Location: Home Tuition – Brentwood, Essex (CM14)
Hours: 9 Hours Per Week – 3 Days Per Week
Start Date: September 2026
Subjects: Functional Skills English & Maths
Essential Requirement: Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
About the Role
Study Mind is looking for an experienced QTS SEN Tutor to provide 1:1 face-to-face tuition for a secondary-aged student with an EHCP who has been out of formal education for an extended period.
Applicants must hold UK Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). We are particularly interested in qualified teachers who have experience working within SEN, Alternative Provision, EOTAS, SEMH or specialist education settings.
The student is academically able, with particular strengths in reading, English and verbal reasoning, but Autism, significant anxiety, EBSA and autistic burnout have created substantial barriers to accessing education.
About the Student
The student has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and anxiety and has experienced significant early childhood trauma. Previous attempts at reintegration and home-based professional teaching have been unsuccessful, meaning the way this tuition is introduced will be particularly important.
She experiences severe internalised anxiety around education and is more likely to respond to overwhelm through withdrawal, shutdown and avoidance rather than outward challenging behaviour.
Masking, perfectionism, fear of failure and autistic burnout can all affect her ability to engage, so this placement requires a tutor who understands that relationship-building and emotional safety must come before academic pressure.
The Role Will Include
- Delivering 9 hours of 1:1 tuition per week, across three afternoon sessions.
- Teaching Functional Skills English and Maths, with initial assessment used to establish appropriate working levels.
- Identifying gaps in learning and developing a personalised programme of study.
- Building trust and emotional safety before gradually increasing academic expectations.
- Breaking learning into short, achievable tasks with explicit start and finish points.
- Interspersing academic work with appropriate non-academic activities to support regulation and engagement.
- Supporting longer-term progression towards KS4 accreditation and Post-16 education, employment or training.
- Providing regular progress information and contributing to relevant review meetings.
Essential Tutor Requirements
QTS IS ESSENTIAL FOR THIS PLACEMENT.
The successful tutor will need:
- UK Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
- Strong experience teaching secondary-aged learners, ideally including KS4 or Functional Skills.
- Experience supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD/ASC).
- A strong understanding of EBSA, significant anxiety and autistic burnout.
- Experience using trauma-informed and relationship-led approaches.
- Confidence supporting learners returning to education following prolonged absence.
- Experience working 1:1 or within SEN, Alternative Provision, EOTAS or specialist settings would be highly desirable.
The referral specifically requires a qualified practitioner with secondary core-subject experience and a strong understanding of autism, anxiety, EBSA and trauma-informed practice.
Communication & Learning Approach
The successful tutor will need to use clear, concrete and unambiguous language, avoiding sarcasm, implied meanings or unnecessarily complicated verbal instructions.
The student benefits from visual support, additional processing time and single-step instructions. She may not always tell an adult when she has misunderstood and can instead mask difficulties, so the tutor must be skilled at recognising subtle signs of confusion or overwhelm.
Learning should be structured but low-pressure, with expectations gradually increased as the student's confidence and tolerance develop.
Relationship Building Is Essential
We are looking for a QTS tutor who is kind, patient, gentle and quietly encouraging.
The student can be extremely anxious when meeting someone new. The tutor should respect her personal space, avoid being overly familiar and avoid asking lots of personal questions during the early stages.
Consistency is particularly important. We are looking for one qualified teacher who can commit to the placement and gradually establish a secure and trusting working relationship.
Student Interests
The student is bright, thoughtful and creative and enjoys:
- Anime, manga and cosplay.
- Alternative, indie, rock and pop music.
- Fantasy and supernatural programmes.
- Reading and creative activities.
She values learning and wants to be successful, and these interests can provide useful low-pressure starting points for developing rapport and reintroducing structured learning.
Sensory & Emotional Support
The student experiences significant sensitivities to noise, light, touch, smells and environmental stimulation. A calm, predictable and low-arousal approach will therefore be essential.
The tutor must be able to recognise when cognitive or sensory overload is developing, reduce demands appropriately and support regulation before attempting to return to learning.
Tuition Details
Location: Initially within the student's home in Brentwood, Essex (CM14). Once a trusting relationship has developed, there may be an opportunity to gradually move sessions into a quiet community setting such as a library.
Hours: 9 hours per week – 3 hours per day, 3 days per week.
Timing: Afternoons are strongly preferred, as mornings can be particularly difficult and the student needs time to prepare herself for meetings and activities.
Start Date: September 2026.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced QTS SEN Teacher/Tutor who is confident combining strong teaching practice with a patient, low-demand and trauma-informed approach to help a young person gradually rebuild their confidence in education.Company Overview
At Study Mind, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their circumstances. We specialise in providing high-quality, 1:1 tuition for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who require personalised academic support outside mainstream education. Through our tailored approach, we help students build confidence, engage with learning, and achieve academic success.
Pay: £30.00-£40.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
