Psychology Graduate – Islington – Aspiring Occupational Therapist
Role: SEN Teaching Assistant – Specialist Autism & PMLD School (Severe Needs & Non-Verbal Students)
Start Date: September 2026

Location: Islington
Pay: £108 per day
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–3:45pm (term time only)
Start Date: September 2026
Interviews & Trial Days: Available from summer 2026

Psychology Graduate – Islington – Aspiring Occupational Therapist – Education and Training - Psychology Graduate – Islington – Aspiring Occupational Therapist

Are you a Psychology Graduate in Islington looking to build hands-on experience before progressing into Occupational Therapy, Clinical Psychology, or another therapeutic career?

Do you want a role that goes beyond the classroom and gives you real-world exposure to severe needs, non-verbal students, sensory regulation, and communication support?

Milk Education, a wellbeing-led and eco-friendly education agency, is recruiting Psychology and Creative graduates to join a highly specialist SEN school in Islington.

The Role: SEN Learning Support Assistant

This specialist provision supports pupils with severe needs, including high-support Autism, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), and Global Developmental Delay (GDD). Many pupils are non-verbal, making this role ideal for graduates who are empathetic, observant, and interested in sensory and movement-based approaches to communication and regulation.

Why this role suits Aspiring Occupational Therapists

Working with non-verbal students with severe needs requires a deep understanding of:

• Sensory processing differences – how pupils experience touch, sound, movement, and space
• Fine and gross motor skills – supporting pupils with physical disabilities and motor delays
• Sensory regulation – identifying triggers, creating calm spaces, and using sensory tools to prevent distress
• Environmental adaptation – adjusting tasks and surroundings to enable participation
• Non-verbal communication – reading body language, facial expression, and movement as communication

Your experience will give you a strong foundation for Occupational Therapy training, particularly in paediatrics, sensory integration, and complex needs.

Your Experience Will Include:

• Supporting sensory regulation and sensory care (e.g., sensory diets, sensory rooms, equipment)
• Providing personal care (toileting, hygiene, feeding, and positioning) – essential for understanding the physical needs of students with severe disabilities
• Facilitating communication through play, art, music, visuals, sensory tools, and movement
• Assisting with daily therapeutic activities inspired by Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech & Language Therapy (SALT), and Clinical Psychology
• Developing an understanding of behaviour as communication, emotional regulation, and individual sensory profiles
• Supporting fine motor development (e.g., grip, mark-making, using tools) and gross motor skills (e.g., positioning, moving, balance)

This is an outstanding opportunity for graduates planning postgraduate training in Occupational Therapy, Art Therapy, Physiotherapy, or related therapeutic pathways.

Psychology Graduate – Islington – Aspiring Occupational Therapist – Education and Training - Psychology Graduate – Islington – Aspiring Occupational Therapist

Understanding Severe Needs & Non-Verbal Students

Working with students who have severe needs and are non-verbal means:

• Every behaviour has meaning – you will learn to interpret what a pupil is communicating through movement, sound, or distress
• Sensory needs are central – many pupils experience the world differently and need support to feel safe and regulated
• Progress looks different – small wins (a moment of eye contact, a calmer transition, a reached-for object) are huge achievements

In this role, you will learn how to tailor support to each child's unique sensory and physical needs, helping them make meaningful progress in a safe and nurturing environment.

Why Join Milk Education?

Training & CPD

• Free CPD including Autism Awareness, Makaton, PECS, Sensory Processing, Behaviour & De-escalation, and Trauma-Informed Practice
• Career-focused development aligned with Occupational Therapy and therapy routes

Wellbeing & Support

• Access to a mental health and wellbeing platform, including counselling
• A dedicated consultant invested in your long-term career goals

Benefits for You

• Competitive daily pay (£108 per day)
• Fast-track registration and compliance
• Flexible working opportunities
• 5-star rated agency with 3,000+ reviews
• Free access to the Milk Academy with 1,000+ discounted accredited CPD courses
• FREE wellbeing resources, PSHE materials, and school preparation packs
• 24/7 consultant support
• Access to Unbottled, bringing lived-experience speakers into schools
• Work with the UK's only eco-friendly education supply agency
• Nationwide network of schools and trusts

Who We're Looking For:

• Psychology, Art, Creative, Sport Science, or Social Science graduates
• Aspiring Occupational Therapists or therapists working with severe needs
• Caring, patient, and resilient individuals
• Candidates comfortable supporting personal care as part of holistic SEN support for non-verbal students with severe disabilities
• Graduates keen to use sensory, movement, and play-based approaches to support communication and regulation

Safeguarding commitment

Milk Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We are APSCo Compliance+ accredited, meeting the highest standards in safer recruitment. All applicants will be subject to compliance checks in line with DfE, Keeping Children Safe in Education and APSCo guidelines.

Milk Education is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. By applying, you agree to our Privacy Policy, available on our website. Milk Education is acting as an employment agency in relation to this vacancy.

Psychology Graduate – Islington – Aspiring Occupational Therapist – Education and Training - Psychology Graduate – Islington – Aspiring Occupational Therapist