Cumbria Tuition Opportunities – Skills & Approaches Needed

Dear Tutors,

We are currently recruiting tutors across Cumbria for a growing number of personalised SEN, SEMH and EBSA tuition packages supporting children and young people who are currently unable to access mainstream education full-time.

These placements include students with:
• SEMH needs
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• ADHD
• Speech, Language & Communication Needs (SLCN)
• Sensory processing difficulties
• Trauma-related needs
• Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
• Anxiety and emotional dysregulation
• Cognition and learning difficulties
• EHCP and EOTAS pathways

Many of these students are academically able but are struggling to engage in education due to anxiety, overwhelm, sensory needs or previous negative educational experiences. Others are working significantly below age-related expectations and require highly differentiated support.

Across these placements, the key qualities we are looking for are not just academic knowledge — but emotional intelligence, flexibility and relationship-building skills.

The students consistently respond best to tutors who are:

✔ Calm, patient and emotionally regulated
✔ Relationship-focused and trauma-informed
✔ Flexible, low-demand and non-confrontational in approach
✔ Able to prioritise emotional safety before academic progress
✔ Skilled at breaking learning into small, manageable steps
✔ Comfortable adapting sessions around regulation and engagement levels
✔ Confident supporting anxiety, dysregulation and school avoidance
✔ Creative and interest-led in their teaching approaches
✔ Consistent, reliable and psychologically safe adults

Successful tutors understand that:
• Behaviour is often communication rather than defiance
• Regulation comes before learning
• Trust and engagement may take time
• Small successes matter
• Flexibility and pacing are essential
• Relationship-building is often the first stage of progress

Many students benefit from:
• Low-pressure learning environments
• Practical or experiential learning
• Visual supports and scaffolded tasks
• Movement and sensory breaks
• Typing or reduced writing demands
• Predictable routines and clear expectations
• Humour, reassurance and encouragement
• Interest-based learning approaches

Current placements include:
📍 Barrow-in-Furness
📍 Eden
📍 South Lakeland
📍 Furness Pennsula
📍 Cartmel Peninsula
📍 Central Lakes
📍 Upper Eden Valley
📍 Lower Eden Valley

We are particularly interested in hearing from tutors with experience in:
•  Alternative Provision
•  Therapeutic Education
•  SEN/SEMH intervention
•  EBSA support
•  ASD/ADHD support
•  Trauma-informed practice
•  Primary intervention
•  GCSE support
•  Functional skills
•  Relationship-based tuition

Some roles require QTS, while others would suit experienced SEN tutors, mentors, youth workers or therapeutic practitioners with strong relational practice.

If you are interested in hearing more about any current or upcoming Cumbria placements, please reply with:
• Your location
• Subjects/key stages
• SEN/SEMH experience
• Availability
• Travel radius
• Face-to-face and/or online availability

These placements can be incredibly rewarding for tutors who value connection, flexibility and helping young people rebuild confidence in themselves as learners.

We look forward to hearing from you.