Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator

Description

Contract Type: Permanent
Contract Term: Full-Time
Salary: £39179 to 42654 per year (depending on experience)
Interview Date: Wednesday 21st May 2025
Job Start: September 2025

Do you have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)? Are you an outstanding practitioner within SEND/SEMH? Would you like to significantly improve your work/life balance?

Then apply today and join our highly valued team!

Esland Bedford School are seeking a non-teaching SENCO to work alongside the existing Senior Leadership team to to provide strategic leadership of the provision for students with special educational needs (SEN) across the school in order to ensure that our students make excellent progress.

Esland Bedford School is an independent SEMH special school for up to 50 children aged 8-18. The school provides education to day pupils, and via our unique Turning the Curve provision, to young people who have been disengaged from education for significant periods of time. We aim to maintain a nurturing and accepting environment for young people who have not had their needs met in other settings. Likewise, we also aim to provide a work/life balance to staff not available in larger schools.

Key Responsibilities for a SENCo:

Work with the Deputy Headteacher to oversee strategic development of SEN policy and provision
Maintain a strategic overview of provision for pupils with SEN or a disability across the school, monitoring and reviewing the quality of provision through the use of agreed methodologies
Manage a strategic overview of all Annual Reviews and transition/destinations reports
Contribute to school self-evaluation, particularly with respect to provision for pupils with SEN or a disability
Work with Local Authority SEN teams, educational psychologists, health and social care professionals, and other external agencies
The SENCO will be required to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and follow school policies and the staff code of conduct

Whilst this job description gives a reasonable overview of the post, it is not exhaustive, and the post holder will be expected to behave in a flexible manner and take on any other duties that may be reasonably delegated from time to time.

Essential Requirements for a SENCo:

Qualified Teacher Status (PGCE or equivalent) - essential
Teaching experience (two years minimum) - essential
National Award for SEN Co-ordination, or a willingness to complete it within 3 years of appointment (note, this is a requirement under the SEND Code of Practice)
Involvement in self-evaluation and development planning
Experience of conducting training/leading INSET
Full UK Driver's Licence

Successful employment is subject to satisfactory Full Enhanced Disclosure, right to work and reference checks in line with government regulations and Safer Recruitment Practices.

All young people are equally entitled to have their needs met in a fair and balanced way. Esland employees are responsible for promoting equal opportunities for all and for challenging any behaviour or practice which discriminates against any young person or colleague on the grounds of race, religion, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, or any other perceived difference.

What we can offer a SENCo:

Commitment to continued professional development
A supportive, inclusive working environment
Enrolment into Esland pension scheme
Comprehensive, paid induction training and ongoing training within the role
Fantastic opportunities for career development, we promoted over 50 colleagues last year
Cycle to work scheme
A £500 bonus via our 'Refer a Friend' scheme
Monthly recognition awards
Access to well-being benefits, big-brand deals and discounts via our employee benefits scheme E-Together
A warm family work environment and a company culture focused on fun!
The opportunity to make a real difference to a child's life!

About Esland
With over 35 years of residential childcare experience, the Esland group now has more than 65 residential children's and assessment homes, and five schools, that are spread across the Kent, Hertfordshire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Wiltshire, Bedfordshire, Nottinghamshire, West Midlands and Northamptonshire regions of England.
This also includes our Esland online school accessible to children throughout the UK which helps to deliver education to children missing education by utilising our specialised Turning the Curve education programme.
With over 700 team members and over 200 young people supported we strive to help our children achieve their very best outcomes, through our bespoke residential care, education, therapeutic and activity-led wraparound services.