Vacancies at the Orchard
We are a Special Educational Needs school that is dedicated to providing the best possible education and care for our learners. We believe that every learner has unique abilities and potential, and we are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where they can thrive.
Our team is made up of dedicated and compassionate individuals who are committed to making a difference in the lives of our learners. We offer a variety of opportunities for career growth, and we are always looking for individuals who share our passion for helping learners reach their full potential. If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding career, we would love to hear from you.
Our Salary and Benefits Package
At our school, we believe that our team is our greatest asset. We are committed to providing not only a competitive salary but also a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your personal and professional well-being. From paid sickness days to wellbeing initiatives and opportunities for growth, we’ve tailored our benefits to nurture a fulfilling work-life balance. Discover the full range of rewards we offer to make your journey with us both enriching and rewarding.
Current and Future Opportunities
We are always looking for passionate Teachers, Tutors, Instructors and Learning Support professionals to join our friendly team. We offer full training packages for successful candidates, therefore, experience and/or qualifications are not essential. If you would like to register your interest for current or future opportunities, please submit your details below.
Staff Development Case Studies
We are absolutely committed to supporting our staff to achieve their career progression goals and aspirations and are pleased to share some of their success stories here.
Heidi Higgins
Heidi Higgins, our Assistant Principal for Behaviour and Welfare, has been a valued member of The Orchard School for six years. Starting as a Learning Support Assistant, Heidi’s dedication and passion for our learners have been key to her career growth. With the support of the school and Melrose Education, she has achieved several qualifications, including her PGCE, reflecting the organization’s commitment to staff development.
Melrose Education supports The Orchard’s dedication to fostering staff growth and professional advancement, and Heidi’s journey is a prime example of this ethos in action. Her deep understanding and empathy for both learners and parents drive her passion for the high-quality support and provision we deliver. Heidi is not only a champion for the school but also a fantastic role model, showcasing how hard work and commitment can open doors to new opportunities and career progression.
Tom Sawyer
Tom Sawyer started with Orchard in December 2019 having had no previous experience working in education, let alone in the SEND sector.
Tom was a semi-professional footballer who had recently completed a personal training qualification, and joined the school initially as a temporary member of staff in the role of Learning Support.
Tom’s natural ability to connect with learners, quickly became apparent and he was soon confidently working with some of our harder to reach learners. Tom’s natural composure and calm nature meant he was soon offered a permanent position at the school. He has always shown an interest in the learning hub and centre management and has a real flair for engaging learners and deescalating any potential physical intervention situations.
From the start, Tom was keen to develop his skills and to take on additional responsibility. Â His career aspirations are to progress as far as he can within the organisation, and his commitment to the school and enthusiasm for helping learners have been rewarded already.
Tom quickly undertook his Level 2 Teaching Assistant qualification, funded by the school. He was the first in his cohort to complete the course, and immediately wanted to progress to Level 3.
Recently Tom has progressed into a Tutor role after an internal opportunity became available and he is now undertaking his teaching qualification which, once again, is fully funded by the school, instead of the L3 Teaching Assistant  qualification he had originally intended to study.
We know Tom will continue to go from strength to strength, and he will of course be supported to fulfil his ambition to progress as far as he can!
