Teacher - SENDCo

Team: Education and Teaching

Location: Wakefield

Salary: £28,000 - £43,685 + excellent benefits

Contract Type: Permanent

Position Type: Full Time

Interview Date: Thursday, 15 December 2022 

Closing date: Monday, 12 December 2022, 23:59

Be amazing, be inspired, be you.

Our young people deserve the best possible future and we feel the same about our staff. You deserve to have the career you want, in an environment that allows you to be yourself. As a member of our team, you’ll receive a sector-leading salary, extensive benefits, training, and a clear career pathway ahead of you. If you want to join the UK’s leading provider of specialist education and care, working passionately to bring the best possible outcomes for young people, you’re in the right place. 

An inspirational environment, where you can be yourself

The greatest achievements often don’t come easy but Hall Cliffe has earned a reputation as a school that can help turn young people’s lives around. The school is housed in a stunning listed building at the centre of which is a tranquil courtyard that is used for both recreational and therapeutic activities. The true centre of everything at Hall Cliffe School are the pupils, which is evident in the unwavering commitment and support that the staff team offer to each young person. 

The staff team has worked tirelessly to create a learning environment that truly nurtures and has a culture of family and togetherness. The result – young people who are equipped with the confidence, self-belief and skills to succeed in whatever they put their minds to.

Be the inspiration that changes the direction of a life

Our staff team comprises education, clinical and support staff who work to get the best outcomes for every child. For every pupil at one of our schools, the sky is literally the limit. Our highly dedicated, skilled and experienced team of teaching and education professionals work with parents and carers to deliver great outcomes and inspire the future that every child and family deserves. If this sounds like you, we’d love for you to join our team.

The positive impact you can have on a young person’s life is most likely the reason you entered education in the first place. At Hall Cliffe School that impact will be greater than you could have imagined.

Hall Cliffe School is a day school registered for up to 104 boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 16. The school is located in a beautiful village, in a Grade 2 listed building, with state of the art facilities, which allow us to deliver a creative curriculum. Our Key Stage 4 pupils are mainly based at our recently opened Jubilee Way school site. Here, we offer the full curriculum, including  courses such as Motor Vehicle Maintenance, Construction and Hair and Beauty. We support our young people to grow and reach their full potential in the right learning and career pathway appropriate to them.

As part of the Witherslack Group, we provide education for young people with a range of complex educational needs. For instance, some function at an incredibly high level but may have ADHD, social communication difficulties or autism and struggle to maintain concentration, whilst others may need emotional support to help them achieve their potential. Each young person’s set of needs requires a unique approach. Our teachers are there to channel their individual capabilities into academic success, as part of a holistic and uniquely attentive educational strategy – and all of this from a setting that is truly inspiring to both pupils and teachers.

The role

As SENDCo and designated teacher for children looked after you will be the key point of contact and lead on SEND across the school. You will be supported by the Senior Leadership Team to take the lead in evaluating and developing SEN practice in the school, ensuring that we can achieve the best outcomes for our young people. 

Your responsibilities will include:

• Ensuring staff are clear about pupils’ learning needs and interests as set out in their EHCP;
• Working collaboratively with other leaders to ensure that these needs are met effectively;
• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of SEND provision across the School, using an evaluative provision map management cycle;
• Supporting and developing colleagues in relation to SEND through advice, guidance, identifying and delivering appropriate training ;
• Keeping up to date with knowledge of national and local initiatives and how they may impact on policy and practice;
• Working with senior leaders to monitor teaching and learning, including planning and work scrutiny, to ensure we meet the needs of children with SEND, in particular as relates to their individual needs as set out in their EHCP;
• Working alongside Teaching and Clinical staff to identify appropriate support for children;
• Leading on the Annual Review process, ensuring information and reports are meaningful and that meetings are well attended by all key stakeholders;
• Line managing a number of TAs/ HLTA staff as agreed;
• Acting as the Designated Teacher for Children Looked After.

The role will demand a special kind of attentiveness and flexibility. It’s not your average role or school, but you’ll always have the very best resources to support you in the role.

You’ll be working with pupils until they leave us at the end of Key Stage 4. This includes overseeing transition plans for pupils moving through the Key Stages and to life beyond school.  It will be challenging and rewarding in equal measure and you can expect to take home a sense of having done something amazing every single day. Some days may be harder than others but at Witherslack Group, you’re never alone. You’ll work as part of a collaborative team, not just with other teachers in the school and across the Group but with our in-house clinicians, Family Liaison Officers . All of us pull together to create the best possible outcomes for our pupils.

The person

We’re looking for a SENDCo who is suitably experienced and qualified, including holding Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The kind of person who wants to make a difference and knows the pathway that will allow them to do so. Someone who also wants to be part of the conversation when it comes to decisions on how we, as a Group, best meet the needs of each child with regard to training, support and Annual Reviews.

Aware of the standards that Ofsted and other key stakeholders look out for and always conscious to exceed them, you’ll be the kind of person who is never anything but engaged and engaging. What’s more, you’ll be excited by the prospect of working in such a specialist environment and will seize this as an opportunity to tailor learning to individuals and build stronger, more insightful teacher/pupil relationships. Empathetic and passionate, you’ll understand that our pupils’ journeys aren’t necessarily linear. If you haven’t worked in SEN before, but are enthusiastic and motivated to make the move, we’ll give you all the additional training and support you require.

Be Rewarded

We know you’re going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we want to reward you with a salary and benefits package that’s among the best in our sector. You’ll receive a competitive salary, Teacher Pension Scheme/ Pension Scheme matched up to 5% or a range of flexible pension options to suit personal circumstances(where applicable) and comprehensive induction and ongoing training, as well as extensive Group staff benefits such as Medicash Health Plan/Employee Assistance and Cycle to Work Scheme.

We strongly believe that people should have choice and flexibility when it comes to saving for future. As such we offer membership of the Teachers Pensions Scheme if you are eligible to join the scheme. We also offer a flexible alternative option to the Teachers Pension Scheme that allows you to opt out and receive an allowance of 15% of your base salary and free life insurance. If you take this option you are also able to join our Scottish Widows Group Pension Scheme where your employee contributions are matched up to 5%.

Witherslack Group conducts DBS Enhanced checks and covers the costs for all new employees.

To find out more please contact Becky Watson – Senior Administrator on 01924 663420.

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.