Senco

Job Title: SENCO

Grade: MPS – SEN TLR

Term: Permanent

From: 21st February 2022 or ASAP

Accountable to: Headteacher / Assistant Head 

Job Purpose

Have overall responsibility for determining the strategic development of SEND policy and provision in the school.

Have day-to-day responsibility for the coordination of SEND provision to support individual pupils.

Where a LAC has SEND, ensure effective communication with the relevant designated teacher.

Advise on the graduated approach to providing SEND support.

Advise on the deployment of the school’s delegated budget and other resources to meet pupils’ needs effectively.

Liaise with the parents of pupils with SEND.

Liaise with early years providers (where required), other schools, educational psychologists, health and social care professionals and other bodies with regards to SEND provision. 

Work with the headteacher and the governing board to ensure that the school meets its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 with regards to reasonable adjustments and access arrangements. 

Ensure the school keeps an accurate record of all pupils with SEND and that this remains up-to-date. 

Undertake training and CPD to improve and maintain a well-rounded knowledge of SEND provision to ensure duties can be effectively performed.

Ensure the specific requirements of pupils with SEND are understood and support measures are implemented effectively.

Have a sound knowledge of how relevant legislation, including the ‘SEND Code of Practice’, impacts the school’s SEND provision.

Understand how the needs of pupils with SEND change as they get older.

Participate in the implementation of EHC plans with parents of pupils with SEND, monitoring their impact and making any necessary adjustments to ensure pupils make progress.

Teaching and learning

Liaise with the headteacher to ensure an appropriate, broad, high-quality and cost-effective curriculum is delivered to pupils with SEND.  

Keep up-to-date with local and national developments in teaching pupils with SEND and communicate these to all members of staff.

Monitor teaching and learning activities to ensure that they meet the specific needs of pupils with SEND.

Leadership and management

Liaise with the headteacher to ensure an appropriate, broad, high-quality and cost-effective curriculum is delivered to pupils with SEND.  

Keep up-to-date with local and national developments in teaching pupils with SEND and communicate these to all members of staff.

Monitor teaching and learning activities to ensure that they meet the specific needs of pupils with SEND.

Support staff members to understand the needs of pupils with SEND.

Promote a safe and secure learning environment for pupils with SEND, and action improvement plans where necessary. Provide professional guidance to staff to secure good quality teaching for pupils with SEND.

Guide staff in recognising and fulfilling their responsibilities to support pupils with SEND.

Contribute to the performance management process of any SEND teachers, learning support staff and TAs. 

Act as a point of contact and offer advice to staff seeking to learn more about, or develop skills relating to, SEND.  

Ensure the school’s SEND provision is inclusive at all levels. 

Contribute to curriculum planning to ensure that it reflects the needs of pupils with SEND. 

Help to cater for the needs of pupils with SEND by contributing to the effective deployment of learning support staff.  

Contribute to the creation of an effective SDP which appropriately considers the needs of pupils with SEND. 

Ensure that learning support staff are supervised effectively.

Communication

Contribute to leadership meetings by reporting on the effectiveness of SEND provision and sharing information with the key stakeholders.

Ensure staff are aware of developments with regards to SEND provision and policy in their identified areas of responsibility.

Talk to pupils with SEND and listen to their feedback, with a view to developing a more effective support system.

Recording and assessment

Ensure that the school’s administrative work for SEND is effectively completed, including the following: 

• Learning support staff timetables

• Reading timetables for pupils

• Contact with outside agencies, e.g. careers and outreach agencies 

The implementation of behaviour support plans by staff and their understanding by pupils

Work with teachers to set challenging targets for raising achievement amongst pupils with SEND.

In addition, other duties at the same responsibility level may be interchanged with/added to this list at any time.