Communication & Complex SEND Practitioner (Non-Verbal Learners)

Specialist Communication & Complex SEND Practitioner (Non-Verbal Learners)

Koji Academy | Kidsgrove / Biddulph, Staffordshire

£44.00 per hour | Part-Time | In-Person | Flexible School Hours

Helping a young person communicate, connect and learn — one small step at a time.

About the Opportunity

Koji Academy is seeking a compassionate, experienced specialist to support a young person with complex special educational needs and significant communication difficulties.

This is not a conventional tutoring role.

We are looking for someone who understands that meaningful progress may begin with a few minutes of engagement, a shared activity, a positive response or a new way of communicating.

The young person is non-verbal and requires highly individualised, patient and structured support. Early observations suggest that play-based activities involving building blocks, letters, numbers and simple interactions may provide a positive starting point.

Our immediate focus is on developing communication, trust, engagement and foundational learning skills through short, carefully planned sessions.

We welcome applications from professionals with experience in specialist communication support, complex SEND, autism, profound or significant learning needs, and therapeutic or developmental interventions.

About Koji Academy

Koji Academy is a growing specialist alternative education provider supporting children and young people who need education delivered differently.

We work with local authorities, families and professionals to provide individualised support for learners with SEND, SEMH, autism and complex barriers to learning.

We are ISO 9001 certified and delivered nearly 10,000 hours of tuition during our first year.

Our approach is grounded in patience, safeguarding, emotional wellbeing and meaningful progress.

What You Will Do

You will work individually with a young person to develop communication, engagement and early learning through carefully adapted activities.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Building a calm, trusting and positive relationship with the learner.
• Using play-based and sensory-aware activities to encourage engagement and communication.
• Supporting early recognition of letters, numbers, shapes and everyday concepts at the learner's pace.
• Using appropriate non-verbal communication techniques, visual supports and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) approaches where suitable.
• Introducing short, structured activities with appropriate breaks.
• Recognising and responding sensitively to signs of distress, sensory overload or disengagement.
• Supporting positive interactions, emotional regulation and communication development.
• Observing and recording small but meaningful achievements.
• Working collaboratively with carers, family members, Koji Academy's education team and relevant professionals.
• Following individual risk assessments, safeguarding procedures and agreed safe-working arrangements.

Success in this role is not measured by how much curriculum content is covered. It is measured by meaningful engagement, communication and gradual progress.

Understanding the Learner's Needs

The young person requires an experienced professional who is comfortable working with complex communication and developmental needs.

You should understand that:

• Engagement may initially last only 15–20 minutes.
• Activities must be flexible, motivating and adapted to the learner's responses.
• Small learning materials may present mouthing or choking risks and must be avoided where unsuitable.
• The learner may require substantial adult support, supervision and carefully managed physical boundaries.
• Communication and behaviour may require specialist interpretation and a calm, consistent response.
• Sessions will initially be short, potentially up to one hour, subject to assessment and review.

Appropriate staffing, supervision and safe-working arrangements will be agreed before independent delivery begins.

Who We Are Looking For

We are particularly interested in applicants with professional experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Specialist communication support for non-verbal or minimally verbal children and young people.
• Complex SEND, severe learning difficulties (SLD) or profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).
• Autism and significant communication differences.
• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), including PECS, Makaton or other appropriate communication systems.
• Play-based developmental learning and sensory-informed approaches.
• Specialist residential care, complex-needs care or education settings.
• Positive behaviour support and safe interaction with learners who may require intensive adult support.

Relevant Professional Backgrounds

We welcome applications from:

• HCPC-registered Speech and Language Therapists.
• Speech and Language Therapy Assistants.
• Specialist SEND Practitioners.
• Complex Needs Support Workers.
• Experienced Learning Disability Support Practitioners.
• Specialist Autism and Communication Practitioners.
• SEN Teaching Assistants with substantial complex-needs experience.
• Experienced children's residential care practitioners with relevant communication and developmental support experience.

You do not necessarily need to be a qualified teacher.

What matters most is your relevant specialist experience, professional judgement, safeguarding awareness and ability to engage safely and meaningfully with a young person who has complex needs.

Applicants who are not registered Speech and Language Therapists will not be expected to diagnose communication disorders or independently provide regulated speech and language therapy.

Essential Requirements

• At least one year's relevant professional experience supporting children or young people with complex SEND and significant communication needs.
• Practical experience supporting non-verbal or minimally verbal learners.
• Confidence delivering individualised, play-based or communication-focused activities.
• Ability to recognise communication cues, adapt activities and manage engagement sensitively.
• Understanding of safeguarding, professional boundaries and risk management.
• Willingness to work collaboratively with other professionals and follow agreed support plans.
• Relevant qualifications or professional training in SEND, communication, care, education, therapy or a related field.
• Enhanced DBS certificate registered with the Update Service, or willingness to obtain one before starting.
• Right to work in the UK.
• Two satisfactory professional references.
• Ability to attend in-person sessions in the Kidsgrove/Biddulph area.
• Willingness to work on a self-employed basis.

Desirable Experience

• AAC, Makaton, PECS or intensive interaction.
• Speech and language support under professional supervision.
• Supporting individuals with severe or profound learning difficulties.
• Positive Behaviour Support (PBS).
• Sensory processing differences.
• Working alongside multidisciplinary teams.
• Supporting learners who mouth objects or require careful environmental risk management.

Working Arrangements

Pay: £44.00 per hour

Location: Kidsgrove / Biddulph, Staffordshire

Job Type: Part-time, Freelance / Self-employed

Delivery: In-person

Hours: Short sessions, initially expected to be up to one hour, with frequency and total weekly hours to be agreed.

Working Days: Monday to Friday, primarily during school hours.

Support: Koji Academy's education and safeguarding team will provide oversight, with relevant professional input and safe-working arrangements agreed for the placement.

Why Join Koji Academy?

Meaningful individual work

Support a learner who may need a different approach to communication, development and education.

Celebrate small achievements

A few minutes of engagement, a positive interaction or a new communication response can represent genuine progress.

Professional respect

We value your specialist knowledge, observations and recommendations when developing an appropriate support plan.

Collaborative support

Work alongside an organisation committed to safeguarding, professional oversight and child-centred practice.

Flexible opportunities

Part-time work with scope for additional suitable placements as opportunities become available.

Recruitment Process

• Initial application and screening questions through Indeed.
• Online interview to discuss your relevant specialist experience.
• Safer recruitment checks, qualification verification, references and DBS clearance.
• Review of the learner's needs, risk assessment and agreed support arrangements before placement.

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities

Koji Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to appropriate safer recruitment checks, including identity, right to work, references, qualification verification and Enhanced DBS checks.

We welcome applications from suitably qualified and experienced professionals of all backgrounds and are committed to equal opportunities.

If you have the experience, patience and specialist skills to help a young person develop communication and engagement through small, meaningful steps, we would welcome your application.

Pay: £38.00-£45.00 per hour

Expected hours: 10.0 per week

Benefits:

• Casual dress

Application question(s):

• Do you have at least one year's professional experience supporting non-verbal or minimally verbal children or young people with complex SEND?
• Which specialist approaches have you used professionally?

AAC / PECS / Makaton

Intensive interaction

Play-based developmental learning

Positive Behaviour Support

Complex-needs care

Other relevant experience

• Are you confident working with learners who require intensive supervision, careful physical boundaries and individual risk-management arrangements?

Yes

No

Would like to discuss

• Can you attend short in-person sessions in the Kidsgrove/Biddulph area during school hours?

Yes

No

• Do you hold an Enhanced DBS certificate registered with the DBS Update Service?

Work Location: In person