Head of SEND

Plume School; North Fambridge; On-site; GBP 62,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Financial training

Development and accreditation

CPD opportunities

Free staff car park

Essex Working Well Wellbeing Service

Workplace Health Champions

Mental Health First Aiders

Free Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

The Head of SEND at Plume School leads strategic SEND provision across the academy, collaborating with teachers and external agencies to secure high-quality adaptive teaching and inclusive outcomes for students in Years 7–13. The role sits on the Senior Leadership Team and drives whole‑school inclusion and improvement initiatives.

Salary up to £63,688, with permanent, full‑time duties. DBS checks and UK eligibility are required, and the school supports professional development and wellbeing for

Qualifications

• Applicants should be hardworking, enthusiastic and committed to delivering high-quality education for students in Years 7 to 13.

Responsibilities

• Head of SEND will provide professional and operational leadership for SEND across the academy, ensuring high-quality provision and ambitious outcomes.
• Lead SEND strategy, policy and provision and coordinate SEND resources and staff.
• Monitor and evaluate SEND provision and ensure compliance with SEND Code of Practice and Equality Act.

Job description

• SENCO (special educational needs coordinator)

Visa sponsorship

Visas cannot be sponsored

Key stage

Working pattern

Full time: Monday 08:25 - 16:30 and Tuesday - Friday 08:25 - 15:10

Contract type

Permanent

Pay scale

Scale of L4 – L8, which from appointment for a full-time post currently involves a salary of up to £63,688

What skills and experience we're looking for

Applicants should be hardworking, enthusiastic and committedto delivering high-quality education for students in Years 7 to 13.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), thepostholder will contribute to whole-school leadership, academy improvement andthe effective day-to-day operation of the school.

What the school offers its staff

• A highly supportive and friendly working environment
• Opportunities for Financial training, development and accreditation.
• 24/7 Free Employee Assistance Programme (offering individual support, information and advice including financial, legal and home-life and work-related issues)
• CPD opportunities and Internal Promotion
• Free staff car park
• Essex Working Well Wellbeing Service (health and wellbeing support and guidance)
• Access to Workplace Health Champions
• Access to Mental Health First Aiders

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

The Head of SEND, as a Senior Leader, will support theWhole Academy Inclusion Lead in the strategic leadership of SEND and provideprofessional and operational leadership for Special Educational Needs andDisabilities (SEND) across the academy, promoting an inclusive culture andensuring that students with SEND achieve ambitious academic, personal andsocial outcomes. The Head of SEND will work with teachers, support staff,families and external agencies to secure high-quality adaptive teaching,effective provision and positive outcomes for all students with SEND.

The Head of SEND will provide professionalleadership for SEND, monitor the impact of provision, promote high standards oft eaching and learning, and support the effective deployment of resources to improve student achievement, attendance, wellbeing and preparation for the nextstage of education, employment or adulthood.

This role would be suitedto either an experienced Primary or Secondary SENDCo.

Personal Qualities

Applicants should be hardworking, enthusiastic and committedto delivering high-quality education for students in Years 7 to 13.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), thepostholder will contribute to whole-school leadership, academy improvement andthe effective day-to-day operation of the school.

Responsibilities of the Post Holder

The Head of SEND will provide professionaland operational leadership for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities(SEND) across the academy, ensuring that students with SEND receivehigh-quality provision and achieve ambitious academic, personal and socialoutcomes. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the postholder willcontribute to whole-school leadership, academy improvement and the effectiveday-to-day operation of the school.

StrategicLeadership of SEND

• Act as the academy'sdesignated SENDCo and fulfil all statutory responsibilities in accordancewith the SEND Code of Practice.
• Lead the development,implementation and evaluation of the academy's SEND strategy, policy andprovision.
• Contribute to SENDpriorities within the academy’s Inclusion Strategy and Framework andensure their effective implementation and evaluation.
• Have day-to-dayresponsibility for coordinating provision for students with SEND andmaintaining the academy's SEND Register.
• Promote a culture ofinclusion, high expectations and equality of opportunity for allstudents.
• Ensure compliance withthe SEND Code of Practice, the Equality Act 2010 and relevant statutoryguidance.
• Advise senior leaders andtrustees on SEND matters, legislation and best practice.
• Ensure the academy's SENDInformation Report and statutory documentation remain compliant and up todate.

