SEND Coordinator

King Edward’s School in Birmingham, one of the best independent day schools in the country, seeks an experienced SEND Coordinator to start as soon as possible.

Salary:                               King Edward’s School (KES) has a competitive teaching payscale which is reviewed annually and is more generous than schools in the maintained sector.

Benefits:                            School fee discount of up to 60% for KES and King Edward VI High School for Girls (subject to meeting admissions criteria)

Free hot drinks and lunches in term-time

Free access to gym, swimming pool and yoga sessions

Access to Employee Assistance Programme offering free, 24-hour confidential advice

Tickets for productions and performances at Ruddock Performing Arts Centre

Accountable to:              Director of SEND

Job Purpose

§  To work closely with the Director of SEND in the strategic development of the school’s Educational Support policy (SEND)

§  To carry out the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEND policy and coordination of SEND provision

Accountabilities

1. Policy/Strategic direction and development

a.       Exercise a key role in assisting the Director of SEND with the strategic development of SEND policy/provision

b.      Be responsible for ensuring changes in legislation and current research are reflected in the school’s SEND provision

c.       Provide regular information to the Director of SEND on the evaluation of the school’s SEND provision and make recommendations for future developments

2. Teaching and learning

a.       Oversee screening and assessment procedures; collect and interpret specialist assessment data for pupils with SEND to inform practice

b.      Work with the Director of SEND and staff to develop effective ways of bridging barriers to learning through:

-     Assessment of needs

-     Monitoring of teaching quality and pupil achievement

-     IEPs

c.       Work with the Senior Leadership Team, teachers, and Heads of Year to ensure all pupils’ learning is of equal importance

d.      Consider the range of teaching strategies/resources that could be utilised for pupils with SEND and ensure the most effective are employed

e.      Support the identification and dissemination of the most effective teaching approaches for pupils with SEND

f.        Undertake day to day coordination of SEND provision through close liaison with the Director of SEND, staff, parents and external agencies

g.       In liaison with the Director of SEND, undertake regular review of diagnostic tools and procedures used for key assessments, to ensure that these do not directly disadvantage pupils with identified needs

h.      In liaison with the Director of SEND, monitor and evaluate the success of the school’s systems for identifying and meeting pupils’ needs

3. Leadership and management of others

a.       Promote a positive profile of the SEND department to staff, pupils, parents and the wider community

b.      Provide professional guidance to staff to secure good teaching for pupils with SEND, through both written guidance and meetings

4. Communications

a.       Ensure communication of individual pupil’s needs, effective teaching strategies and pupil progress to all appropriate staff and parents as required

b.      Encourage a two-way dialogue with school staff to ensure pupils with SEND, and possible pupils with SEND, are best supported

c.       Establish and maintain a productive dialogue with parents via parent consultations, open days and other public occasions as directed

d.      In collaboration with the Director of SEND, act as a point of reference/contact point with regard to national regulations on arrangements for pupils with special needs in external tests/examinations, organise the assessments, prepare evidence for access arrangement applications. Make applications to JCQ for access arrangements as necessary. Ensure all documentation is in place for JCQ inspections. Ensure that the requisite information is passed on to the Examinations Officer to ensure that appropriate access arrangements are put in place. Check these arrangements and liaise with the examinations officer to ensure that all relevant staff are suitably briefed and trained

e.      Liaise with SENDCOs in feeder/receiving schools to ensure the best interests of pupils with SEND are protected at key transition points

f.        In consultation with the Director of SEND, maintain a directory of appropriate ‘specialists’ and outside agencies, able to provide local support, and liaise with these agencies effectively as appropriate

5. Training and development of self and others

a.       In collaboration with the Director of SEND, advise on and contribute to the professional development of staff, including whole school INSET provision

b.      Regularly review own practice, set personal targets and take responsibility for own development

6. General administration

a.       In collaboration with the Director of SEND, maintain the school’s SEND Register and collate and update related records, ensuring they are available for reference with due consideration for confidentiality

7. Management of resources

a.       In liaison with the Director of SEND, maintain and evaluate the effective deployment of budget and resources

This job description should be seen as enabling rather than restrictive and will be subject to regular review.

For more information, including how to apply, please visit our website: https://kes.org.uk/vacancies/send-co-ordinator/