Head of AEN (Additional Educational Needs)

The Junior and Senior Schools Leidschenveen (JSL & SSL) are looking to appoint an exceptional AEN leader from September 2019 who will use their experience, extensive knowledge and vision to grow and develop a dynamic, forward thinking AEN department. This is a truly exciting opportunity for an existing or aspiring Head of AEN to further develop our educational support provision for both JSL & SSL and to work in collaboration with the AEN teams across the BSN campuses. Our vision is to create a highly successful and cohesive AEN team on the Leidschenveen 3-18 site, incorporating the already successful Junior team and developing SSL’s provision as the new school grows.

Junior School Leidschenveen is an established, outstanding 3-11 campus whilst Senior School Leidschenveen will be entering its second year of existence with about 100 students in Years 7 & 8, ultimately growing to provide education until 18. We are a non-selective school and are proud to offer additional learning support through our team of highly experienced staff. We provide an extensive range of help, assistance and advice for those families with children who have mild to moderate learning needs as we believe that all students within the BSN are entitled to receive a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which provides them with an equal opportunity to develop their full potential.

This support encompasses anything which causes a barrier to learning, whether that is social, emotional, cognitive, linguistic or resulting from disability or family and care circumstances. We are proud of our record of integrating children with additional needs into mainstream classes, although on occasion the provision of a specially designated Learning Support Assistant may be required to meet the complex learning needs of some children.

The applicant should be a teacher with relevant qualifications in AEN provision, an outstanding communicator able to build trust and instil confidence, and have extensive experience of dealing with a range of educational needs. He or she should have a proven track record of success in raising standards in secondary pupil performance, be resolute in securing quality outcomes for all students and be highly organised, working well under pressure.  

Specific Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for the AEN vision and students at Leidschenveen
• Develop and lead AEN provision at SSL
• Lead the whole school AEN team
• Review and advise regarding admissions of senior students with AEN
• Test admissions requiring additional support
• Create, deliver and evaluate individual pupil learning plans
• Teach literacy / numeracy to targeted students
• Teach study skill sessions to targeted groups
• Meet regularly with parents to discuss support and progress
• Promote inclusive practice within mainstream school
• Promote and support effective teaching and learning
• Advise and support differentiated strategies
• Deliver whole school workshops / staff training
• Work closely with senior leaders and other middle leaders
• Develop materials to support learning
• Regularly update AEN register
• Conduct tests to support exam concessions
• Evaluate department development plan
• Plan visits of Educational Psychologist, SALT, VISEO