SEND Access Compliance Officer

Teaching Vacancies; Knowsley; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Rainhill High School and Sixth Form is seeking a SEND Access Compliance Officer to lead examination provision, ensure JCQ compliance and coordinate access arrangements across internal and external exams.

You will work with the SENDCo to evidencing and processing applications, manage AAO, supervise invigilators and train staff on examination arrangements, contributing to safeguarding and inclusion.

Qualifications

• Excellent organisational skills and meticulous approach to exam administration.
• Ability to interpret JCQ requirements accurately and apply them in practice.
• Confident working with pupils, parents, staff and external agencies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the administration and coordination of all examination access arrangements.
• Manage applications and evidence through AAO and ensure compliant records.
• Coordinate examinations, timetables, venues and invigilator staffing.
• Provide training and guidance on examination access arrangements to staff.
• Support JCQ inspections and maintain audit-ready documentation.

Skills

Organised

Attention to detail

Communication skills

JCQ compliance

Tools

AAO (Access Arrangements Online)

Job description

What skills and experience we're looking for

Are you highly organised, meticulous and passionate about ensuring every pupil has a fair opportunity to succeed?

We are looking for a SEND Access Compliance Officer to lead our SEND examination provision and ensure our pupils receive the Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments they need to demonstrate their true ability, ensuring the highest standards of JCQ compliance.

Working closely with the Director of Inclusion and SENDCO, you will coordinate internal and external examinations, manage Access Arrangements Online (AAO), applications and evidence, oversee invigilators and ensure pupils consistently receive their approved examination support.

You will need exceptional attention to detail, be calm under pressure, with excellent communication skills and will be confident interpreting and applying JCQ requirements and regulations accurately and be able to work professionally with pupils, parents, colleagues and external agencies.

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of a key area of school provision, combining examinations, compliance and inclusion, in a role that is committed to inclusion and pupil success, in order to make a genuine difference.

Purpose of the post

To lead the school's examinations provision with a particular focus on ensuring full compliance with JCQ regulations relating to Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Exam Access Provision. The postholder will co-ordinate all examination administration, whilst working closely with the SENDCo to ensure that pupils with additional needs receive their approved support and that the school remains fully compliant with JCQ requirements.

What the school offers its staff

Our School’s mission is 'In Pursuit of Excellence’ in everything that we do and our core values; Learn, Think, Contribute, Care, embody our determination to ensure that all our students receive a first class education that enables them to take their place in society confidently.

We are a popular and high achieving school on the edge of Merseyside with a very strong reputation locally and significantly over subscribed.

Further details about the role

Key Responsibilities

Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments

• Lead the administration and coordination of all examination access arrangements.
• Work closely with the SENDCo, specialist assessors and teaching staff to identify, evidence and process applications for access arrangements.
• Maintain accurate and compliant records in line with JCQ regulations.
• Coordinate annual reviews of normal way of working evidence.
• Manage applications through the Access Arrangements Online (AAO) system.
• Ensure pupils receive their approved access arrangements in all internal and external examinations.
• Monitor the implementation and quality assurance of access arrangements across the school.
• Provide training and guidance for staff, invigilators and teaching colleagues on examination access arrangements.
• Support the school in preparing for any JCQ inspection relating to access arrangements or examination compliance.

Examination Administration

• Coordinate all public and internal examinations.
• Manage candidate entries, amendments and examination timetables.
• Ensure the secure storage and handling of examination materials.
• Organise examination venues, staffing and candidate arrangements.
• Manage results days and post-results services.

JCQ Compliance

• Act as the school's operational lead for JCQ compliance.
• Maintain and update examination policies and procedures.
• Ensure all examination practices meet JCQ and awarding body requirements.
• Undertake regular compliance checks and maintain audit-ready records.
• Advise senior leaders on examination regulations and compliance risks.

Invigilator Management

• Recruit, train and deploy a team of examination invigilators.
• Ensure all invigilators understand the requirements of pupils with access arrangements.
• Monitor examination practice to ensure regulations are consistently followed.

Additional Responsibilities

• Working with Parents and Multi-Agency Professionals
• Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments
• Lead the administration and coordination of all examination access arrangements.
• Work closely with the SENDCo, specialist assessors and teaching staff to identify, evidence and process applications for access arrangements.
• Maintain accurate and compliant records in line with JCQ regulations.
• Coordinate annual reviews of normal way of working evidence.
• Manage applications through the Access Arrangements Online (AAO) system.
• Ensure pupils receive their approved access arrangements in all internal and external examinations.
• Monitor the implementation and quality assurance of access arrangements across the school.
• Provide training and guidance for staff, invigilators and teaching colleagues on examination access arrangements.
• Support the school in preparing for any JCQ inspection relating to access arrangements or examination compliance.
• Act as the primary point of contact for parents regarding examination access arrangements, explaining JCQ requirements, evidential thresholds and school procedures.
• Work collaboratively with parents to gather and review information that may contribute to the access arrangements process, whilst ensuring all decisions remain compliant with JCQ regulations.
• Liaise with external agencies including Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, CAMHS, medical professionals and Local Authority services to obtain and review supporting information where appropriate.
• Support families in understanding the distinction between a diagnosis and eligibility for examination access arrangements, ensuring expectations are managed sensitively and professionally.
• Ensure school policies regarding the identification, assessment and evidencing of access arrangements are consistently applied and clearly communicated to parents, pupils and professionals.
• Maintain detailed records of meetings, correspondence and evidence used to support access arrangement applications.
• Work proactively with pastoral, safeguarding and SEND teams to remove barriers to learning and ensure examination arrangements reflect pupils' established normal way of working.
• Advise senior leaders on complex cases where parents, external professionals or agencies request examination arrangements that may not be supported by the evidence required under JCQ regulations.

Commitment to safeguarding

Rainhill High School and Sixth Form is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people as well as promoting equality of opportunity and community cohesion; where the diversity of different backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and positively valued and expects all staff, volunteers and other workers to share in this commitment. This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosing & Barring Certificate and online searches as part of our Safer Recruitment & Selection Procedures.