Specialist Officer - (Cognition & Learning)

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council; Halifax; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid working

Local Government Pension Scheme

Employee wellbeing support

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Calderdale Council is recruiting a Specialist Officer Cognition & Learning to shape outstanding SEND practice across the borough. You will combine specialist assessment, teaching, coaching and leadership to ensure children and young people receive the right support at the right time.

You will work with schools, families and multi‑agency professionals to strengthen inclusive provision, develop curricula, and lead a small team of Outreach Workers. Hybrid and flexible working supported.

Qualifications

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• Relevant SEND qualification or commitment to obtain one.
• Experience identifying, assessing and supporting children with SEND.
• Experience using specialist SEND assessment tools.
• Strong knowledge of cognition and learning needs and evidence‑informed practice.
• Excellent classroom practice with proven positive outcomes for children with SEND.
• Experience coaching staff to develop SEND provision.
• Ability to lead, supervise and support colleagues.
• Knowledge of SEND legislation (SEND Code, Children and Families Act, Equality Act).
• Excellent communication, training and report‑writing skills.
• Experience working with families and multi‑agency professionals.
• Full UK driving licence and vehicle access for work.

Responsibilities

• Undertake specialist assessments for children and young people with SEND and recommend provision.
• Deliver and model high‑quality specialist teaching for cognition and learning needs.
• Provide coaching, advice and training to teachers and school staff.
• Support schools to develop effective curricula and adaptations for SEND.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with schools and settings.
• Monitor implementation of recommendations using coaching and QA approaches.
• Lead and support up to three SEND Specialist Outreach Workers.
• Contribute to EHC assessments, planning and reviews.
• Develop training programmes, resources and guidance for cognition and learning.
• Contribute to borough‑wide SEND strategy and pedagogy.

Skills

QTS

SEND knowledge

Leadership ability

Communication skills

Training & coaching

Report writing

Multi‑agency collaboration

Education

QTS

SEND related qualification

Tools

SEND assessment tools

Job description

Post Ref: CC029

Help shape outstanding SEND practice across Calderdale

At Calderdale Council, we are committed to ensuring that children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can thrive in their local schools and communities. We are looking for an exceptional Specialist Officer Cognition & Learning to join our SEND & Inclusion Service and play a key role in strengthening inclusive practice across the borough.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced teacher with specialist expertise in cognition and learning to influence practice beyond a single school, working directly with educational settings, children and young people, families and professionals to improve outcomes and build capacity across Calderdale.

You will combine specialist assessment, teaching, coaching and leadership to ensure children and young people with SEND receive the right support, at the right time and in the right way.

About the Role

As a Specialist Officer, you will provide specialist support and expertise to schools and educational settings, helping them develop effective provision for children and young people with cognition and learning needs.

You will:

• Undertake specialist assessments for children and young people with SEND, identifying needs and recommending appropriate provision and support.
• Deliver and model high-quality, evidence-informed specialist teaching for children and young people with cognition and learning needs.
• Provide coaching, advice and training to teachers and school staff to strengthen inclusive classroom practice.
• Support schools to develop effective curricula, teaching approaches and adaptations for learners with SEND.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with schools and educational settings across Calderdale.
• Monitor and review the implementation of specialist recommendations, using coaching and quality assurance approaches to support sustained improvement.
• Lead and support up to three SEND Specialist Outreach Workers.
• Contribute to Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessments, planning and reviews.
• Develop training programmes, resources and guidance to build expertise across schools and settings.
• Contribute to the development of borough-wide SEND strategy, practice and pedagogy for cognition and learning.

About You

We are looking for an experienced and reflective practitioner who is passionate about inclusion and improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

Essential

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• A relevant qualification in SEND or a related field, or a commitment to obtaining one.
• Experience of identifying, assessing and supporting children and young people with SEND.
• Experience of using specialist SEND assessment tools and approaches.
• Strong knowledge of cognition and learning needs and evidence-informed SEND practice.
• Excellent classroom practice and a proven ability to secure positive outcomes for children and young people.
• Experience of supporting teaching and support staff to develop effective SEND provision.
• Ability to lead, supervise and support colleagues.
• Knowledge of key SEND legislation, including the SEND Code of Practice, Children and Families Act and Equality Act.
• Excellent communication, training and report-writing skills.
• Experience of working effectively with families and multi‑agency professionals.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Desirable

• Experience of quality assuring SEND teaching and provision.

Why Calderdale?

At Calderdale, we are ambitious for our children and young people. We are investing in high-quality local SEND provision and supporting schools to build inclusive practice that enables every learner to achieve their potential.

We offer:

• Flexible hybrid working arrangements.
• A supportive and collaborative SEND & Inclusion Service.
• Excellent opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Employee wellbeing support.
• The opportunity to influence SEND practice across the borough and make a lasting difference to children, young people and families.

Safeguarding

Calderdale Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all employees to share this commitment. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check with Children's and Adults' Barred List checks.

Inclusivity at Calderdale

We are committed to creating a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Closing date: 27th September 2026

Proposed Interview date: 15th October 2026

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you’ll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year (unless exceptions apply) and meet the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

We may utilise digital interview methods.

As part of our Vision (https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/vision/) we aim to be a talented, resilient and inclusive community. We welcome applications from all and offer a variety of flexible working / job share opportunities.

All applications are anonymised before being seen by the selection panel.

As part of our fair recruitment process, we ask that all applications are written by the candidate and that Artificial Intelligence (AI) use is limited, unless assistance is required as a reasonable adjustment for a disability. Content should be truthful, accurate, evidence based and not embellished - see guidance.