SENCO Teacher

Job Description

Salary: TTo be confirmed based on experience

Contract type: Full-time and permanent

Reporting to: Head of Inclusion

Responsible for: Inclusion Support Teachers

Main purpose

The SENCO, under the direction of the head of inclusion, will:

• Determine the strategic development of special educational needs (SEN) policy and provision in the school.
• Be responsible for day-to-day operation of the SEN policy and co-ordination of specific provision to support individual pupils with SEN or a disability.
• Provide professional guidance to colleagues, working closely with staff, parents and carers, and other agencies.
• While the SENCO will have responsibility for the oversight of provision for pupils with SEN or a disability, class teachers will hold responsibility for the day-to-day education and support of pupils within their classroom.

Qualifications and Training

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• National professional qualification (NPQ) for SENCOs, or a willingness to complete it within 3 years of appointment.
• A mandatory bachelor’s degree.
• A master’s degree in special education needs (desirable).

Experience

• Experience of working at a whole-school level.
• Experience of working with children with a range of SEN.
• Involvement in self-evaluation and development planning.
• Experience of conducting training/leading INSET.
• Successful primary teaching experience within the British Curriculum of at least 2 years (desirable).
• Experience teaching in the UAE (desirable).

Skills and Knowledge

• Sound knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice.
• Understanding of what makes ‘quality first’ teaching, and of effective intervention strategies.
• Ability to plan and evaluate interventions.
• Data analysis skills and the ability to use data to inform provision planning.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build effective working relationships.
• Ability to influence and negotiate.
• Good record-keeping skills.
• Safe and ethical use of AI to support learning.
• An understanding of the UAE policies and inspection framework (desirable)

Personal Qualities

• Commitment to getting the best outcomes for pupils and promoting the ethos and values of the school.
• Commitment to equal opportunities and securing good outcomes for pupils with SEN or a disability.
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality at all times.
• Commitment to safeguarding and equality

Duties and responsibilities

Strategic development of SEN policy and provision

• Have a strategic overview of provision for pupils with SEN or a disability across the school, monitoring and reviewing the quality of provision.
• Contribute to school self-evaluation, particularly with respect to provision for pupils with SEN or a disability.
• Make sure the SEN policy is put into practice, and its objectives are reflected in the school improvement plan (SIP).
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of national and local initiatives that may affect the school’s policy and practice.
• Evaluate whether resources are being used effectively, and suggest changes to make use of resources more effectively.

Operation of the SEN policy and coordination of provision

• Maintain an accurate inclusion register and provision map.
• Provide guidance to colleagues on teaching pupils with SEN or a disability, and advise on the graduated approach to SEN support.
• Advise colleagues on applying differentiated teaching strategies tailored for individual pupils with SEN.
• Advise on the use of the school’s budget and other resources to meet pupils’ needs effectively, including staff deployment.
• Be aware of the provision in the local offer.
• Work with early years providers, other schools, educational psychologists, health and social care professionals and other external agencies.
• Be a key point of contact for external agencies, especially the KHDA.
• Analyse assessment data for pupils with SEN or a disability.
• Implement and lead intervention groups for pupils with SEN, and evaluate their effectiveness

Support for pupils with SEN or a disability

• Identify a pupil’s SEN
• Coordinate provision that meets the pupil’s needs, and monitor its effectiveness.
• Secure relevant services for the pupil.
• Ensure records are maintained and kept up to date.
• Review the education, health and care (EHC) plan with parents/carers and the pupil.
• Communicate regularly with parents/carers.
• Ensure that if the pupil transfers to another school, all relevant information is conveyed to that school, and support a smooth transition for the pupil.
• Promote the pupil’s inclusion in the school community and access to the curriculum, facilities and extracurricular activities.
• Work with the designated teacher for looked-after children (LAC), where a looked-after pupil has SEN or a disability.

Leadership and management

• Play an active role within the school by working alongside the senior leadership team and governors to ensure the school meets its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 in terms of reasonable adjustments and access arrangements.
• Prepare and review information the governing board is required to publish.
• Contribute to the SIP and whole-school policy.
• Identify training needs for staff and how to meet these needs.
• Lead INSET training for staff.
• Share procedural information, such as the school’s SEN policy.
• Promote an ethos and culture that supports the school’s SEN policy and promotes good outcomes for pupils with SEN or a disability.
• Lead and manage teaching assistants (TAs) working with pupils with SEN or a disability.
• Lead staff appraisals and produce appraisal reports.
• Review staff performance on an ongoing basis

Safeguarding

• Liaise and collaborate with the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) on matters of safeguarding and welfare for pupils with SEN.
• Remain alert to the fact that pupils with SEN may be more vulnerable to safeguarding challenges.

Other areas of responsibility

• Ensure full compliance with all regulations, policies, frameworks mandated by the KHDA, BSO and the UAE Ministry of Education.
• Support the leadership team in the preparation and execution of the KHDA inspection process, developing and following post-inspection action plans.
• Contribute to the UAE National Agenda success.
• Maintain positive and professional communication with all the KHDA and Government Officials and represent the school at all required forums and meetings at the request of the Principal

The SENCO will be required to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and follow school policies and the staff code of conduct.

Please note that this is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the SENCO will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the head of inclusion or principal.