Special Education Needs and Disabilities Coordinator

Leeds East Academy is seeking an experienced, dynamic, and committed Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo) to play a pivotal role in shaping and leading our SEND provision. Working closely with the Principal, Assistant Principal for Inclusion & Provision and the Senior Leadership Team, you will drive the strategic development of SEND across the academy and ensure the highest standards of support for our young people.

If your skills, experience, and qualifications match those in this job overview, do not delay your application.

As the named SENDCo, you will lead the continued development and effective implementation of our SEND policy, strengthening our well-established systems, structures and graduated provision. You will uphold high standards by championing an inclusive, ambitious vision where every student feels valued, respected and fully supported to achieve their potential.

With strong expertise in SEND practice and extensive classroom experience, you will model high-quality, inclusive teaching and provide direct classroom support where required. You will lead casework, oversee statutory processes, coordinate robust intervention pathways, and monitor the progress of SEND learners to ensure timely, effective provision. Collaboration with families, external agencies and the wider student support team will be central to your role.

This position requires an excellent communicator with exceptional organisational skills, the confidence to influence whole-school practice, and the drive to deliver a purposeful, impactful SEND provision.

This role should be read in conjunction with the National Teachers' Standards, post-threshold standards and the responsibilities of the SENDCo as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice

All post-holders at White Rose Academies Trust are responsible for improving the outcomes for learners and upholding the ethos of the academies. Keeping Children Safe in Education and the guidance for Safer Working Practices directs the work of every adult working at or associated with White Rose Academies Trust.
General Duties And Responsibilities
Strategic development of SEND Policy and Provision:

• Hold a strategic overview of SEND provision across the academy, routinely monitoring, evaluating, and reviewing the quality and impact of provision for all pupils with SEND.
• Lead on statutory responsibilities relating to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), ensuring full compliance with the SEND Code of Practice. This includes coordinating annual reviews, monitoring progress against outcomes, ensuring provision is delivered as specified, and maintaining accurate, timely documentation and reporting.
• Contribute to academy self-evaluation, specifically in relation to SEND provision, outcomes, inclusion, and wider school improvement priorities.
• Ensure the SEND policy is implemented effectively, is consistently applied across the academy, and is clearly reflected within the Academy Development and Improvement Plan (ADIP).
• Maintain current knowledge of national and local SEND developments, guidance, and statutory requirements, adapting academy practice as needed.
• Evaluate the effective use of SEND funding, including notional SEND budgets and High Needs Funding, and make evidence-informed recommendations for maximising impact and value for money.
• Work collaboratively with Quality of Education leaders to support the implementation of the quality assurance calendar, with a specific emphasis on quality-first teaching, adaptive teaching, work scrutiny, and strategic seating and interaction plans.
• Design and lead a quality assurance cycle for Wave 2 interventions, including monitoring delivery, progress, and impact, and ensuring alignment with the SEND development plan.
• Collaborate with key Senior and Middle Leaders to strengthen cross-leadership working that supports high standards of behaviour, attitudes, attendance, inclusion, and the wider personal development of students with SEND.

Implementation Of The SEND Policy And Co-ordination Of Provision

• Maintain an accurate SEND register, SEND monitoring register and provision map.
• Provide guidance to colleagues on teaching students with SEND, adaptive teaching and effective strategies linked to specific need.
• Advise on the graduated approach for pupils with SEND who require support.
• Advise on the use of the academy's budget and other resources to meet students' needs effectively, including staff deployment.
• Be aware of the provision in the local offer.
• Work effectively with feeder schools, educational psychologists, health and social care professionals and other external agencies.
• Be a key point of contact for external agencies, especially the local authority (LA).
• Analyse assessment, attendance and behaviour data for students with SEND.
• Ensure the efficient use of resources for pupils with SEND.
• Implement, lead and quality assure intervention groups for SEND to evaluate their effectiveness.
• Contribute to the whole school Continued Professional Development (CPD) programme to ensure that teachers understand and effectively apply a range of strategies to support students with SEND, including those outlined in Pupil Passports and additional personalisation of learning.

Support for Students with SEND

• Identify students' SEND through high-quality assessment and application of the graduated approach (assess-plan-do-review).
• Coordinate and monitor provision to ensure it meets identified needs, is delivered as specified, and has clear, measurable impact.
• Secure appropriate external agency involvement, ensuring timely access to Wave 3 and specialist services.
• Maintain accurate, compliant SEND records, including provision maps, assessments, and statutory documentation.
• Lead statutory EHCP reviews, ensuring co-production with families and students and completion within required timeframes.
• Communicate regularly with parents and carers, fostering strong, collaborative relationships.
• Ensure smooth transitions, sharing statutory information when students move settings and coordinating support for Year 6-7 and KS4-KS5 transitions.
• Oversee robust screening and assessment for all students prior to entry, ensuring early identification of needs.
• Work with careers and Post-16 providers to secure appropriate destinations and reduce NEET outcomes for students with SEND.
• Promote full inclusion, ensuring students with SEND can access the curriculum, enrichment, and wider academy life.
• Work with the Designated Teacher for Children Looked After (CLA) where looked-after students have SEND.
• Support and monitor students in Connect, ensuring provision is appropriate and reintegration is planned and timely.
• Quality assure the graduated approach for students in external provisions, ensuring key information and transitions are well managed.

Leadership and Management

• Work with the Principal, Senior Leadership Team and Local Accountability Board (LAB) to ensure that the academy meets its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 in terms of reasonable adjustments and access arrangements.
• Prepare and review key policy, including: the Academy Accessibility Plan, SEND Policy and SEND Information Report.
• Contribute to the Academy Development and Improvement Plan (ADIP) and whole school policy.
• Identify training needs for staff and how to meet professional development needs.
• Lead professional development for staff in relation to SEND alongside adaptive teaching.
• Promote an ethos and culture that supports the SEND Policy and promotes good outcomes for students with SEND.
• Lead and manage the Assistant SENDCos, Learning Support Assistants and the SEND Learning Mentor.
• Lead SEND staff appraisals in line with the whole school performance management process.
• Review staff performance and provide coaching and support regularly.
• Ensure that colleagues are provided with high-quality information in relation to a child's SEND so they personalise learning accordingly.
• Attend Senior Leadership and Local Accountability Board meetings in order to report on SEND strategic work progression and impact and contribute to wider leadership development work.

Safeguarding

• Liaise and collaborate with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) on matters of safeguarding and welfare for students with SEND. xlqdzyr
• Remain alert to the fact that students with SEND may be more vulnerable to safeguarding challenges.