Early Years SENCO

This role is integral in order for us to deliver our mission, "empowering our children, parents and staff to achieve". The Special Educational Needs Coordinator role is a vital role to support our fantastic team to achieve the best possible outcomes for all of our children and families.

All early years providers are required to have arrangements in place to identify and support children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and disabilities) and to promote equality of opportunity for children in their care. These requirements are set out in the EYFS framework.

All early years providers in the maintained, private, voluntary and independent sectors that are funded by the local authority must have regard to the Special educational needs and disability code of practice which provides statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures relating to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

Purpose of Post

1. Support the manager and staff in meeting all statutory requirements eg. curriculum, safeguarding, SEND, Ofsted, welfare requirements etc.
2. Understand the principles, statutory guidance and legislation underpinning the 'Special educational needs and disability code of practice'
3. Supporting and advising the staff team to ensure the early identification of needs and support of children with SEND and that a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for the children in the setting including those with SEN is being provided.
4. To support the manager and staff in order to provide an enabling environment in which all children are safe and can play, develop and learn to achieve the best possible outcomes.
5. To build, maintain and support staff to ensure strong partnership working with parents and other professionals to enable all children's needs are met.
6. Ensure children with identified needs are supported by the application process within the graduated approach to access additional funding and are provided with support to meet their needs in this setting and into their next provision by the provision of quality transitions

Responsible To:

Nursery Manager

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Effectively deliver and support staff to deliver the EYFS ensuring that the individual needs and interest of children in the setting are met

2. Ensure key children's development and learning journey is shared with parents, carers and other key adults in the child's life regularly

3. Safeguard all children, understand the processes for reporting any safeguarding concerns and deputise as a DSL in the managers absence.

4. To develop and maintain strong partnerships and communication with parents/carers to facilitate day-to-day caring and early learning needs.

5. To ensure the provision of a high-quality environment to meet the needs of individual children having an awareness of any special needs, disabilities, family cultures and medical histories.

6. To advise the manager of, or take responsibility in their absence, any concerns eg. children, parents, the safety of the environment etc. and preserve confidentiality as necessary.

7. To ensure good standards of hygiene and cleanliness are maintained at all times and be responsible for the Welfare, Health and Safety standards appropriate for the needs of young children

8. To read, understand and adhere to all policies and procedures relevant to your role and the safe running of the setting.

9. To be fully conversant with the EYFS Welfare Requirements and be fully up to date with the requirements of Keeping Children Safe in Education

10. Support and engage in an effective staff team.

11. To contribute to and be involved in out of working hours activities, for example, training, staff meetings, social/fundraising activities etc

12. To be flexible within working practices of the setting, undertaking other responsible duties where needed, such as domestic tasks, preparation of snack meals, cleansing of equipment, etc.

13. To liaise with outside agencies as required.

14. To work alongside the manager and staff team to ensure that the setting's philosophy is effectively fulfilled.

15. To develop your role within the team and help other team members to develop and progress by supporting the manager with meetings and appraisals.

16. To keep completely confidential any information regarding the children, their families or other staff that is acquired as part of the job.

17. To be aware of the high profile of the setting and to uphold its standards at all times, both in work hours and outside.

18. Fully follow accident reporting procedures. Ensure the manager is aware of any accidents before the parents are informed or deputise for the manager in their absence.

19. Participate in the training programmes of a wide variety of students and assisting or training staff (for example, placements and volunteers), by giving guidance and support

20. To undertake such other duties and responsibilities of an equivalent nature as may be determined from time to time by the manager.

SENCO Support Role

• Ensure all practitioners in the setting understand their responsibilities to children with SEN and the setting's approach to identifying and meeting SEN
• Ensure that relevant background information about individual children with special educational needs is collected by the key person, recorded and updated
• Observe and support children as appropriate on the special educational needs profile
• Support and advise Key Workers, Learning Support Assistants etc. as appropriate, in how to include children's needs in the setting
• Liaise with settings and schools for transition purposes
• Liaise with other professionals from outside services and external agencies e.g. Area SENCOs, Local Authority, Teachers, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, etc.
• Arrange, organise and review support for individual children
• Keep Key Workers up to date with SEN and inclusion issues and to encourage personal development through training
• Meet with parents regularly in order to maintain good relationships and to keep parents informed about their child's progress
• Respond to changes in legislation/practice from government and the Local Authority.
• Support with the review of individual children's support plans as appropriate
• Write detailed education reports about individual children for other professionals alongside key person/practitioners and parents (including Early Years Inclusion Panel applications, requests for statutory assessment etc.)
• Review statements via annual and interim review meetings
• Develop and share knowledge of resources (equipment, books. materials and knowledge of possible strategies.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £27,200.00-£30,000.00 per year

Application question(s):

• Do you have a level 3 SENCO qualification?
• Do you have a level 2 or 3 in early years?

Experience:

• nursery: 3 years (preferred)

Work Location: In person