Vacancies

Special Educational Needs Coordinator - SENco

Job Introduction

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and enthusiastic teacher to lead the development of our Special Educational Needs provision.

To increase capacity in our Learning Support department we are seeking an additional Special Education Needs Coordinator. Our current SEND leadership team consists of an Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion) SENCO and Guidance Manager. The successful candidate will lead our work to remove any barriers to learning and enable all students to access an outstanding education. We are committed to inclusive education. We welcome applications from those who hold the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination and would support candidates in working towards this qualification.

You will have the autonomy to develop and deliver a curriculum that inspires, equips and supports our students. The successful candidate will understand the profound impact high quality PSHE education has on young people and will have the passion and drive to ensure exceptional outcomes for all.

USH is a heavily oversubscribed community school with just over 1050 students and 140 staff. We are incredibly proud of our family ethos and our success in delivering values-led education. Our students are vibrant, aspirational and well-behaved. We are known for our excellent career progression routes and we attract professionals who are willing to contribute to our sustained success.

USH is a Leading-Edge School, consistently ranked high in Hampshire schools for overall achievement. USH is pleased to be an SSAT Leadership Delivery Partner. The school was delighted to be awarded SSAT accreditation for Engaging with Evidence and Research in 2026 and for Transforming in Professional Learning in 2025.

If you are motivated to make a difference to the lives of young people and have a commitment to excellence, then this could be the job for you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the role or would like to come into school to see the USH family in action.

The successful candidates will:

Be highly motivated and demonstrate an ability to learn
Be able to support the development of schemes of work within the department
Be prepared to lead extra-curricular and educational visits

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

We positively encourage prospective candidates to enquire about our school prior to applying. Please contact our recruitment team via email or telephone 02380 325333. Full details and application forms can be downloaded from our website: http://uppershirleyhigh.org/staff_vacancies.

Please return your completed applications to recruitment@ushschool.org.

To give your application the best chance at being short-listed, where at interview you can demonstrate suitability for the role, please ensure you read the person specification and job description and give examples in your application. Should you be new to the education sector or do not have direct examples related to the person specification, do please provide examples from a similar experience.

Please submit your application as soon as possible as we may invite candidates to interview before the closing date.

SAFEGUARDING

All schools within the Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.

THE JEFFERYS EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP

The Jefferys Education Partnership is part of an umbrella Trust called the Hamwic Education Trust. At the Hamwic Education Trust we offer unique opportunities for those individuals that excel in education.

We aim to deliver an outstanding education to our pupils and to do so we must employ outstanding people.

We offer a training pathway for all employees including teachers, support staff and our middle and senior leaders.

Our staff have opportunities to work on cross phase projects and to work in other schools within the Trust in order to gain invaluable experience and enhance their skills.

Job purpose:

To lead the achievement of students have who have specific learning difficulties or disabilities.
To have commitment and enthusiasm and to lead a team of Teaching Assistants.
To work closely with staff across the school, parents and external agencies to assure the very best provision for SEN students.
To coordinate the paperwork and testing of students (once trained) to ensure bespoke intervention can be put in place to support achievement. This will include EHCPs and any other formal documentation that is required.
To provide information to parents about the achievements and progress of their child as required.
Have excellent knowledge of SEND and understanding of current developments (or a willingness to continue to improve and develop).
To take an active interest in their own personal development and keep professional skills up-to-date.
To ensure the provision of an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students studying in your lesson, in accordance with the aims of the school (within teaching role).
To complete all other reasonable tasks as directed by the Headteacher or line manager.

Key Duties:

Achievement of students

Enable almost all students, including, where applicable, disabled students and those with special educational needs, to make rapid and sustained progress over time given their starting points.
To enable the students to develop and apply a wide range of skills to great effect, including reading, writing, communication and mathematical skills that will ensure they are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage in their education, training or employment.
To focus where standards of attainment of the SEND group of students are below those of all students nationally, to close the gap over a period of time.
Supporting and owning excellent knowledge, resulting in planning astutely, setting challenging tasks based on systematic, accurate assessment of students’ prior skills, knowledge and understanding.

Curriculum Provision

(within own teaching)
To provide highly positive, memorable experiences and rich opportunities for high quality learning.
To deliver a subject which impacts on student behaviour.
To add to student achievement and where appropriate to moral, social and cultural development.
To liaise with the Line Manager to ensure the delivery of an appropriate comprehensive, high quality and cost-effective curriculum programme which is in line with the School Improvement Plan.
Deliver a subject which provides constant opportunities for discovery and challenge and where students take greater responsibility for their learning.

Curriculum Development

To participate in and contribute to curriculum development for the whole department, particularly the intervention that SEND students receive around literacy and numeracy.
To keep up to date with national developments in teaching practice and methodology.
To actively monitor and respond to specific development and initiatives at national, regional and local levels.

Teaching standards

To engender the agreed standards for teachers:
To make the education of students the first concern.
Be accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in work and conduct.
Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge students.
Promote good progress and outcomes by students.
Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge.
Plan and teach well-structured lessons.
Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all students.
Make accurate and productive use of assessment.
Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment.
Fulfil wider professional responsibilities.
Act with honesty and integrity.
Keep knowledge and skills as teachers up to date and be self-critical.
Develop professional relationships.
Work with parents in the best interest of their students.

Assessment of and for learning

To ensure that marking and constructive feedback is frequent and of a consistently high quality, leading to high levels of engagement.
To promotes students’ high levels of resilience, confidence and independence when they tackle challenging activities
To ensure that accurate and up-to-date assessment information concerning student progress is maintained for all SEND students.
To make use of analysis and evaluate performance data provided.
To ensure that students’ work is regularly assessed in accordance with the school’s assessment policy.

Additional Duties

To take responsibility for, and demonstrate commitment to, own professional development.
To undertake any other duty as specified by STPCB not mentioned in the above.

Supporting the school:

At an appropriate level, according to the job role, grade and training received, all employees in the school are expected to:

Support the aims, values, mission and ethos of the school and participate in a team approach to all aspects of school life.
Attend and contribute to staff meetings and INSET days as required, and identify areas of personal practice and experience to develop.
Take appropriate responsibility for safeguarding and children’s welfare and be aware of confidential issues linked to home/child/teacher/school and keep confidences appropriately.
Be aware of health and safety issues and act in accordance with the school’s Health and Safety Policy.

Other Duties:

The postholder may be expected to carry out duties other than those given in the job description where the level of responsibility is similar and he/she has appropriate qualifications or receives appropriate training to carry out these duties.

The postholder must:

Ensure that Trust policies and procedures are implemented and followed.
Work as appropriate with the Trust Central Services team in matters relating to finance, HR, IT and Health and Safety.

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