Anyone worked in an SEMH AP?

[LoyalGreenHam]

I've been teaching English in mainstream for over 20 years. I feel done and was ready to leave teaching this year, but a job has come up locally in an independent AP for students with an EHCP for SEMH (so many acronyms!). It is a purpose-designed, incredible building with around 40 students in years 7-11. I went for a look round and was very, very impressed. My only concern is whether this type of work is very emotionally draining? The day is shorter than normal and there's no pressure on academic outcomes, but students have high anxiety, sometimes self harm, depression, suicidal ideation and so on. I'm drawn to the calm environment, the nurture and the entire moral purpose, but would love to hear thoughts from anyone who has worked in a similar setting.

I'm just going to say, it might not always be calm!!!

As a parent of a child who has been in a primary PRU and is now in a specialist SEMH school - if you can, look at some other SEMH settings. We found they vary SO much. Some were chaotic and frightening, to us as fully grown adults, with classrooms made out of broom cupboards and the "science" room a regular classroom with a few posters on plants. Some were calm but run down and the KS2 playground (our DS was in KS2 at the time) a sea of mud with broken toys, the sports courts in poor repair. Some are well maintained and have a lot of facilities for different types of learning e.g. outdoor, sports, beauty.

Please don't write off the pupils as not being capable of academic outcomes, though. My DS English teaching at the moment seems to consist of reading aloud (which he does happily but reads so fast and understands so little it is not very helpful) and watching films. What do you know about comprehension difficulties in ADHD? Metaphor and literal language in ASD? Accurate reading and phonics in dyslexia? You should (but IME won't) be able to liaise with SALT to get the best outcomes for each child. Most children will be more capable than the school thinks but will be behind due to missing school or (as with my DS) educational neglect. Be ambitious for them.