What Is A SEN Teacher?
What is a SEN teacher? Learn how SEN teachers support children with special educational needs, what their role involves, and the skills and training required to make a difference.
Introduction
Every child deserves the chance to thrive in education, but for some, learning doesn’t always come as naturally to them as it does to their peers. Children with Special Education Needs (SEN) may face challenges that require additional support, different teaching methods, and someone to take the time to understand how they learn best. This is where SEN teachers come in.
SEN teachers play a crucial role in helping children with educational needs overcome barriers in their learning, build confidence and achieve their full potential. But what exactly does a SEN teacher do? How is their role any different from a mainstream early years teacher? What kind of training or qualities do they need to have?
In this blog, we’ll explain the role of a SEN teacher, the skills they bring to the classroom and why their work is so important in creating a supportive learning environment for all children.
What Does SEN Mean?
SEN stands for Special Educational Needs. It refers to children and young people who find learning more difficult than others their age, or who face challenges that make it harder to access the same material in the same way as their peers.
This can include a wide range of needs, such as:
- Learning Disabilities - such as Dyslexia (reading difficulty), Dyscalculia (difficulty with numbers and maths), Dysgraphia (writing problems), Global Developmental Delay (takes longer to reach development milestones like motor skills, speech etc.)
- Communication and Interaction Needs - Speech and language challenges, or being on the autism spectrum
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH) - ADHD, OCD or anxiety etc.
- Physical or sensory impairments - like deaf and blind children.
Some children may have just one identifiable need, while others may experience a combination. SEN doesn’t mean a child is incapable of learning, it simply means they might need additional support, different teaching methods, or longer time to complete tasks to help them succeed.
Understanding what SEN means is the first step in recognising just how vital the role of a SEN teacher is in supporting every child to learn in a way that works for them.
What is a SEN teacher?
A SEN teacher is a qualified educator who specialises in supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs. Their main goal is to make learning accessible and meaningful for every student, no matter their individual challenges.
Unlike a mainstream teacher, who may teach a whole class with a broad curriculum, SEN teachers focus on tailoring education to meet their student’s specific needs. This might mean working one-on-one with a child, teaching in small groups, or supporting pupils within a larger class alongside the main teacher.
SEN teachers don’t just teach academic subjects, they help their students develop life skills, social confidence, communication abilities and emotional resilience - things that might not come as easily to SEN children as they do to their peers. They often use specialist strategies, tools and resources designed to support children with SEN.
Here’s a few examples of what this looks like in practice:
- Creating a quiet, low-stimulation space to help an autistic student feel calm and focused.
- Using visual aids or sign language to support a child with communication difficulties or deafness.
- Breaking tasks down into small, manageable steps for a child with ADHD or anxiety, to make the workload feel more approachable.
- Supporting transitions between activities or year groups for pupils who struggle with change.
SEN teachers are not just educators, they are advocates, problem solvers, and trusted adults in the lives of the children they support. If this sounds like you, take a look at our specialist educator apprenticeship to start your career in supporting children with SEN.
Key Responsibilities of a SEN Teacher
The role of a SEN teacher is incredibly varied, and your responsibilities will change day to day. Because every student’s needs are different, SEN teachers must be flexible, creative and responsive to the children they support. While every SEN teacher’s experience will be different, here are some key responsibilities that typically apply to the role.
Creating and Managing Support Plans
Many pupils with SEN have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). SEN teachers help write and review these plans, setting realistic goals and tracking outcomes to ensure students are making progress. They realise the importance of regularly assessing how students are doing, not just academically, but emotionally and socially too. SEN teachers track progress, note any fallbacks, and adjust their teaching strategies as needed, always keeping the child’s best interests at heart.
Planning and delivering adapted lessons
SEN teachers design lessons that are tailored to the individual needs and learning styles of their pupils. This might involve using specialist resources, simplifying instructions or incorporating sensory activities into the task to help students stay engaged. Adapted lessons mean that the student isn’t missing out on what their peers are learning, they are just learning it in a slightly different way.
