Job Description

Aurora Eccles School

Norfolk
Expiring soon

Salary:

Salary: 12.99 - 13.49 per hour (23,210.52 - 24,103.92 actual salary per year) Dependant on experience and qualifications

Job type:

Full Time, Permanent

Apply by:

4 July 2025

Job overview

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Play Practitioner

Location:

Aurora Eccles and White House Schools, Quidenham, Norwich, NR16 2NZ

Salary

: 12.99 - 13.49 per hour (23,210.52 - 24,103.92 actual salary per year) Dependant on experience and qualifications

Hours:

40 hours per week, Term time only

Aurora Eccles and White House Schools

We're seeking to recruit a dedicated Play Practitioner to join our multidisciplinary team in a SEN school. In this role, you'll use play-based approaches to support children with additional needs enhancing their learning, social development, and emotional well-being. Working collaboratively with teachers, therapists, and support staff, you'll help create an inclusive environment where children can develop through both structured and free play activities. You'll play a key role in implementing targeted interventions under the direction of our Play Therapist, supporting individual students, small groups, and classes as needed.


Part of the Aurora Group, Aurora Eccles and White House Schools in Quidenham, Norwich provides day placements for students aged 6 to 16 years primarily with communication and interaction difficulties or specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. Some may be on the autistic spectrum or have anxieties and difficulties that create barriers to learning.


With small classes, typically 7 children and a minimum of 3 staff per class you can focus on the needs of each student. There is a full clinical team onsite to support at all times and you will have the support of an experienced and stable SLT.


If you're passionate about supporting children with additional needs through play-based learning, we'd welcome your application.

Key Accountabilities:

Caseload Management & Service Delivery

Work under supervision of the Play Therapist to manage an assigned caseload of students within Aurora Eccles and Aurora White House Schools Collaborate with Play Therapist(s), Therapy Leads, Clinical Lead and Senior Leadership Team to ensure efficient workload management and effective service delivery Liaise with Therapy Assistants, Therapists and Emotional Literacy Practitioners (ELSAs) to ensure appropriate caseload management and skills sharing Prioritise caseload under direction of Play Therapist to ensure equitable service delivery

Assessment & Intervention

Support the Play Therapist with student assessments and interventions as directed Provide direct and indirect play therapy interventions for individuals and groups Plan and facilitate engaging play sessions that support learning, social interaction, and sensory needs Adapt play activities to suit children with diverse needs, including Autism, ADHD, SEMH, speech language and communication needs, and sensory needs Measure intervention outcomes against EHCP and Annual Review targets Record progress and outcomes using school systems (e.g. Earwig)


Please note that duties will vary and you will be expected to contribute to the overall aims of the schools when required. Please see the link below for our full job description:


- Play Practitioner

Qualifications - Essential

Level 3 qualification in play work, early years, or related field Certificate or diploma in play therapy/therapeutic play e.g. Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills; PTUK / BAPT Practitioner of Play Skills Qualification or similar Evidence of supervision received from approved and accredited Play Therapist

Knowledge - Essential

Evidence of Continuing Professional Development Understanding of attachment theory and trauma-informed practice Knowledge of SEN and working within SEN education settings Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Conditions, ADHD, and SEMH difficulties Commitment to safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk and to upholding safe working practices, working in a way that promotes the safety and wellbeing of all Understanding of play-based learning and child development.

Experience - Essential

Experience of working as a play practitioner or similar Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for clients' emotional care and treatment including maintaining confidentiality Experience of multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency working Experience working with children with SEN in an educational, therapeutic, or childcare setting.

Skills - Essential

Ability to build constructive relationships with warmth, empathy, patience and tact using good communication skills Fluent in written and spoken English with the ability to communicate complex information in a clear manner to a range of audiences including students, parents, and professionals Ability to keep legible and accurate notes in line with professional record keeping requirements under the direction and supervision of the Play Therapist. Ability to implement integrated intervention plans, under the direction and supervision of the Play Therapist Good IT skills for administration, presentations, recording and reporting systems Ability to identify difficulties in practice and to seek and use supervision constructively


Due to the rural location of the school, candidates are strongly advised to hold a full UK driving licence and have access to their own vehicle.



Be part of our successful team and also benefit from a generous package that includes:

Life assurance Enhanced pension scheme Free lunch when working Perkbox - offering high street discounts Employee assistance programme Car lease scheme and Bike to work scheme Fully funded training and qualifications Free membership to our Health cash back plan Family Swim

How to apply

:


Please complete an online application form in full. If you need any assistance please contact Liz in the Aurora Group Recruitment Team at Liz.hudson@theauroragroup.co.uk

Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer.

This advert could be taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled.

Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search.

About

Aurora Eccles School

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Aurora Eccles School

Quidenham, Norwich
Norfolk
NR16 2NZ
United Kingdom

+44 1953 887217

Welcome to our Special Needs Secondary School in Quidenham, Norfolk

Take a virtual tour here

: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=BV9VRe6dfQj

As Principal of the site that Aurora Eccles shares with its primary counterpart, Aurora White House School, I am delighted to introduce you to our wonderful school community.



