Special Educational Needs Coordinator

Role title: Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)

Reports to: Headteacher

Salary: from £40,000

Purpose of role:

· To ensure all pupils achieve their potential.

· To take responsibility for the leadership and management of teaching and providing a model of professional practice.

Key responsibilities:

· Work closely with the Managing Director, Heads of School, teachers and support team, in order to achieve high standards of student behaviour, engagement and achievement.

· Monitor teaching and learning activities to meet the needs of all pupils.

· Identify and teach study skills that will develop pupils’ ability to work independently.

· Develop understanding of learning need and the importance of raising achievement among pupils.

· Identify and adopt the most effective teaching approaches for pupils with SEN and share approach with colleagues.

· Devise and lead workshops and development activities to train staff in the implementation of specific skills to improve teaching and learning practice.

· Provide training opportunities for learning support assistants, teachers and other stakeholders to learn about SEN and work with other colleagues to deliver training on specific intervention programs.

· To lead on the operational and day-to-day management of the teaching programs

· To line manage other teachers and support staff.

· Further develop the team culture of commitment to high expectations, achievement and personal learning and development which is characterised by an obvious belief in the value and strengths of all our pupils.

· To establish strong links with other schools, agencies and settings to ensure appropriate and effective curriculum delivery.

· Support and coach teaching staff and tutors in developing and extending their pedagogic repertoire.

· Implement, manage and coordinate systems and administration that ensures all curricular information and communication is up-to-date, accurate and user-friendly, including updates for the local authority and referring schools or agencies.

· Disseminate good practice in SEN across the school.

· Liaise with other SCE (Service Children’s Education) agency schools/local schools and those in the UK to ensure continuity of support and learning when transferring pupils with SEN.

· Ensure robust tracking systems are in place to collect and interpret specific pupil level assessment data allowing the school to identify value-added by its quality first teaching program and intervention strategies.

· Set up systems for screening pupils at “point of entry” identifying, assessing and reviewing provision for SEN children once identified.

· Attend IEP (Individual Education Plan) review meetings, parent evening consultations keeping parents informed about their child’s progress.

· Be responsible for the safeguarding of young people who attend EdStart Schools, taking the position of the Designated Senior Person for Safeguarding, undertaking relevant training where necessary.

· To be named teacher responsible for looked-after child (which involves contributing to statutory reviews).

· Work with the Managing Director to implement a consistent approach to behaviour management, that reflects the core values of EdStart Schools and is personalised to meet individual needs.

· Further develop the team culture of commitment to high expectations, achievement and personal learning and development which is characterised by an obvious belief in the value and strengths of all our pupils.

· Identify resources needed to meet the needs of pupils with SEN and advise the Headteacher of priorities for expenditure.

· Maintain strong partnerships with parents.

· Support the appropriate use of formative assessment practices and on-going diagnostic assessments and use of data from assessments to drive on-going improvement of teaching and learning.

· Ensure the school IEP register is up-to-date and all stakeholders are fully informed about support programs in place/planned.

· Ensure IEPs are monitored regularly, are live documents and their impact is assessed and progress can be evidenced.

· Encourage all members of the team to recognise and fulfil their statutory responsibilities to pupils with SEN and understand the importance of QFT (Quality First Teaching) taking ownership of additional provision and the progress children (with SEN) make in their class/teaching group.

· Take the lead in constructing the schools provision map ensuring intervention programs target the right pupils and staff expertise is deployed appropriately.

· Contribute to Senior Leadership Meetings on the effectiveness of SEN provision in the school and be prepared to share this information with other stakeholders.

· Take the lead in liaising, coordinating and managing all external support offered to school locally and from the agency.

Qualification:

· Minimum 2 years management experience, preferably within the Alternative Provision sector.

· SENCO qualification.

· Work-related qualifications desirable.

Performance expectations:

· Managing self and personal skills

- Have commitment to CPD for self and others.

- Seek feedback and acts upon it, models high standards of professional conduct.

- Act with integrity and fairness at all times.

- Maintain relationships with others in an ethical and appropriate manner.

- Have good techniques for time management, planning, delegation and principles of work life balance.

· Leadership

- Effectiveness in accomplishing work assignments through subordinates, establishing challenging goals, delegating and coordinating effectively and promoting innovation and team effort.

- Effectiveness in evaluating subordinates' performance, strengths and development needs, providing constructive feedback, and taking appropriate and timely action with marginal or unsatisfactory performers.

· Providing direction

- Ability to enable, inspire, motivate and support teachers and supporting staff in the centre, to achieve school plan.

- Have a clear and up-to date picture of the environment in which the school operates, and producing information that is used for strategic planning, which takes account of the diversity, values and experience of the school and community at large.

- Develop strategic improvement plans for governance.

· Facilitating change

- Be able to develop a strategy to make the change that is needed, taking note of barriers, risks and the need to put appropriate monitoring and communication systems in place.

- Be able to actively encourage and support the identification and implementation of innovative ideas across schools.

· Working with people

- Be able to ensure that the work required is effectively planned and fairly allocated to individuals and/or teams.

- Be able to monitor the progress and quality of the work, and review and update plan identifying the workforce requirements and decide how these will be met.

- Be able to consider the strategic objectives and plans of workforce deployment and ensure there is an appropriate mix of staff to implement plan.

- Be able to coach and mentor others. Encourage colleagues to implement continuous learning and providing an environment in which personalised learning is recognised and valued. Helps team members address problems affecting their performance.

· Achieving results

- Be able to ensure that each project achieves its key objectives and is completed to the satisfaction of the project sponsors and key stakeholders.

- Ability to manage business processes to make sure the school delivers outputs that meet the needs of all pupils and stakeholders.

- Ability to deliver and organise excellent services to support effective teaching and learning.

- Be able to oversee the continuous improvement of the overall performance of the school, in terms of services and pupil performance.

- Strategically lead all processes to enhance teaching and learning.

Our Values;

Our principal, overarching company value is Progression, alongside Humanity, Togetherness and Compassion.

EdStart Specialist Education is committed to creating a diverse workforce. We will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, religion, belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, age, disability, marriage or civil partnership.

EdStart Specialist Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to a fully enhanced DBS check.

We will carry out an online search as part of our due-diligence for all shortlisted candidates in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023.