Band 5 Occupational Therapist

Salary: Inner London Band 5, Spine point 19 – 24, Actual Salary £33,725.70 - £41,054.39 (FTE £35,867 - £43,661) Location: Camberwell and Bermondsey sites
Working Pattern: 36 hours per week, Term Time plus 4 weeks, 8.45 am – 4.30 pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45 am to 4.15 pm on Friday
Orchard Hill College is an Outstanding Specialist College (Ofsted, April 2025) offering life-changing learning opportunities to young people and adults with a range of special education needs and/or disabilities. We operate vibrant community-based College Centres across London and Surrey, where committed specialist teams deliver a variety of programmes designed to meet the diverse needs of our students.
Students who study with us have a wide range of needs including profound and multiple learning disabilities, communication and behavioural difficulties and specific medical needs. All students are individual, and their learning programme is designed to support and empower them to achieve their aspirations and goals, whilst developing skills to become more independent members of their community.
We are currently seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Occupational Therapist to join our integrated services team. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate professional who is committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of young people with additional needs.
As an Occupational Therapist, you will play a vital role in providing high-quality assessment, intervention, and support for students enabling them to develop independence, functional life skills, emotional regulation, and participation in learning, vocational, and community activities.
A key aspect of the role involves embedding occupational therapy strategies into everyday classroom practice. You will provide guidance, training, and support to staff, ensuring that therapeutic approaches are consistently implemented across the college environment.
By working collaboratively within an integrated team, you will help bridge the gap between therapy and education—ensuring that students are fully supported to engage with the curriculum, develop essential life skills, and achieve their full potential.
Key Responsibilities:
To assess student’s sensory, upper limb/ fine motor, seating, activity/ ADL participation and learning environment needs using a range of formal and informal assessments and observations and manage a diverse clinical caseload with support. 
To consistently demonstrate and promote the highest standards of respect for students and their families, modelling a person-centred, collaborative approach that upholds students' human rights, dignity, individuality, and autonomy, while supporting informed choice and meaningful participation in all aspects of their education and development.
To keep up to date with current and new manual handling techniques in order to design appropriate moving and handling guidelines for learners to access personal care who have significant physical disabilities in addition to their learning disability, using a range of techniques and equipment ensuring safe practice.  
To plan, implement, and review person-centred individual and/or group interventions, which aim to improve functional abilities and participation in college-related learning activities as well as everyday life. 
To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out duties and to adhere to relevant policies, including competence to use equipment and ensuring the safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of practice.   
To plan and deliver training in sensory, upper limb adaptations and functional support, seating, and skill development to education staff, home environments and work places, as indicated.  
Key Requirements:
Degree or Graduate Diploma in Occupational Therapy
UK HPC Registration
Experience with people over 16 who have severe/profound and multiple learning disabilities and / or Autism
Ability to work effectively with others
Orchard Hill College is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:
Rewards & Benefits:
Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme, Employee Car Lease Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme, and more)
Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)
Our Trust:
The College is an Academy sponsor and established Orchard Hill College Academy Trust in 2013 which is home to 13 special schools. Together Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust provide for over 1500 pupils and students with SEN across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit our vacancies page.
Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.
As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.
It is an exciting time to be part of OHC and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.
We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.
If you wish to discuss this opportunity before or after submitting an application form, please get in touch with the college directly. Visits to the College in advance of applications are encouraged.
Your application form will be scored according to each of the requirements laid out in the person specification for this role. Please demonstrate in your statement how your experience, skills and knowledge match the criteria that are required for the role.To apply for this role, please click ‘Fast Apply’, you will then be directed to a ‘Login’ page, once signed in, please complete and submit the Application Form. Please note that CV applications cannot be considered.
To ensure a fair opportunity for all applicants, candidates who have applied for this position in the past 6 months will not be considered.
Closing Date: June 17, 2026
Interviews will take place on: June 24, 2026
To help us manage applications effectively, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient suitable applications are received.