It is our aim to provide an environment in which young people can achieve their potential and make meaningful, informed choices about every aspect of their lives. Through our highly skilled teams of teaching, support and therapeutic staff, we offer personalised, tailored interventions to help students of all ages make genuine progress in their academic, social and emotional development.



We are proud to be recognised as the 'go to provider' for the local authority here in Norfolk; the trust that is placed in us, by families and professionals alike, is testament to the quality and scope of education and support that we offer to every student in our care. We hope you enjoy reading about us; and we look forward to welcoming you soon.

Arabella Hardy

, Site Principal, Aurora Eccles and Aurora White House School

Our School

Aurora Eccles is an independent, specialist day school for students aged 11-18 who have experienced difficulties in mainstream settings, either as a result of specific learning difficulties or more complex communication and interaction difficulties (including those associated with autism spectrum conditions).



We have high expectations for all our students and we encourage them to expect more for themselves. We offer a personalised package of education and support to each student, designed around the needs identified in their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).



Our ambition is to give our students all the skills they need to lead an independent, fulfilling adult life. We do this not only by providing opportunities for them to achieve academically, but also by helping them develop the practical skills necessary to manage their own physical, emotional and social wellbeing and to understand their place in the world.

The Aurora Eccles journey

When a young person arrives at Aurora Eccles, we commit to exploring ways of helping them fulfil their potential in every area of their life.



We begin by rebuilding their faith in school and education, by creating an environment where they feel safe and able to learn. We take a positive approach to behaviour management, encouraging the development of a strong sense of identity while promoting effective interaction with others.



Individual pastoral support and care for each student is provided by their form teacher, who also has regular contact with their parents and carers to offer support, guidance and a link to other staff and departments. For students requiring higher levels of support, provision can be made - either full time or periodically - to facilitate participation in school activities.



Throughout their time with us, students have an opportunity to achieve a range of qualifications, from pre-entry-level certificates through to higher-grade GCSEs, depending on their needs, abilities and interests.



By the time they leave us, each of our students will be in a position to make meaningful, informed choices about their own future, whether that is by accessing further education, or through appropriate vocational training or employment.

Our Facilities

Students at Aurora Eccles benefit from access to facilities including a music room, science laboratories, cookery room, and technology and art studios, and enjoy regular use of our extensive sports and recreation facilities, including an indoor swimming pool, large sports field, activity centre and climbing wall.



All students take part in a range of individual and team sports, with both inter-house and external fixtures against other schools planned regularly throughout the academic year.



Set in 34 acres of beautiful countryside, Aurora Eccles also has a wealth of exciting outdoor learning spaces for students, including an area of magnificent private woodland, which is used for our Outdoor and Woodland Learning (OWLs) programme.



Incorporating a range of adventurous activities delivered by qualified Forest School practitioners, the OWLs programme offers students the freedom to be the architects of their own learning, all within a natural environment.



The learning experience for students at Aurora Eccles does not end at the school gate. All our students participate in school visits, trips and community projects to bring the curriculum subjects to life, and are encouraged to support our staff in organising them.



From Year 10 onwards, our students also have the opportunity to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award programme, through which they can experience new challenges and further develop their communication and teamwork skills.

Our Curriculum

Students at Aurora Eccles enjoy a broad curriculum that mirrors the experience of their mainstream peers, based around the core subjects of English, mathematics, science and humanities along with specialist subjects including computing and ICT, art and multimedia, and design and technology.



We also offer all our students opportunities to develop non-academic 'life skills' such as cookery, gardening and construction.



Our older students have the option to complete the ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE), a substantial, nationally recognised qualification in skills development.



The CoPE enables students to practise, develop and demonstrate six important skills that are required for success in higher education, training or employment: teamwork, problem solving, discussion, research, oral presentation and self-management.

Integrated therapy

As well as academic and skill development opportunities, we offer a range of therapeutic interventions designed to help our students overcome barriers to participation in education.



Discrete interventions, including speech and language therapy and occupational therapy, are delivered by our on-site team of highly skilled clinical staff with support from visiting therapy specialists.



These interventions sit alongside a classroom experience which integrates therapeutic approaches on a one-to-one, small group and whole class basis.

Our Outcomes

We are proud to list evidence of the progress and performance of our students (for the previous academic year) below:


Pupils achieved an average of 6.5 qualifications

100% of pupils passed Level 1 Vocational Pathway

83% of pupils achieved a Maths qualification, with one pupil achieving Grade 9 Please note that you are wholly responsible for fact checking in respect of the information provided by schools. Please also check for the latest visa and work permit requirements that may apply. Tes is not responsible for the content of advertisements or the policies adopted by advertising schools. Tes asks that all schools follow

Tes' Fair Recruitment Policy

.