Quality of Education and Outcomes

• Ensure specialistassessment information and external professional recommendations aretranslated into clear, practical classroom strategies and appropriateprovision for staff to implement.
• Lead and quality assurethe identification, assessment and support of students with SEND throughthe graduated approach, including staff referrals, screening, assessmentand liaison with relevant pastoral, attendance and externalprofessionals.
• Ensure identified needstranslate into appropriate APDR, provision and reasonableadjustments.
• Coordinate provision forstudents receiving SEND Support and those with Education, Health and CarePlans (EHCPs), including requests for statutory assessment and annualreviews.
• Oversee SEND provision andinterventions across the academy, ensuring they are matched to identifiedneed and have clear entry and exit criteria, baseline measures, intendedoutcomes and review points.
• Maintain and quality assurethe SEND provision map and monitor the impact of interventions, staffingand LSA deployment, adapting provision where it is not securing sufficientprogress or independence.
• Provide SEND leadership andoperational support within Achievement Pathway, Achievement Pathway+,Reflection Room and The Lighthouse, ensuring students receive appropriateprovision and reasonable adjustments, and reviewing patterns ofengagement, dysregulation or repeated use of these provisions to identifyunmet or changing needs and inform appropriate next steps.
• Work with teachers andleaders to ensure high-quality adaptive teaching and effective curriculumaccess for all students with SEND.
• Ensure all teachersunderstand and fulfil their responsibility for the progress and outcomesof students with SEND.
• Monitor and evaluate theimpact of SEND provision through analysis of achievement, attendance,behaviour, personal development and destination outcomes.
• Promote preparation foradulthood by supporting students' independence, resilience and successfultransition to further education, employment and training.

Leadership and Management

• Line manage SENDteachers, Learning Support Assistants and other SEND support staff.
• Lead, support and developstaff to strengthen inclusive practice across the academy.
• Coordinate referrals,assessments and multi-agency support, liaising effectively with families,external professionals and local authority services.
• Manage SEND resources,staffing and funding effectively to maximise student outcomes.
• Produce regular analysisand evaluation of SEND provision, outcomes and emerging priorities,contributing evidence to academy self-evaluation, the Inclusion Strategyand reporting to senior leaders and trustees.

Examination Access Arrangements

• Lead and overseeexamination access arrangements in accordance with current JCQregulations.
• Ensure appropriateidentification, assessment, evidence gathering and applications for accessarrangements.

Remunerationand Working Time

Annual salary will be in accordance with theacademy Teachers Pay

Scale of L4 – L8, which from appointment fora full-time post currently involves a salary of up to £63,688, Salaries arereviewed by national negotiation with effect from 1st September eachyear.

Plume Academy remains fullycommitted to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and youngpeople and expects all staff, volunteers and trustees to share thiscommitment.

Commitment to safeguarding

The Board of Trustees is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. All appointment are therefore subject to satisfactory DBS and Immigration Checks, together with the receipt of References and Health Clearances.

The Plume School converted to become an academy school in January 2012.

The last full inspection took place in November 2023 and the school was judged to be good across all areas. Ofsted acknowledged the high quality of teaching and excellent relationships in the Academy. Please see the academy website for more information.

The academy is a larger-than-average secondary school with a sixth form.

The vast majority of pupils are White British.

The proportions of pupils who speak English as an additional language or who are from ethnic minorities are both well below the national average.

The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium is broadly average, as is the proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, although for those with an education, health and care plan the proportion is slightly above the national average.

The school meets the government’s current floor standards for pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics at the end of key stage 4.

Plume Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. All appointments are therefore subject to satisfactory DBS and Immigration Checks, together with the receipt of references.

Trinity Square, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 5JU

Shipwrights Drive, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 1RQ