We are looking for experienced and successful school leader who will be able to build on the success, embed good practices and move the school forward.

If you are looking for a new and rewarding challenge and are committed to making a difference, then we look forward to hearing from you.

Job title: Special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) – To include additional teaching and learning responsibilities alongside.

Hours: 40 hours per week
Contract type: Full time / Permanent
Salary £37,000
Reporting to: Head of School

Who we are: Cambian is one of the largest providers of specialist behavioural health and care services for children in the United Kingdom. Its children's services comprise specialist education, specialist residential care, foster care, and specialist mental health services.

The school: Cambian Great Dunmow School is an independent specialist provision that provides relevant, positive and high-quality education experiences and support for your child. We cater for children and young people aged 11 to 19 with ongoing social, emotional and mental health difficulties with associated complex needs.

Most of the learners that come to us have had negative experiences in prior educational settings and as a result this impacts on both academic achievement and social confidence. Our specially trained staff provide a warm, nurturing and caring school environment that allows children and young people to feel safe and valued as individuals.

Main purpose:

• The SENCO, under the direction of the headteacher, will:
• Determine the strategic development of special educational needs (SEN) policy and provision in the school
• Be responsible for day-to-day operation of the SEN policy and co-ordination of specific provision to support individual pupils with SEN or a disability
• Provide professional guidance to colleagues, working closely with staff, parents and other agencies
• The SENCO will be expected to fulfil the responsibilities of a teacher, alongside the SENDCo responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities:

• Strategic development of SEN policy and provision
• Have a strategic overview of provision for pupils with SEN or a disability across the school, monitoring and reviewing the quality of provision
• Contribute to school self-evaluation, particularly with respect to provision for pupils with SEN or a disability
• Make sure the SEN policy is put into practice and its objectives are reflected in the school improvement plan (SIP)
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of national and local initiatives that may affect the school’s policy and practice
• Evaluate whether funding is being used effectively, and suggest changes to make use of funding more effective
• Operation of the SEN policy and co-ordination of provision
• Maintain an accurate SEND register and provision map
• Provide guidance to colleagues on teaching pupils with SEN or a disability, and advise on the graduated approach to SEN support
• Advise on the use of the school’s budget and other resources to meet pupils’ needs effectively, including staff deployment
• Be aware of the provision in the LA local offer
• Work with early years providers, other 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 data for pupils with SEN or a disability
• Implement and lead intervention groups for pupils with SEN, and evaluate their effectiveness
• Support for pupils with SEN or a disability
• Identify a pupil’s SEN
• Co-ordinate provision that meets the pupil’s needs, and monitor its effectiveness
• Secure relevant services for the pupil
• Ensure records are maintained and kept up to date
• Review the education, health and care plan (EHCP) with parents or carers and the pupil
• Communicate regularly with parents or carers
• Ensure if the pupil transfers to another school, all relevant information is conveyed to it, and support a smooth transition for the pupil
• Promote the pupil’s inclusion in the school community and access to the curriculum, facilities and extra-curricular activities
• Be the designated individual for looked-after children, particularly where a looked-after pupil has SEN or a disability
• Leadership and management
• Work with the headteacher/Head of School and governors to ens