SEND Practitioner

Serco; Uttoxeter; On-site; GBP 23,664 - 28,923; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

23 days holidays plus bank holidays

Up to 6% contributory pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Serco is looking for an Education Inclusion Practitioner to join our Justice and Immigration team in Uttoxeter. You will provide vital support for learners, ensuring those with additional needs access education effectively. Your role includes managing Individual Learning Plans and collaborating with various teams to foster an inclusive environment.

The position offers a salary of £26,294 plus excellent benefits, including a generous pension scheme and extensive training opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting learners with SEND or additional learning needs.
• Knowledge of inclusive teaching strategies and behaviour support.
• Strong communication skills with vulnerable learners.

Responsibilities

• Carry out diagnostic assessments to identify learning needs.
• Develop and review Individual Learning Plans (ILPs).
• Provide guidance on adaptive teaching and inclusive practice.

Skills

Supporting learners with SEND

Knowledge of inclusive teaching strategies

Strong communication skills

Resilient behaviour management

Education

Experience in educational or support environment

Job description

Location: HMP Dovegate, Staffordshire ST14 8XR

Salary: £26,294 plus excellent benefits

Schedule: 08:15 am – 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday. 40 hours per week

Overview

As an Education Inclusion Practitioner in our Justice and Immigration team, you’ll provide specialist inclusion, SEND (special educational needs and disabilities), and pastoral support that helps learners access education safely and successfully. Your work will promote confidence, resilience, and positive engagement — supporting rehabilitation and helping individuals develop the skills they need for a more positive future.

You’ll play a vital role in creating an inclusive learning culture across the prison. Working closely with colleagues, you’ll ensure learners with additional needs have the right support, encouragement, and adjustments to progress with confidence.

Responsibilities

• Carry out diagnostic assessments, screeners, and profiles to identify learning needs and ensure these are shared with relevant colleagues.
• Develop and review Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), maintaining a caseload and meeting required CDI timescales.
• Deliver personalised academic and pastoral interventions for learners with SEND, neurodiversity, or other additional needs.
• Staff and manage the Resilience Room as a calm and structured environment that supports reengagement and behaviour regulation.
• Provide guidance to tutors on adaptive teaching, reasonable adjustments, and inclusive practice.
• Maintain accurate records on CMS, including learner attendance, progress, and support interventions.
• Work collaboratively with prison officers, healthcare, psychology, safer custody, and offender management teams.
• Follow all safeguarding, security, and compliance procedures, maintaining the highest professional standards.
• Contribute to continuous improvement, inspection readiness, and service development activities.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting learners with SEND, neurodiversity, or additional learning needs in an educational or support environment.
• Knowledge of inclusive teaching strategies, access arrangements, and behaviour support approaches.
• Experience delivering pastoral or mentoring support and developing personalised learning plans.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to build rapport with vulnerable learners.
• Calm, resilient behaviour management skills, and the ability to work confidently in a complex environment.
• Competent ICT skills for maintaining accurate and timely records.

Vetting and Checks

An Enhanced DBS check is required for this role. This includes spent and unspent convictions, cautions, and any relevant information held by local police, in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and safeguarding requirements. You will also complete an Occupational Health Questionnaire to allow us to provide any support needed for you to succeed in the role.

Benefits

• Holidays: 23 days plus bank holidays (increasing to 25 with tenure)
• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Training and development: Over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships (including L3 Team Leader and L5 Operations Manager apprenticeships), mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression
• Health and wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, 30% off at Serco‑managed leisure centres, and 24/7 access to a virtual GP service
• Discounts: Discounts across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel
• Charity: Paid volunteering day, tax‑free charitable giving through Payroll Giving Scheme, donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity
• Employee networks: Our networks support inclusion and connection by providing spaces for collaboration, learning, and belonging. They represent and empower all our colleagues including LGBTQIA+ employees, women, parents and carers, people with disabilities, veterans, and people from all cultural backgrounds.

EEO Statement

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000. At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.