Physiotherapist/ Specialist Physiotherapist

Salary

Band 5 - 3 days a week- £20,375.94 - £24,803.69 (FTE £35,867 – £43,661)

Location

Southwark Region

Working Pattern

3 days a week, 8.45am-4.30pm, 21.75 hours per week, term time plus 4 weeks in the college holidays

Contract : Term time plus 4 weeks in the holidays (40 working weeks)

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.

At OHC, physiotherapy is about far more than physical health — it is about unlocking potential, building confidence, and empowering every student to achieve greater independence.

Our Physiotherapist plays a pivotal role in supporting young people with learning disabilities to overcome barriers, develop essential life skills, and participate fully in college life. Working collaboratively with students, families, educators, and multidisciplinary teams, they help create opportunities for movement, communication, self-expression, and personal growth.

This is a role where every achievement matters. Whether helping a student improve their mobility, increase their confidence in everyday activities, or take an important step towards adulthood, you will make a meaningful and lasting impact. Every day brings the opportunity to support young people on their unique journey, enabling them to achieve their goals, embrace new possibilities, and build a more independent and fulfilling future.

Key Responsibilities

• To use a person centered approach to promote choice, independence, and inclusion, reflecting the key principals of Valuing People (DOH 2002), Valuing People Now and the Human Rights Act and working towards the Preparing for Adulthood Agenda, in order to enable the student to achieve his/her academic, social and employment potential.
• To provide clinical physiotherapy, mobility and postural assessment and intervention to students in the service
• To independently assess, clinically reason, advise and order specialist equipment for mobility/postural control both static and dynamic, being aware of financial implications and restrictions. Liaise with social services/external agencies/parents/carers regarding the provision and use of such equipment.
• To ensure effective joint working practice between Multi-therapy team and education, health, social services, voluntary sectors and student's families where necessary to overcome limitations students may encounter.
• To set up and run aquatic therapy sessions and complete relevant risk assessments and clinically effective programs.
• To keep up to date with current and new manual handling techniques thus designing appropriate moving and handling guidelines for learners who have significant physical disabilities in addition to their learning disability, using a range of techniques and equipment, ensuring safe practice.
• To prepare and submit written reports including contributions to the interdisciplinary team reports and EHCPs

Key Requirements

• Recognized physiotherapy degree qualification or equivalent.
• UK Health and Care Professions Council – License to Practice.
• Evidence of other formal study leading to a relevant qualification.
• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team of therapy, medical, educational and care colleagues.
• Experience with students over 16 who have severe/profound and multiple learning disabilities and mental health needs.

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
• 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

29th June 2026

Interviews will take place on

week commencing the 6th July 2026

To help us manage applications effectively, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient suitable applications are received.