SENDhelp
A clear SEN teacher job specification is the foundation of a successful agency placement. This guide explains what to include, how to describe the SEN context and how a strong spec reduces lead times and improves match quality.
A well-written SEN teacher job specification is the most important factor in achieving a good agency placement. A vague or incomplete specification forces the agency to make assumptions about requirements that may result in a poorly matched candidate. A detailed, accurate specification clearly describing the type of SEN provision, the specific needs of the pupils, the qualifications required and the key responsibilities allows the agency to search precisely and present candidates who are genuinely suited to the role.
SENDhelp places specialist SEN teachers, teaching assistants and support staff across North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
The most important part is the section describing the SEN context: the type of school or provision, the types of SEN served, the specific needs profile of the pupils, the legislative context such as SEND Code of Practice and EHCP requirements and the approach to teaching and support used. A candidate reading this section should immediately understand whether their experience is relevant.
The specification must clearly state any mandatory qualifications. For Teachers of the Deaf, Teachers of the Visually Impaired and Teachers of MSI, the mandatory qualification must be stated explicitly. For other roles, list required and desirable qualifications separately, making clear which are essential. QTS must always be listed as a requirement for teaching roles in maintained schools.
Describe the needs of the pupils in enough detail that a candidate can assess whether their experience is relevant. Name specific need types: autism, SEMH, PMLD, communication and interaction. Indicate severity and complexity, size of classes or groups, staff-to-pupil ratio and specific approaches used such as TEACCH, intensive interaction or Theraplay.
For roles involving EHCP delivery, explain whether the teacher contributes to annual reviews, works to specific EHCP outcomes with named pupils and liaises with parents and external specialists. These statutory responsibilities are a significant part of SEN teaching roles and candidates need to understand them before applying.
SEN teaching requires specific personal qualities: patience, resilience, creativity in adapting provision, strong communication with parents and external professionals, commitment to inclusive education and ability to remain calm under pressure. Stating these helps both candidates and agencies understand the type of person required.
Include: hours and days of the role, term or duration for a supply placement, location, any physical requirements such as moving and handling or personal care and the pay rate or range where appropriate. For supply placements, including the rate prevents misunderstandings and allows candidates to confirm availability before the agency invests time.
For related guidance see our articles on briefing and onboarding SEN teachers and QTS, PGCE and SEN specialist qualifications.
Writing a generic teacher job description with a brief note that SEN experience is desirable, rather than a SEN-specific description detailing the provision context. Generic descriptions produce mismatched candidates because neither the agency nor the candidate has enough information to assess fit. The SEN context, pupil needs profile and qualifications required should be the most prominent elements, not an afterthought.
No. Specifications should describe types of need and provision context without naming specific pupils or including personal information from individual EHCPs. Candidate-facing documents should not contain identifiable pupil information. Detailed briefing on specific pupils and EHCP provisions should happen at the induction stage after a candidate is selected.
A stronger specification reduces costs by reducing unsuitable candidates presented, reducing the likelihood of a poor match that fails and requires the process to restart and enabling the agency to search more precisely and present candidates faster. The time saved in a well-specified placement more than compensates for the time spent writing a thorough specification.
Visit our SEN teaching resources hub for guides on staffing, compliance, qualifications and specialist provision.
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