- Lichfield, Staffordshire (WS13)
- Competitive Hourly Rate
- 8 Hours per Week (4 x 2-Hour Sessions)
- Face-to-Face Home Tuition
- Monday–Thursday | After 10:00am Preferred
We are seeking a compassionate, experienced Specialist SEN Tutor to support a Year 7 student with Autism, severe Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), anxiety and SEMH needs who is currently unable to attend school.
This rewarding role focuses on rebuilding trust in education through patient, relationship-led tuition before gradually supporting reintegration into school.
About the Role
You will deliver 1:1 tuition and mentoring within the family home, combining academic support with emotional regulation strategies.
Teaching will focus on:
- Reading
- Writing
- Maths
- Communication and interaction skills
- Confidence building
- Emotional regulation
- Preparing for a gradual return to education
Rather than formal teaching from day one, your first priority will be building a trusting relationship in which the student feels emotionally safe.
About the Student
The student is a bright and creative Year 7 learner who:
- Has a diagnosis of Autism
- Experiences severe school anxiety and EBSA
- Is currently supported by CAMHS
- Is awaiting the finalisation of an EHCP
- Has been unable to access mainstream education due to overwhelming anxiety
- Benefits from calm, predictable adults and low-pressure interactions
She particularly enjoys:
- Board games
- Pokémon
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Geography and History
- Animals (especially ducks)
- Lego
- Anime and My Hero Academia
- Musicals, music and singing
- Colouring and drawing
These interests should be woven naturally into learning to maximise engagement.
The Ideal Tutor
We are looking for someone with experience supporting young people with:
- Autism
- EBSA / Emotionally Based School Avoidance
- SEMH
- Anxiety and depression
- Selective mutism
- Emotional regulation difficulties
Most importantly, you'll understand that relationship building comes before academic progress.
The successful tutor will:
- Be patient, calm and emotionally attuned
- Respect the student's pace and boundaries
- Understand neurodivergent communication styles
- Be comfortable leading sessions without expecting verbal responses
- Build trust before introducing formal learning
Experience of working with neurodivergent young people, either professionally or through lived experience, would be highly desirable.
Teaching Approach
This placement requires a highly flexible, low-arousal approach.
Successful sessions may include:
- Board games
- Puzzles
- Shared reading
- Colouring or creative activities
- Gentle interest-led conversations
- Animal-themed resources
- Geography and History projects
- Maths embedded naturally into games
Initially there should be no pressure around assessments or formal education until trust has been established.
The student often communicates through observation rather than conversation and may become selectively mute when overwhelmed.
The tutor should:
- Lead interactions gently without expecting replies
- Respect personal space and preferred seating
- Never pressure communication
- Use predictable routines every session
- Introduce learning gradually once a relationship has developed
Parent Guidance
The family has provided valuable advice for the successful tutor:
- A short introduction about yourself (including hobbies, interests and a photo) before the first session is strongly encouraged to help build familiarity.
- She benefits from beginning sessions with a board game, puzzle or shared activity.
- Mum or Dad will remain available throughout sessions and can support communication if needed.
- Building trust is significantly more important than completing academic work during the first few sessions.
Essential Requirements
Applicants should have:
- Experience supporting children with Autism and EBSA
- A nurturing, trauma-informed approach
- Experience delivering SEN tuition on a 1:1 basis
- Excellent relationship-building skills
- Enhanced DBS (or willingness to obtain one)
- Strong safeguarding knowledge
Hours & Location
Location:
- Face-to-face home tuition in Lichfield (WS13)
Hours:
- 8 hours per week
- Monday–Thursday
- 2-hour sessions
- Sessions should begin after 10:00am to accommodate the student's sleep routine.
Why Apply?
This is an opportunity to make a genuine difference to a young person's life.
With the right tutor, this placement has the potential to rebuild confidence, reduce anxiety and help a young person who has been out of education rediscover a positive relationship with learning.
If you're a patient, creative tutor who understands Autism, EBSA and relationship-led education, we'd love to hear from you.
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: £27.00-£32.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
