Director of the SEND Faculty (SENCO)

St James; Stockport; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

St James' Catholic High School in Stockport, south of Manchester, is seeking a senior SEND leader to shape and drive SEND provision across the school. You will lead teaching and learning for SEND students, set strategic vision, coordinate day-to-day SEND support, monitor curriculum, foster high expectations among staff and pupils, and ensure the school delivers excellent outcomes with a strong ethos.

The post requires outstanding leadership, collaboration with all teams, safeguarding commitment,

Responsibilities

• To lead the development of teaching and learning for SEND students across the school
• To have overall responsibility for determining the strategic vision and development of SEND provision across the school To have day-to-day responsibility for the coordination of SEND provision to support individual pupils
• Monitor, evaluate and review the curriculum delivered to pupils ensuring it meets their needs, deepens their learning and leads to outstanding outcomes
• To inspire and engage staff and pupils in the vision for the school
• Be accountable for outcomes for SEND students across the school
• Line manage teaching assistants holding them to account for effectiveness by providing challenge and support Ensure effective strategies are in place to enable all pupils to make good progress
• Track SEND student achievement regularly across the school, transforming data into action
• Lead on intervention for SEND students ensuring all groups of pupils make good progress
• Quality assure the curriculum offer for SEND students ensuring it is fit for purpose
• Ensure best practice is researched and shared in relation to highly effective SEND curricula
• To articulate and secure high expectations for yourself and all staff for quality teaching and learning for SEND students To role model effective practices with regard to planning to meet the needs of all learners, delivery of engaging lessons, frequent and accurate assessment and feedback, and intervention
• To line manage and appraise all members of the SEND team to ensure that the quality ofprovision is routinely monitored by various means
• Ensure that the school's vision is clearly and effectively articulated, shared and acted upon by all members who teach SEND students
• Promote the school's ethos and culture to the broader community
• Treat pupils, staff and parents fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect to create and maintain a positive school culture
• Celebrate the achievements of individuals and the SEND faculty
• Manage own workload and that of others to allow an appropriate work/life balance
• Regularly review own practice, set personal targets and take responsibilities for own personal development
• Engage in research around current educational initiatives including government policies in areas commensurate with the post
• Develop a faculty ethos which enables everyone to work collaboratively, share knowledge and understanding, celebrate success and accept responsibility for outcomes
• Ensure individual staff accountabilities are clearly defined, understood, agreed and are subject to rigorous review and evaluation
• Provide the Headteacher and Governing Board with key information required as part of a line management process Make a significant contribution to faculty self‑evaluation and the completion of the faculty improvement plan

Job description

• To lead the development of teaching and learning for SEND students across the school


• To have overall responsibility for determining the strategic vision and development of SEND provision across the school To have day-to-day responsibility for the coordination of SEND provision to support individual pupils


• Monitor, evaluate and review the curriculum delivered to pupils ensuring it meets their needs, deepens their learning and leads to outstanding outcomes


• To inspire and engage staff and pupils in the vision for the school

Leading Achievement

• Be accountable for outcomes for SEND students across the school


• Line manage teaching assistants holding them to account for effectiveness by providing challenge and support Ensure effective strategies are in place to enable all pupils to make good progress


• Track SEND student achievement regularly across the school, transforming data into action


• Lead on intervention for SEND students ensuring all groups of pupils make good progress

Leading Curriculum

• Quality assure the curriculum offer for SEND students ensuring it is fit for purpose


• Ensure best practice is researched and shared in relation to highly effective SEND curricula

Leading Teaching and Learning

• To articulate and secure high expectations for yourself and all staff for quality teaching and learning for SEND students To role model effective practices with regard to planning to meet the needs of all learners, delivery of engaging lessons, frequent and accurate assessment and feedback, and intervention


• To line manage and appraise all members of the SEND team to ensure that the quality ofprovision is routinely monitored by various means

Leading School Ethos and Culture

• Ensure that the school's vision is clearly and effectively articulated, shared and acted upon by all members who teach SEND students


• Promote the school's ethos and culture to the broader community

Developing self and working with others

• Treat pupils, staff and parents fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect to create and maintain a positive school culture


• Celebrate the achievements of individuals and the SEND faculty


• Manage own workload and that of others to allow an appropriate work/life balance


• Regularly review own practice, set personal targets and take responsibilities for own personal development


• Engage in research around current educational initiatives including government policies in areas commensurate with the post

Securing Accountability

• Develop a faculty ethos which enables everyone to work collaboratively, share knowledge and understanding, celebrate success and accept responsibility for outcomes


• Ensure individual staff accountabilities are clearly defined, understood, agreed and are subject to rigorous review and evaluation


• Provide the Headteacher and Governing Board with key information required as part of a line management process Make a significant contribution to faculty self‑evaluation and the completion of the faculty improvement plan At St James' we are proud of our latest Ofsted report, where all aspects of the school were judged to be either of an expected or strong standard (OFSTED 2026). The Diocese of Shrewsbury judged our school to be a "Good" Catholic school with "Outstanding" areas (CSI 2024). Our school is made up of 825 students and 100 staff. St James' Catholic High School is a thriving Catholic community that places children at the centre of everything we do. We are located in Stockport, South of Manchester.

St James' is a highly academic performing school:

• In 2026, 72% of students attained a Grade 4 or above in both English & Mathematics (the equivalent to the old Grade C) with 52% achieving a Grade 5 or above in both English & Mathematics


• 100 grade 9s and 147 grade 8s were awarded to our students in 2026, demonstrating exceptional attainment across a wide range of subjects


• Exceptional results in open, Maths and English subjects placing us in the top 20% of similar schools nationally

Our school is at the cutting edge of teaching and learning and thrives on providing outstanding opportunities for the young people we serve. All our staff work to provide our young people with the skills, knowledge and understanding in order to achieve their full potential. Inspired by the example of St James, the purpose of our school is 'To educate and develop global Catholic citizens'. Our three school values of Family, Faith and Excellence are lived out every single day by staff, students and all stakeholders. The reputation of our°school is exceptional within Stockport and across the Shrewsbury Diocese for academic excellence, impeccable pupil conduct and for providing outstanding additional opportunities for our young people. The result is that our young people develop into global Catholic citizens who are proud to profess their faith and who make a positive contribution to society.

Commitment to safeguarding St James' Catholic High School is an equal opportunity employer which is "Positive about Disabled People". Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently under‑representated in the workforce, who meet the person specification for the post St James' Catholic High School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service.

We are located in Stockport, South of Manchester.