PLAY: Common Ground will link together up to 7 pairs of schools, each consisting of a SEND setting and a mainstream school, to foster meaningful connections through creativity, play and shared learning.

Each pair will engage with a Creative Practitioner across 7 sessions during an academic term, running between September and December 2025.

We’re looking for Practitioners with:

• Proven experience of working with children and young people with SEND, including those with PMLD (Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities)
• Experience of delivering creative sessions in Special Schools
• Experience of facilitating sessions to groups with mixed and diverse needs
• A flexible, inclusive practice, able to facilitate connections and dialogue between different groups of young people, including navigating conversations around barriers and difference
• All creative practices welcome! (Your practice may include sensory art, murals & installations, movement & music, storytelling, spoken word, drama & performance, play-based approach – or something else.)

Fee and Schedule:

• £175 per half-day or £250 per full day (including travel) for 9x days per school pair (up to £2,250 total per pair, depending on delivery schedule)

The programme structure (per pair) will be:

• 2 Introductory sessions (1 per school, delivered separately)
• 4 Joint Sessions (delivered in the special school)
• 1 celebration event (Dec 2025 – school assembly format, families invited)
• 2 days of planning/ admin

The session dates will be agreed between the participating schools and the creative practitioners.

Please send an expression of interest including:

• A short summary of your creative practice
• Relevant experience working with SEND and inclusive settings
• A brief proposal outlining any initial ideas or approach to the project
• Links to relevant examples of your work (optional)

Email submissions to: [email protected]