KS4 & SEND Advisory Officer

Brent Council; Wembley; Hybrid; GBP 34,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave

LGPS

Hybrid working

Family-friendly policies

Eye care support

Season ticket loans

Job summary

Brent Council is seeking a KS4 & SEND Advisory Officer to support looked-after children in education. The role combines KS4 advisory duties with specialist SEND oversight to keep learners engaged and progressing toward qualifications and post-16 opportunities.

The post involves collaborating with schools, carers and partners to improve GCSE outcomes, oversee EHCPs, and help reduce exclusions while supporting Year 11 transitions.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience supporting vulnerable children and young people in education, SEND, social care or related setting.
• Understands KS4 education, GCSE pathways and barriers to attendance, achievement and progression.
• Knowledge of SEND requirements, EHCPs and the SEND Code of Practice, and looked-after children.
• Ability to coordinate support with schools, carers and multi-agency partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead educational oversight of the KS4 cohort, monitoring attendance, progress and attainment.
• Strengthen Personal Education Plans and coordinate targeted support to improve GCSE outcomes.
• Provide specialist SEND advice including EHCP reviews and provision oversight.
• Support Year 11 transitions into education, employment or training.

Skills

Experience with vulnerable children

KS4 knowledge

SEND knowledge

Multi-agency collaboration

Data interpretation

Caseload management

Child-centered planning

Education

Level 3 qualification in SEND/education/health

Job description

About the role

Join Brent Virtual School as a KS4 & SEND Advisory Officer, supporting children looked after to achieve their potential in education. This varied temporary secondment brings together Key Stage 4 advisory work and specialist SEND oversight. You will help young people stay engaged in learning, access the support they need, achieve their qualifications and move confidently into post-16 opportunities.

In this role, you will:

• Lead educational oversight of the Key Stage 4 cohort, monitoring attendance, progress, attainment and educational stability.
• Work with schools and partners to strengthen Personal Education Plans, coordinate targeted support and improve GCSE and equivalent outcomes.
• Provide specialist advice and oversight for children and young people with SEND, including EHCP reviews and specialist or out-of-borough provision.
• Help prevent exclusions and gaps in education, and support successful Year 11 transitions into education, employment or training.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone is treated with dignity, respect and fairness. We expect all employees to demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and to promote inclusive, non-discriminatory practices in their work. This commitment forms part of our recruitment process, and candidates may be assessed on their understanding of and ability to contribute to an inclusive working environment.

The information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas, who will use it to help prevent fraud and other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. Further details on how your information will be used by Brent and Cifas, and your data protection rights can be found here.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. This includes people with hidden disabilities, long-term health conditions, diagnoses and mental health conditions. We also guarantee an interview to care-experienced applicants who meet the essential criteria. Information shared for this purpose will be treated fairly and used only to confirm eligibility under these schemes.

If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact recruitment@.

Brent has a positive approach to flexible working.

closely with designated teachers, SENCOs, social workers, carers, education providers and other professionals, offering practical advice and constructive challenge to remove barriers to learning.

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Has substantial experience supporting vulnerable children and young people in education, SEND, social care or a related setting.
• Understands Key Stage 4 education, GCSE pathways and the barriers affecting attendance, achievement and progression.
• Has knowledge of SEND requirements, EHCPs and the SEND Code of Practice, alongside an understanding of children looked after.
• Can work confidently with schools, carers and multi-agency partners to coordinate support and challenge where needed.
• Can interpret pupil and cohort information, prioritise a varied caseload and develop effective educational municates clearly, builds positive relationships and keeps children's views and aspirations central to planning.
• A relevant Level 3 qualification in SEND, education, health or a related field, or equivalent professional experience, is required.

Why join us?

We know people do their best work when they feel valued, supported and able to grow. At Brent, you will benefit from

• 27 days' annual leave, rising with length of service, plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions
• Hybrid and flexible working options available for most roles
• Supportive family-friendly policies, including carers' leave, paternity leave and compassionate leave for eligible employees
• Health and wellbeing support, including eye test support and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial wellbeing support, including education sessions, childcare deposit loans and season ticket loans
• Travel support, including affordable parking nearby, a Cycle to Work scheme and onsite facilities
• Learning and development opportunities to support your career
• Access to My Brent Rewards with exclusive discounts on shopping, travel, leisure and entertainment

Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in the country, with communities, ideas and experiences from across the world helping to shape who we are. Working here means joining a council that is focused on fairness, open to new thinking and committed to improving life for local people.

Our values shape how we work and what people can expect from us. We collaborate proactively, lead inclusively, embrace change, are bold and curious, and celebrate and share our success. For people who care about public service and want their work to matter, Brent offers the chance to make a meaningful difference.