Deputy/Aspiring SENCO

We are looking for an outstanding qualified teacher to join us as Aspiring/Deputy SENCO.

The successful candidate will work with the SENCO to:

• establish outstanding provision within SEND. The deputy coordinator will have allocated leadership responsibilities within SEND as their primary focus.
• oversee a coordinated approach to SEND across the Academy
• be accountable for student progress and development in line with allocated responsibilities, for example, interventions and/or a subject focus.
• ensure high standards of teaching and learning through continuously, developing and enhancing the quality of SEND support, both inside and outside the classroom.
• support subject leaders in ensuring that curriculum for the subject is well planned, logically sequenced and ensures students who have SEND to build up a deliberate body of knowledge and skills over time
• ensure that all SEND policies and procedures are implemented and applied consistently by the colleagues that the postholder will line manage
• effectively and efficiently manage and deploy support staff, financial and physical resources that fit the SEND remit
• ensure that all students who have SEND develop in confidence, independence and readiness for their next steps.

About Us

We Know. We Can. We Will.

We believe that when a school gives its students the confidence to believe they are capable of excellence, this is exactly what they go on to achieve.

Our ethos is grounded in the best traditions of hard work, good manners, smart uniform and academic achievement. We combine these with the best of modern teaching and technology. Class sizes are kept as small as possible and students will find that the atmosphere is disciplined and rigorous but also happy.

At Harris Invictus Academy Croydon, learning does not begin and end at the classroom door. Students regularly participate in after-school enrichment classes, activity days and educational visits. In addition to what they learn in the classroom, these activities help to bring learning alive.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Operational/Strategic Planning for allocated aspects of SEND provision

• To lead on rigorous self-evaluation and review of SEND, recording outcomes with evidence in a focused, precise and evaluative manner
• To work with the Coordinator to develop an annual subject improvement plan (SIP) which supports the academy improvement plan (AIP).
• To lead on advising on the development resources, schemes of work, marking and assessment policies and teaching and learning strategies, that are innovative, will motivate students to learn and raise achievement across allocated students who have SEND
• To contribute to the formulation of and subsequently the monitoring evaluation and review of the work of SEND professionals.

Curriculum Provision within the allocated groups/students who have SEND

• To ensure the delivery of an appropriate, comprehensive, high quality and cost-effective curriculum that has high subject expectations of achievement for all students.
• To lead on targeted areas for development/interventions, reviewing impact regularly in the light of academy and student needs
• To be responsible for advising and training subject and SEND support staff on curriculum, teaching and learning
• To work with other external professionals on curriculum developments as required

Staff Development

Work with the SENCO to:

• build an effective team of motivated teaching and support staff who share the Academy vision of high achievement for all students who have SEND.
• induct, guide and support all staff in the subject areas, ensuring training needs are met
• ensure staff have continual excellence in their knowledge of and ability to support students who have SEND
• performance management allocated staff, in line with the academy performance management policy.
• liaise with the coordinator on all matters concerning recruitment and retention of staff, including participation in any interview process to ensure recruitment of high-quality personnel.
• assist in the day-to-day management of SEND and to act as a positive role model.
• make appropriate arrangements for interventions when staff are absent
• participate in the Academy ITT and NQT training and induction programmes.

Quality Assurance

• To ensure that challenging targets for achievement are set, communicated to staff and students and that all colleagues work positively towards reaching them.
• To work with the SENCO to monitor and evaluate their work, in line with agreed academy procedures, including a focus on how well students are learning the subject
• To be accountable for ensuring rigorous and effective systems of self-evaluation and review are carried out in line with Academy policy. To ensure too that information collected through the process is used to make changes that will impact positively on student achievement.

Qualifications & Experience

• The successful candidate will have:
• Degree level qualification in relevant subject and DfE recognised Qualified Teacher Status (or equivalent qualifications)
• At least one year’s teaching experience
• Understanding of theory and practice of effective teaching and learning
• Thorough knowledge of national curriculum requirements at KS3 and KS4
• Successful experience of meeting SEND needs, for example leading on intervention
• Suitable level of ICT skills and experience of how new technologies can be used to raise achievement, including the use of interactive white boards
• Recent experience of involvement in innovative curriculum development
• Ideas of how Language, Literacy and Numeracy can be used across the curriculum to raise standards
• Experience of embedding innovative strategies for improving teaching and learning

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Before applying, please review our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.