility into each day – because our pupils deserve nothing less.
What the school offers its staff
About Us:
The Harbour School is a multi-site organisation, with campuses at Bay Campus (including Primary at The Bay), The Bridge Campus, The Lighthouse Campus, and the Vista Campus (including The Horizon Service), all based within the city of Portsmouth. We also have an Outreach Support Team and a Hospital tuition service at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.
Primary at The Bay is a full‑time specialist and Alternative Provision for pupils in Years 5 and 6 with complex SEMH needs, including those with EHCPs, those unable to attend mainstream school, and children who have experienced exclusion or changes in care placements. We provide a nurturing, relationship‑centred environment built on the belief that every child has the potential to grow and succeed.
Why we can offer:
• A skilled, compassionate, genuinely supportive team who reflect together, and understand the emotional weight of the work.
• Friday afternoons off
• Strong induction and ongoing training
• A school that celebrates progress, not just academic data
• A role where the impact is real, human and lasting
• Free access to the Employee Assistance Programme and our Cycle to Work Scheme.
• The opportunity to develop your career in a School, and within the Southern Education Trust – a growing Trust where our mission is “making lives better”.
This is more than just a job; it’s a chance to ignite passion, inspire growth, and make a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most.
Further details about the role
Location: Primary at The Bay Campus, Tipner Lane, Tipner, Portsmouth, PO2 8RA
Closing date: 19th April 2026
Interview date: w/c 27th April 2026
Please note: Applications may be viewed on receipt and interviews arranged sooner than the above date.
Become part of our journey by completing our Teacher & Leadership Application Form and returning it to recruitment@southern.education if you would like to apply (please see our Primary Teacher Job Description and Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for further information). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kate at the recruitment address, who will be happy to assist you.
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, this role involves directly working with children and significant contact with children, and therefore we expect all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check for this post prior to commencement. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.The Trust is an equal opportunities employer.
If successfully shortlisted the HR Department will also be conducting an individual online search including social media platforms of your ‘name, education and employment’, to demonstrate due diligence following ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ guidance. The search will not form part of the actual shortlisting process and any concerns arising from the search will be discussed directly with you.
Commitment to safeguarding
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) check is required for this post prior to commencement. The Trust is an equal opportunities employer.