SENDco maternity cover

Big Creative Training (BCT) job specification (SENDco maternity cover)

Big Creative Training is a well-established and expanding creative industry training provider with a long track record of delivering positive outcomes for learners. Our mission is to improve the lives of young people through high quality training and creative industry experiences. We have more than 400 young people per year going through our vocational training programmes including apprenticeships, and they all take qualifications in maths and English. We have great industry links and work with over 100 creative sector employers and SMEs.

We are looking for an outstanding SENDco to join our team based in Walthamstow, East London. The successful candidate will have maths and English at GCSE grade “C/4” or above, and will be educated to degree level with evidence of outstanding practice working with 16-19 year old learners in a city environment.

Key tasks

• The ability to work in a way that promotes the safety and wellbeing of young people

• Oversee the implementation of Big Creative Training’s SEN policy 

• Keep up to date with national and local SEN policies and disseminate to colleagues 

• Strong working knowledge of the SEND code of practice funding arrangements for high needs students

• Carry out assessments with SEN and high needs learners to identify needs and monitor progress during enrolment and throughout the academic year 

• Select learners for intervention, timetable, and allocate a member of staff to lead 

• Ensure up to date and accurate records are kept of all interventions for individual learners requesting summative and formative resports from allocated staff 

• Work with the tutor team, parents, and various external agencies to develop, implement and monitor individual support plans 

• Liaise with staff, parents, external agencies and other schools to coordinate their contribution, provide maximum support and ensure continuity of provision

• Provide advice, guidance and strategies to tutors on supporting learners with SEN

• Lead and manage a team of high needs support tutors, including recruitment and timetabling 

• Complete high needs funding applications and liasie with local authorities to negotiate funds  

• Qualified to test learners for access arrangement needs

• Compile and complete form 8s and apply for access arrangements using access arrangements online 

• Coordinate all EHCP annual reviews and reviews of individual education plans

Desired qualities

• Ability to empathise with and understand the many challenges faced by young adults in a demographic with high free school meals rate and poverty levels, many of whom struggled to succeed at school

• Display warmth, empathy,care, and sensitivity 

• Experience of working as a SENDco in a similar post 16 environment (desired but not essential)

• Extremely organised and able to manage own work load effectively and flexibly

• Highly motivated and driven to succeed in a rewarding environment

• Outstanding communication skills and experience of good / outstanding Ofsted 

• Outstanding negotiation skills 

• Positive, solution focused and proactive when managing and responding to data 

• Assertive and self-confident in the management of a SEN team including around 20 teaching assistants

• Committed and willing to “go the extra mile” to meet targets

• Ambitious - will not settle for less than outstanding standards of work and behaviour

• Has achieved the national award for special educational needs coordinators (desired but not essential)

• Evidence of relevant CPD in relation to SEN and inclusion

• Knowledge and experience of literacy and numeracy interventions to promote progress

• Open minded, self-evaluative and adaptable to changing circumstances and new ideas 

• Knowledge and understanding to support learners with EAL

• Experience of budget management 

• Experience of leading SEN training to improve the quality of teaching and learning 

Benefits of working for BCT

• Supportive, developmental environment with a creative and innovative approach to education

• Be part of a successful and expanding organisation with a pension and healthcare cash plan

Salary and days of work

• This is a full time 35 hours per week position paid at £40000 per annum 

• We offer 22 days holiday plus bank holidays 

• Start date 4th Jan 2022 although an earlier start is possible (from Dec 3rd)

• Fixed term maternity cover contract ending on 27th May 2022

How to apply

For an informal conversation about the role please call Ben Jolly on 07834 182 380. If you wish to apply you must complete the application form here by 9am on 1st December: http://www.bigcreative.education/bct-staff-application-form/ 

To find out more about BCT and our approach to education please see www.bigcreative.education 

Big Creative Training was rated “good” by Ofsted at our last inspection. You can read the full report here. 

Ofsted said: “Leaders and staff successfully ignite young people’s enthusiasm for learning”.