Deputy SENCo role

The SEND Team pride themselves on being a supportive, forward-thinking team who are dedicated to ensuring our young people have the best possible outcomes. Our students are at the heart of everything we do. We have developed an excellent reputation within the local community for the care we give our students with SEND.

Despite the increasing complex local and national context of SEND, our team is able to support the students, parents and teachers to provide holistic support for our SEND students. We provide extensive CPD to ensure our team have the skills and knowledge to fulfil their roles effectively. We actively encourage the team to grow and develop in areas of interest. Over the past few years, we have had many promotions and successes with staff completing a range of qualifications and training, including becoming SENDCos, specialist teachers, specialist assessors and ELSAs and completing postgraduate qualifications. The team work closely with a wide range of external professionals such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists who guide us in implementing the best provision for our students. As part of WMAT, we are fortunate to be able to be able to collaborate regularly with our partner schools which include primary and specialist provisions.

We work closely with all stakeholders to ensure our students’ needs are considered in every aspect of school life so they feel that they truly belong to our community. A significant part of our role is supporting our 'Inclusive Classrooms' agenda, making learning accessible and enjoyable for all. We are proud of the targeted academic and well-being intervention we offer. In recent years, we have introduced our Aspire curriculum for students in KS3 who are below age-related expectations in English and maths. We are also excited to be developing Functional Skills curriculum at KS4. Members of the team will have key students whose provision they monitor carefully which is a wonderful opportunity to really make a difference and engage with parents.

We value coproduction and work on the philosophy that parents are the experts in their children. We have a parent inclusion group and run events to support our community in understanding SEND.

This role: Salary MPS/UPR (£33,074 - £50,470) + a competitive TLR for an appropriately qualified candidate.

Applications from applicants without QTS but with relevant experience are also welcome. We are seeking to appoint a Deputy SENDCO who has the clear potential and aspiration to become the SENDCO in due course. We will provide the sufficient training and development to support you to achieve this Working for our SEND Team is an incredible opportunity and we look forward to welcoming someone who enjoys a challenge, has a good sense of humour, and shares our passion and dedication to support our young people.

Emma Cornall
Associate Assistant Principal
Inclusion

Purpose of Job

• Support all SEND students to achieve excellent outcomes, attendance and behaviour

• Ensure the needs of SEND students across the school are met in and out of the classroom, particularly those students with an EHCP receive their statutory entitlement

• To support the embedding of an inclusive culture in the school

• Deputise for the SENDCO in her absence

• To be the champion for a cohort of SEND students, by overseeing their provision, monitoring their progress and being a key point of contact for professionals and parents

Leadership and Management

• Lead and line manage specified members of the Progress Coach team, ensuring that new members of the team are appropriately inducted to the school

• Contribute to the realisation of the SEND Development Plan

• Lead training and development for teaching and non-teaching staff to support the inclusive classroom agenda at FHES

• Lead on the provision, support and intervention for key SEND students

• Liaise with teachers, external professionals and parents as required to improve the outcomes for SEND students

• Represent the SEND team at Middle Leader meetings

• Analyse and interpret attainment, progress, attendance and behaviour data to evaluate and amend the support plans for SEND students in the school, as well as for those students in Alternative Provision

• Prepare and conduct annual review meetings in line with statutory requirements

• Complete referrals for external professionals and EHCP applications in line with requirements from the LA and professionals

• Support the SENDCO to run the department: timetabling, chairing meetings, lesson visits, organisation of examinations

Additional Responsibilities

• Deliver lessons and intervention sessions which reflect the inclusive classroom agenda

• Maintain accurate SEND registers, provision maps and records of meetings and discussions

• Build and maintain professional relationships with parents of SEND students through excellent communications

• School duty supervision

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified Teacher Status

• The National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination

• Level 7 and CPT3A

Desirable

• Understanding of the SEN Code of Practice and statutory responsibilities

• CPD undertaken relevant to this role

Leadership and Management

Essential

• A vision for inclusion in a mainstream setting

• Ability to analyse and interpret data

Desirable

• Experience of line managing others

• Experience of evaluating classroom teaching and providing feedback to teachers related to their work with SEND students

• Experience of leading CPD to support colleagues to work effectively with SEND students

• Experience of leading annual reviews

Quality first teaching

Essential

• Ability to adapt teaching and be responsive to the needs of the students in the classroom

• A range of strategies for creating a positive climate for learning

• Excellent organisational and planning skills

• Evidence of good/outstanding classroom practice with a proven record or exam success

Personal Qualities

Essential

• A positive and flexible mindset

• Excellent communicator

• Energy, enthusiasm and commitment to serve SEND students and their families

• Ability to manage the workload of self and others

• Highly organised with attention to detail

• Willing to ask for support in order to further personal and professional growth