English & Maths Functional Skills Teacher

About The Role

Job Title: English & Maths Functional Skills Teacher (SEND)

Job Location: Oakwood Specialist College, Yate, BS37 5JB

Salary: Between £15,974.40 and £22,863.36 per annum, based on 24 hours per week, 42.4 weeks of the year.

Contract Type: Permanent

Every young person deserves access to meaningful, high-quality education that prepares them for a fulfilling future. That's where you come in.

As an English & Maths Functional Skills Teacher, you'll play a vital role in helping neurodiverse young adults aged 16-25 develop the skills, confidence, and independence they need to thrive in adulthood. This is far more than teaching a qualification. It's about creating learning experiences that are engaging, relevant, and tailored to each individual learner's strengths, interests, aspirations, and support needs.

At our college, we believe that no two learners are the same, so neither should their learning journey be. You'll have the freedom to be creative in your teaching, adapting lessons and approaches to make Functional Skills English and Maths meaningful, accessible, and inspiring. Whether that's linking learning to real-life situations, incorporating learners' interests into lessons, or developing innovative ways to build confidence and engagement, you'll be encouraged to think outside the box and personalise learning to ensure every learner has the opportunity to succeed.

Our curriculum is not defined solely by qualifications. Instead, it is built around the Post-16 Study Programme model, incorporating a broad learning programme, work experience opportunities, English and Maths, and a range of enrichment activities designed to prepare learners for adulthood. Alongside academic development, you'll help learners build essential life skills, communication skills, emotional literacy, and self-advocacy through a neurodiversity-affirming approach that celebrates individuality and promotes positive outcomes.

As a total communication environment, we ensure every learner has a voice and the tools they need to express themselves. Working collaboratively with our integrated therapies team and wider college colleagues, you'll play a key role in creating a learning experience that supports the whole person, not just their educational outcomes.

With class sizes typically ranging from 5 to 7 learners, you'll have the time and opportunity to build genuine relationships, truly understand each learner's individual needs, and deliver highly personalised teaching that makes a lasting difference. This small-group environment allows you to adapt your approach, celebrate progress in all its forms, and ensure every learner receives the exceptional education and support they deserve.

If you're passionate about creative, learner-centred teaching and want the opportunity to transform lives through Functional Skills English and Maths, we'd love to hear from you.

A day in the life of a Functional Skills Teacher will involve:

• Leading the planning, delivery and assessment of high-quality learning for your class, with a strong focus on Functional Skills English and Maths. You'll use creative, personalised teaching approaches to engage learners, build confidence, and develop the literacy, numeracy and life skills they need for successful pathways into adulthood, while also providing pastoral support and delivering wider preparation for adulthood learning where required.
• Monitoring and recording progress, both academically and against EHCP outcomes.
• Working closely with learners, keeping them engaged, motivated, and inspired to reach their full potential.
• Providing inspirational learning opportunities to learners, whether in the classroom or out in the community. You’ll work either 1:1 with learners or in small group settings to help them achieve their learning goals.
• Working closely with Learning Support Assistants to direct them to effectively support the learners.
• Being able to provide and develop a curriculum bespoke to each individual learner. You’ll need to be adaptable in your teaching style as some learners may focus on becoming more independent, while others aim to secure employment.
• Being able to recognise when a learners progress is at risk, and where we could improve. You’ll need to be committed to seeking to understand each young person and their needs.

To be a successful Functional Skills Teacher you’ll need:

• Experience delivering Functional Skills English and Maths, using creative and personalised teaching approaches to engage learners, build confidence, and develop essential skills for everyday life and future independence.
• Patience, compassion, and resilience—All of the learners you’ll support will be neurodiverse, which may impact their learning behaviour and communication needs.
• Great communication skills – This is important in this role as you’ll be speaking to a lot of different people at different times, whether it be learners, parents, or other stakeholders. You’ll need to be able to contribute to a range of resources as well as share information effectively.
• To be able to be involved in EHCPs, and shaping a curriculum based on the individual target outcomes of your learners.
• To be flexible and adaptable. Not all days go to plan, you’ll need to be comfortable dealing with change.
• A genuine interest in a career focused on the education of people with a wide range of needs.

In return for your time, you’ll get:

• Holidays – You’ll work 42.4 weeks of the year during term time, but you’ll be paid annual leave to cover the remaining 9.6 weeks.
• Pension scheme– Our pension scheme is based on you paying in 5%, and us adding 3%.
• Learning & Development Opportunities – We provide comprehensive learning opportunities for team members to develop themselves.
• Discounts – You’ll have access to brilliant discounts through the Blue Light Card and our own employee benefits platform.
• Wellbeing Support – Your wellbeing is always our priority. You’ll have access to mental health and wellbeing support. On top of this, our therapies team offers a monthly confidential check in clinic, and group reflective practice sessions.
• Cycle2Work -The cycle to work scheme enables you to buy a bicycle at a discounted rate.
• DBS – As this role required you to have an enhanced DBS carried out, we will cover this cost.
• After 12 months service - You’ll be eligible for our Medicash scheme which covers a wide range of medical, health and wellbeing expenses (Including immediate access to a GP!). You’ll get life assurance paid at 2 x your annual salary, and even more high street discounts.

As part of our commitment to safer recruitment, successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS, online and social media checks, and reference validation. Due to the nature of our work, we are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974), so we may ask you to disclose any spent or unspent criminal convictions during recruitment. This disclosure does not automatically disqualify you, and we encourage transparency at the application stage.

At Phoenix Learning and Care, we are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive environment where all team members feel safe to be themselves without risk of discrimination. We believe that a diverse workforce strengthens our organisation, and we strive to ensure everyone can contribute authentically and openly.