About The Role

Specialist Teacher - Physical and Neurological Impairment (PNI)

Permanent, Full Time

Teacher Upper Pay Scale Plus SEN Allowance

Location: West Essex

Working Style: Operational field-based worker in the West of Essex

The Opportunity

Essex County Council has embarked upon a programme of change for provision and services with the ambition to profoundly improve the outcomes and life experience of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Our vision is for a SEND system which identifies and assesses need at an earlier stage and which provides appropriate and impactful support without such high dependence on Essex County Council’s statutory services. We have a responsibility to deliver effective services and support in the most cost effective and impactful way.

Specialist Teachers will increase the skills, knowledge and understanding of school staff in meeting the needs of children with Physical and Neurological Impairments (PNI) in all areas of education from 0-25.

With qualified teacher status (QTS), and experience of working with children and young people (CYP) with PNI, the role requires excellent communication skills and the ability to build strong working relationships which are collaborative in nature.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Education

Accountabilities

Work in partnership with children, school setting and school staff, Essex colleagues (Inclusion Partners, SEND Ops, Educational Psychologists) and other agencies (such as Therapists and Social Workers) to improve outcomes for CYP with PNI; problem-solving and providing recommendations and strategies as appropriate.
Planning for, teaching and assessment of children on caseload, including modelling how to use ICT hardware and software and advising on curriculum access. Track and report on children’s progress to inform future planning.

Promote independence in CYP with a PNI by assessing and advising on physical access to education environments and facilitating the implementation of adaptations, where appropriate, by providing reports to and participating in the Access Initiative Meeting (AIM)

Advise on, and source, where appropriate, resources/equipment to promote effective teaching, learning and access, as well as meeting the holistic needs of the CYP. Support the development and maintenance of specialist resources.

Support close team working and other colleagues through participation in Teams conversations and Team meetings (in person and virtual)

Plan and deliver training to education settings. Support the delivery of County INSET programme.

Maintain accurate and up to date records and write specialist reports in order to inform One Planning (including EHCPs), transition between settings, and building adaptations. Contribute to Tribunals, as required.

Contribute to the annual specialist development plan. Contribute to staff training within the PNI Specialism and participate in the performance and development review process

Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

DFE recognised teaching qualification and teaching experience.
Evidence of continuing post graduate professional development and specialist knowledge in relevant professional area, including the impact of physical and neurological impairments on access, teaching and learning.
Ability to develop working relationships with colleagues, education staff and other partners in an empathetic, yet assertive way; ability to challenge and influence where appropriate.
Substantial experience working with children and young people with a range of special educational needs.
Experience of working collaboratively with stakeholders, partners and other agencies.

An ability to work independently as well as part of a team. Ability to manage own time and prioritise tasks accordingly.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a way of delivering information in a clear, concise and easily understood manner.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

Interviews

Interviews are scheduled to take place Monday 11th and Monday 18th May 2026.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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Specialist Teacher – Physical and Neurological Impairment (PNI)

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