Secondary Special Education Teacher

Do you want to be part of an international IB school in Amsterdam where learning, belonging, and inclusion are at the heart of what we do? Are you an experienced special education teacher who is passionate about supporting autistic adolescents to participate, learn, and develop within an inclusive secondary school community? Then we invite you to apply.

The Amsterdam International Community School (AICS) is a Dutch International Primary and Secondary School providing international education in English to approximately 2,400 students from more than 80 nationalities who are living in the Netherlands.

AICS is a partly state-funded community school, enabling us to provide high-quality, accessible international education. We were the first school in the Netherlands to offer the full International Baccalaureate continuum; PYP, MYP, DP, and CP, and are a fully accredited member of the Council of International Schools (CIS).

Our students value and embrace difference and diversity. We aim to support them in becoming compassionate, knowledgeable, and thoughtful young people through learning and inquiry.

AICS is guided by the core values of belonging
, a possibility mindset
, and learning for life
. We aim to create a community in which students, staff, and parents/caregivers feel valued, approach challenges with optimism, and remain committed to continuous personal and academic development.

For our Secondary teaching and wellbeing team, we are looking for a qualified Secondary Special Education Teacher with strong experience of working with autistic adolescents and a clear commitment to inclusive education.

You will work directly with secondary-aged students who require additional support to access learning, participate successfully in school life, and develop greater independence. You will plan and deliver structured, engaging, and appropriately challenging learning and identify and reduce barriers that may affect students' participation and progress.

You understand that adolescence brings significant developmental changes and increasing expectations for independence. You can support autistic young people as they navigate the academic, social, and emotional demands of secondary school, including transitions between classes and teachers, organisation and executive functioning, peer relationships, communication, identity, self-advocacy, and preparation for greater independence.

You will also play an important role in strengthening autism-inclusive practice across our secondary school. Working collaboratively with subject teachers, and the Secondary Wellbeing Team, you will help colleagues understand students' learning profiles and develop classroom environments and teaching approaches that enable students to participate as independently and successfully as possible.

You will work closely with students, colleagues, parents/caregivers, and external professionals. Our students come from a wide range of cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds, and we are looking for someone who combines specialist expertise with curiosity, flexibility, and a strong belief in the potential of every student.

You are an experienced, reflective, and collaborative special education teacher who believes that inclusion means enabling students to belong, participate, learn, and develop increasing independence within their school community.

You bring:

• A recognised teaching qualification that enables you to teach secondary-aged students in the Netherlands, together with a qualification, specialisation or substantial professional experience in special education.
• Demonstrable experience teaching and supporting secondary-aged autistic students, including students with complex and diverse learning profiles.
• Strong knowledge of autism-informed educational practice and an understanding of how autism may influence communication, executive functioning, sensory processing, emotional regulation, social interaction, and access to learning.
• A strong understanding of adolescent development and how the developmental, social, and academic demands of secondary education interact with the needs of autistic…