SEND Tutors — English-medium and Japanese-medium Support
（5.11. 2026）
 

Engagement: Freelance / self-employed independent contractor
Location: Online and/or home visits in and around London
Tutor fee: £32 per 50-minute tutoring session
Hours: Flexible, by agreement and subject to suitable referrals

Help children feel safe, discover their strengths and enjoy learning again.

 

Rainbow Forest Education CIC is a UK non-profit organisation supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Drawing on perspectives from Japan and the UK, we aim to make learning more accessible, reassuring and rewarding for each child.

We are seeking tutors who combine relevant SEND experience with patience, sound teaching skills and an interest in understanding how each child learns. Academic progress matters, alongside confidence, emotional wellbeing and a sense of achievement.

​

Two tutoring routes

​

English-medium SEND tutors

​

You can teach and communicate effectively in English. We welcome applicants able to support children across different age groups, including early years, primary and secondary, according to their experience and skills. Your work may include foundational learning, literacy, numeracy or subject teaching. Japanese language skills are not required.

 

Japanese-medium subject tutors

 

You can provide subject teaching in Japanese at Japanese junior-high-school level or above, broadly corresponding to UK secondary education. Please specify the subjects, curricula and levels you can teach. This route is open to tutors who teach only in Japanese; the requirement is secondary-level subject expertise and the ability to adapt teaching for learners with SEND.

 

Applicants able to teach in both languages are welcome to indicate both routes. Assignments will reflect your teaching language, subject knowledge, experience and the learner’s needs.

 

What you will do

• Provide individual tutoring online and/or through agreed home visits.

• Build a trusting relationship and a calm environment in which children feel able to participate.

• Adapt explanations, tasks, materials and pace to each learner’s strengths, communication and learning needs.

• Use interests, play and practical activities where appropriate to make learning engaging and achievable.

• Set meaningful learning goals, recognise progress and maintain appropriate session records.

• Communicate respectfully with parents and carers and collaborate with the CIC’s specialist team, which includes a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

• Follow safeguarding, confidentiality, professional boundaries and online safety procedures, and report concerns promptly.

• ​

This is an educational support role. Tutors work within their competence and seek specialist advice when needed.

 

What we are looking for

Essential

• Relevant experience teaching, tutoring or providing educational support to children or young people with SEND.

• The teaching language and subject skills required for at least one of the two routes above.

• An ability to adapt teaching to different cognitive profiles and learning needs, including difficulties with attention, communication, reading, writing or mathematics.

• A patient, respectful approach that values each child’s individuality and cultural and linguistic background.

• Reliable communication, professional judgement and a commitment to safeguarding.

• Legal permission to undertake the proposed self-employed work in the UK.

• Willingness to complete the required recruitment checks and provide two referees, including at least one from relevant work. Referees must not be family members or friends.

 

Desirable

• QTS or another relevant teaching qualification, including an overseas teaching qualification.

• Relevant SEND training, specialist subject knowledge or experience supporting multilingual families.

QTS is not essential. Applications are assessed on relevant experience, skills and suitability. University students may apply if they meet these requirements and have permission to undertake self-employed work; permission to undertake employed work alone is insufficient.

 

Contractor arrangements

• Tutors are engaged and paid by Rainbow Forest Education CIC under a self-employed contractor agreement. Families pay the CIC.

• The fee is £32 for each 50-minute tutoring session. The agreement will specify the scope of preparation, record-keeping and parent communication covered by the fee, together with payment, cancellation and notice arrangements, before an assignment is accepted.

• Travel expenses for agreed home visits are reimbursed in full; arrangements are agreed before visits begin.

• Referrals and hours depend on demand and suitable matches. No minimum number of hours is guaranteed.

• Please tell us your availability and whether you expect to be able to offer continuity over at least 12 months. This helps us plan support for children; individual assignments and notice arrangements are governed by the contractor agreement.

• Tutors provide their own suitable IT equipment and prepare or source materials appropriate to the learner. Home visits require the ability to travel to the agreed location; online sessions require a suitable private setting and reliable internet access.

• Tutors are responsible for their own tax and National Insurance obligations and must provide evidence of appropriate professional insurance for the services they deliver before starting work.

• Any volunteering for camps, events or other CIC projects is entirely optional and separate from paid tutoring. It is not a condition of selection or continued engagement.

 

Safeguarding and selection

Rainbow Forest Education CIC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All tutors must share this commitment.

Engagement is conditional on satisfactory references, identity and relevant qualification checks, verification of permission to undertake self-employed work, appropriate safeguarding checks, and a signed contractor agreement. Tutors must complete safeguarding induction and follow the policies relevant to their role.

An appropriate Enhanced DBS check must be completed before work with children begins, with a Children’s Barred List check where the role is eligible. Applicants are responsible for arranging and paying for their check through an appropriate provider. An existing certificate registered with the DBS Update Service may be considered, subject to the correct level and workforce, review of the original certificate, and a satisfactory status check with the applicant’s consent.

​

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed and may be asked to demonstrate their tutoring approach. We may also undertake proportionate checks of publicly available online information relevant to safeguarding and suitability; candidates will be informed in advance.

We welcome applications from people of different backgrounds and will consider requests for reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

​

How to apply
To complete your application, submit the form below and upload your CV.

You will be asked about your teaching languages, subjects and levels, SEND experience, approach to learning, availability, preferred locations and two referees. Please allow around 30 minutes.

https://forms.gle/vyNetgVUXWhCmjbR8
 

For questions about the role or accessibility support with your application, contact contact@rainbowforest.org.uk. Applicant information is handled in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice.