Special Educational Needs and Inclusion Coordinator (SENCo)

Person Specification

• A belief that young people have potential and can achieve;
• Relentlessness in pursuit of the best outcomes for young people;
• Experience of working with students with SEN;
• Ability to build good relationships with parents and outside agencies
• Experience of precision teaching;
• Knowledge of standardised and diagnostic testing;
• Knowledge of appropriate teaching and behaviour management strategies for a range of SEN;
• Knowledge of the SEN Code of Practice, current initiatives and principles of Inclusion education;
• A graduate teacher (QTS) with a keen academic interest in a subject;
• The willingness and ability to teach a subject at all age and ability levels within the school;
• Ability to work as part of a successful and supportive team;
• Commitment to supporting students with special educational needs;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to work independently, prioritise and manage own workload effectively;
• Ability to remain calm under pressure;
• Enthusiastic, positive and resilient;
• Sensitivity to the aspirations, needs and self-esteem of others;
• Commitment to the protection and safeguarding of children and young people.
• An interest in teaching ASDAN COPE course and developing a more vocational pathway for our KS4 and 5 students
• Be willing in the future to train to become an Access Arrangements Assessor - Level 7 
• Oversee EAL provision within the school

We would expect our successful candidate to have the National Award for SENCo or be working towards this.

Main Responsibilities

• Leadership of the SEN/Inclusion department, including leadership and management of our LSAs
• Oversight of in-house CPD for teachers relevant to SEN/Inclusion 
• Provision for and monitoring of pupils with learning needs in order to close any gaps between pupils with and pupils without SEN
• Management and interpretation of relevant data at a school, local and national level
• Responsibility through the Headmaster for statutory and regulatory compliance in SEN/Inclusion matters
• Strategic oversight of the SEN register and pupil profiles, ensuring that SEN/Inclusion information is shared with staff in a concise, clear and consistent manner.
• Develop concise action plans for students for whom there are significant inclusion barriers. This is shared with key stakeholders and reviewed regularly. 
• Communication to key stakeholders about our work in SEN/Inclusion: governors, staff, pupils, parents and external agencies 
• Champion best practice for identifying and supporting pupils with learning needs

   Work with teaching colleagues in order to:

• Assess; monitor anticipate current and future learning needs, including examination access arrangements
• Maintain and model a ‘can-do’ attitude to the teaching of children with learning needs
• Disseminate and act on current research into best practice regarding SEN in the classroom
• Develop a clear strategy in terms of visiting lessons to establish the effectiveness of teaching and teaching support to ensure SEN learners are receiving high quality provision.
• Work closely with the Assistant Head: Teaching and Learning to ensure that SEN provision is working in harmony with whole school Teaching and Learning Priorities
• Share examples of best practice from within Old Swinford Hospital
• Consolidate teachers understanding of teaching strategies to do with supporting pupils with dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, autism and sensory/physical needs
• Set an example to colleagues, through a very limited teaching timetable, of how to teach pupils with SEN and learning needs in the classroom 
• Oversee the recording, reporting and sharing of SEN/Inclusion information amongst colleagues
• Collecting and interpreting specialist assessment information
• Sharing appropriate information with stakeholders both inside and outside of OSH
• Keep accurate and live records of pupils with SEN
• Willingness to represent the SEN/Inclusion department at marketing events, open mornings and transition mornings
• Willingness to represent the SEN/Inclusion department at appropriate school committees
• Ability to lead on SEN/Inclusion reporting to governors
• Ability to lead and manage our team of six LSAs

Other Responsibilities

• Advise the SLT and governors on developments and priorities in SEN education
• Support transition of pupils into OSH, and especially from Year 6 into Year 7 and Year 11 into Year 12
• Oversee laptop users within school, ensuring there are clear guidelines for laptop use that students and staff understand.
• Oversee Examination Access Arrangements for pupils at OSH
• Oversee statutory reviews (eg: EHCP) and support PEP and other pupil reviews throughout the year
• Undertake such other duties as the headmaster may require from time to time reasonably require.
• Oversee EAL provision within the school

General Job Specification and Conditions of Employment for Teachers

The person appointed will:

• in consultation with the Subject Leader, plan, design and produce teaching materials and resources which are appropriate to age and ability and are in accordance with the School Development Plan and the Department Development Plan;
• in accordance with scheme of work, plan, deliver and review lessons which are appropriate to the age and ability of the students so as to facilitate progression in students’ learning and following the required examination syllabuses;
• manage the classroom and teaching equipment so as to create a supportive and positive learning environment which makes effective use of the available resources;
• attend meetings, carry out administrative tasks and duties as specified in the Staff Handbook;
• provide and facilitate the general progress and well-being of any individual student within any group of students assigned to him or her, providing guidance and advice to students on educational and social matters;
• implement the School policy with regard to registration, student absence, dress code and enforce School rules relating to behaviour and health and safety;
• participate in full staff and departmental meetings and to contribute to School decision making and consultation procedures;
• be involved in the School Performance Appraisal process, to engage in professional development activities so as to enhance personal performance, fulfil personal potential and be able to participate effectively in the implementation of the School’s goals and Development Plan;
• establish individual active links with industry and business in order to extend both student learning and own professional development;
• assess, record and report on the development, progress and attainment of the students assigned to him or her within the School guidelines;
• to be an Academic Tutor to an assigned Tutor Group if required, and to carry out related duties in accordance with the general job description of Tutor; including meeting parents and contacting home when directed to do so by Heads of Year or SLT
• to carry out a share of supervisory duties in accordance with published rotas; this will include break duty and also a lunch duty in return for complementary school dinners
• to participate in appropriate meetings with colleagues and parents;