Supporting Emotional and Social Development
Many children with SEN also benefit from help with things like managing emotions, developing friendships or building confidence. Social situations can be hard to navigate, and emotional regulation can be a challenge in an environment as unpredictable as a school classroom. Something as simple as a small change in routines can lead to distress in a SEN child.
SEN teachers often play a crucial role in creating safe and supportive environments where students feel understood and accepted, so they can develop these crucial skills in their own time, with the support there if needed.
This might involve:
- Encouraging peer interaction - by supporting group work and gently guiding social situations to help students feel a part of the class.
- Creating ‘calm zones’ - where students have the option to go to if they feel overwhelmed, and have a safe space to talk about how they’re feeling
- Using structured activities to teach social skills - games and role play scenarios can help teach SEN students how to take turns, ask for help, speak to others nicely etc.
Skills and Qualities Needed to be a SEN Teacher
Being a SEN teacher isn’t just about having the right qualifications, it’s about having the right mindset too. It takes a special kind of person to work in this kind of role: someone who is patient, adaptable, and deeply committed to helping every child succeed, no matter the challenges.
Here are some of the key skills and qualities that make a great SEN teacher:
- Patience and Empathy - Progress can look different for every child, and it doesn’t always happen quickly. SEN teachers need to be able to stay calm, compassionate and understanding, even when things don’t go to plan, or progress often feels like steps backwards.
- Adaptability - What works for one pupil might not work for another. Some days, you might feel like all of your training isn’t working, but this is when you’ll need to be able to think on your feet. SEN teachers need to be able to change their approach or try new strategies to meet the needs of their students.
- Strong Communication Skills - Whether it’s working closely with families, liaising with specialists, or supporting children who use alternative forms of communication, SEN teachers must be able to listen carefully and communicate clearly.
- Observational Skills - Spotting subtle changes in a child’s behaviour or mood can make all the difference. SEN teachers are often highly tuned in to the emotional and social cues of their students.
- Creativity - Sometimes, supporting a child’s learning requires thinking outside the box - whether that’s through games, visuals, movement, or hands-on activities. SEN teachers often have to bring lots of imagination to their work.
Qualifications and Training
To become a SEN teacher, you’ll need a solid foundation in teaching, alongside specialist knowledge of how to support children with additional needs. There are a few different pathways into the role, but all require a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development.
Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
Some SEN teachers begin their careers as qualified teachers. This typically means completing a degree in education, or a degree in another subject followed by a PGCE. Taking this route is perhaps the most traditional route into teaching, but it is not always the right fit for everyone. Tuition fees and student debt put a considerable pressure on finances, and limit real world experience early on in the course.
Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeships
Teaching apprenticeships are a brilliant alternative for those who want to get stuck in and learn on the job. You’ll work in a school from day one, earning a salary, while gaining practical classroom experience and studying towards your qualification at the same time.
Many of our apprenticeship programmes offer built-in training around Special Educational Needs, so you can start developing SEN expertise from the very start of your career.
This route is perfect for people who want:
- To learn by doing, rather than learning through lectures.
- A more affordable way into teaching - often with no cost to you!
- To build confidence early on, by being a part of a school team right from the beginning.
If you’re interested in an apprenticeship in specialist childcare, get in touch today.
Conclusion
Being an SEN teacher isn’t just a job—it’s a chance to make a lasting difference in a child’s life. Whether you’re helping someone learn to read, express their emotions, or simply feel safe and understood at school, the impact you make is real.
If you’re considering a career in SEN education, we’d love to help you take the next step. Our apprenticeship programmes are designed to give you the experience, support and training you need to flourish as a SEN teacher. Get in touch with us today.
Both the Impact Futures and The Childcare Company brands are used interchangeably for both Impact Futures Training Limited and The Child Care Company (Old Windsor) Limited.