SENCO

At SWRAC we support individuals to thrive through real-life and relevant education programmes. Our intention is to provide people with the skills, knowledge and experience to BE resilient, confident & independent, to GROW into education, employment or meaningful activity, LIVE healthily, BE active & responsible citizens and BE safe.

Due to continued expansion, we are looking for an additional full time SENCO to join our friendly team in Dorset.

Duties will include but are not limited to:

1. Develop and oversee the implementation of the SWRAC’s SEN strategy and policy with senior managers
2. Make referrals and liaise with professionals outside of SWRAC - this could include psychologists, health and social care providers, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. But not safeguarding referrals - DDSLs would complete these.
3. Carry out assessments of young people with SEN to identify needs and monitor progress - including observations in the classroom and meeting with tutors and parents
4. Work with classroom tutors, SWRAC senior managers, parents and relevant external agencies to develop, implement and monitor individual support/learning plans
5. Attend and lead on Team around the learner meetings to ascertain progress and coordinator needs
6. Make referrals and liaise with professionals outside of SWRAC - this could include psychologists, health and social care providers, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists
7. Provide advice, guidance and training to tutors and Learning Support Assistants on supporting young people with SEN
8. Support tutors to develop schemes of work and learning programmes for young people with SEN
9. Support tutors to develop and implement effective teaching and behaviour management approaches in the classroom
10. Advise resources for SEN provision
11. Maintain systems for keeping young people’s records, ensuring information is accurate and up to date
12. Analyse SWRAC, local and national data and develop appropriate strategies and interventions
13. Keep up to date with national and local policies related to SEN and cascade information to colleagues
14. To facilitate Person Centred Reviews

Qualifications

Required

NASENCO or equivalent SENCO qualification

Desired

English and maths at Level 2 or equivalent

QTS or similar teaching qualification

Skills / Competencies

A strong commitment to raising educational attainment for young people with SEN, including working with learners directly and supporting other staff to do so

Willingness and ability to develop specialist knowledge and keep up to date with local and national policy and developments

Be able to secure sufficient internal resources, and secure the necessary support from external agencies

Teamwork skills – to inspire and motivate other teachers, model good practice, and develop a whole college commitment to supporting learners with SEN

Interpersonal skills – for building relationships with parents, teachers, and external professionals

Written communication skills – for writing learning and support plans, reports on learner progress, and training and guidance for staff

Organisation and time-management skills – needed for prioritising and balancing a busy and varied workload

Empathy and emotional intelligence – in order to recognise and be sensitive to the needs of learners and parents

Analytical and problem-solving skills – necessary for analysing school, local and national data and developing appropriate strategies and interventions

Knowledge

-Knowledge and experience of a range of successful teaching, learning and curriculum strategies to meet the needs of all pupils

-Knowledge of assessment strategies and the use of assessment to inform next stages

-A secure understanding and working knowledge of the SEND code of practice

-Understanding of the characteristics of an effective learning environment and the key elements of successful behaviour management

-Successful experience in creating an effective learning environment and implementing policy and practice and curriculum for learners

Experience

-At least three years teaching experience preferably in post 16

-Experience of effective monitoring and evaluation of teaching

Personal Qualities

A passion for person-centred learning especially for learners with complex needs

Empathy for young people with SEND

Commitment to the SWRAC’s Ethos

Able to inspire

The ability to work with a range of staff at all levels

A sense of humour

Enthusiastic, honest, reliable

A sense of purpose and ability to take personal initiative

A sensitive, flexible, open-minded and responsive attitude to working with others

Ability to work effectively as part of a team

Strong commitment to SWRAC improvement and raising achievement for all

Ability to build and maintain good relationships

Ability to remain positive and enthusiastic when working under pressure

Good interpersonal skills

Effective communication skills

Positivity and perseverance

Ability to critically evaluate own performance and make any necessary changes to be more effective

Special Attributes/Requirements

To be committed to promoting independence in line with preparing for adulthood outcomes of Education/Employment & Careers, Friends, Relationships and Community, Health and Independent Lives

Prepared to work flexibly to meet work requirements.

Current driving licence.

SWRAC are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks. We are committed to securing genuine equality of opportunity in all aspects of our activities as an employer and education provider.