Job summary
Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Mainstream Schools

Are you an experienced and motivated Speech and Language Therapist ready to take on a leadership role within a friendly and diverse NHS community paediatric service?

Due to new investment funding, we are expanding our service and seeking a motivated Band 7 Speech and Language Therapy Team Lead to develop and deliver high-quality Speech and Language Therapy across mainstream schools and buy-in schools provision in Redbridge. This is an exciting opportunity to influence and design a needs-led service.

We are a well-established service serving a diverse community. The post will ideally suit an established band 7 speech and language therapist looking for a new challenge or a band 6 therapist wishing to develop their skills and progress to a band 7 role.

Working as part of the team, you will provide a service for school-aged children presenting with a range of speech, language and communication needs within schools and clinics.

You will be leading the team alongside another band 7 speech and language therapist to develop the mainstream schools and buy-in schools service, share management responsibilities and the caseload.

Main duties of the job

• Provide clinical and operational leadership for speech and language therapy delivery within mainstream schools and the buy-in schools service.
• Contribute to the effective delivery and development of the service.
• Work collaboratively with schools, family and SEN support services to co-produce effective, integrated approaches that improve communication outcomes for children and young people.
• Deliver highly specialist assessment and intervention for school-aged children with speech, language and communication needs within educational settings.
• Champion inclusive practice and early intervention, working proactively to address inequalities and meet the needs of Redbridge's diverse population.

About us
NELFT NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and community services for over 4.9 million people living in the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and across Essex.

We work to ensure our patients, their friends and family, feel confident that their health needs are well met. With an excellent reputation for research and development, our skilled health professionals are at the cutting edge of evidence-based innovation, opening up the possibilities for better ways of working and delivery of care.

Date posted 06 July 2026
Pay scheme Agenda for change
Band Band 7
Salary £49,387 to £56,515 a year
Contract Permanent
Working pattern Full-time
Reference number 3RL-001422
Job locations The Grove, Chadwell Heath, Essex, RM6 4XH, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust.

Starting with NELFT
NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Goodmayes, Essex.

Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London (B&D, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest, Goodmayes)
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,870 to a maximum of £6,137 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Working for Us
Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• HCPC Registration

Experience
Essential

• Deliver highly specialist assessment and intervention for school-aged children with speech, language and communication needs within educational settings.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details
Employer name NELFT North East London Foundation Trust
Address The Grove, Chadwell Heath, Essex, RM6 4XH, United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Operational Lead
Anya Clarke
recruitment@nelft.nhs.uk