SENCO

Are you a dedicated and visionary SENDCo ready to lead, inspire, and drive inclusive excellence across our primary school. Icknield Primary School is seeking an exceptional SENDCo to take a pivotal role in shaping our strategic direction and driving high-quality inclusive practice across our school. SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES CO-ORDINATOR Believe, Achieve, Succeed Post Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDCo) Pay range Main Pay Scale/ Upper Pay Scale Allowance SEN Allowance + TLR Contract Permanent, full time

About the role

Icknield Primary School is seeking a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator to lead and co-ordinate provision for our pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. This is a hands-on role. We are looking for someone who will know every child on our SEN register personally, understand their needs in detail, and track their progress closely and not limited to strategic oversight. The successful candidate will be visible across the primary school working alongside teachers and support staff to further develop core inclusive teaching practices. We are looking for someone who is a qualified teacher with the drive to improve outcomes for every child with SEND will hold detailed knowledge of each child on the register and their needs is confident managing Education, Health and Care Plans from referral through to annual review can work in partnership with families, the local authority and other agencies will lead, develop and support a skilled team of teaching assistants and specialist staff holds the NPQ for SENCOs or the NASENCO, or is willing to complete the NPQ within three years of appointment We can offer a warm, inclusive school with a strong sense of community the opportunity to be part of something unique to Icknield Primary School by working with the only specialist deaf provision in Luton a TLR payment and an SEN allowance in addition to the Main Pay Scale a committed and experienced support team supportive leadership and genuine investment in professional development Visits to the school are warmly encouraged. Please contact the school office on 01582 534000 to arrange one.

SAFEGUARDING

Icknield Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check including a check of the children’s barred list, satisfactory references, online searches on shortlisted candidates and verification of professional qualifications and right to work in the UK. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post title Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDCo) School Icknield Primary School Pay range Main Pay Scale, plus TLR and SEN allowance Status This is not a senior leadership team post. The postholder attends senior leadership team meetings as required. Responsible to Headteacher Responsible for Qualified Teachers of the Deaf, Teaching assistants, specialist support staff and Educational Communicators working with pupils with SEND Liaison with Senior Leadership Team, class teachers, parents and carers, the local authority, health services, external agencies and the governing body Date November 2026

1. Purpose of the post To lead and co-ordinate the school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, so that every child identified as having SEND makes strong progress, is fully included in the life of the school, and is known individually by the person responsible for their provision.

To oversee the Icknield Deaf Provision and ensure that pupils placed there receive the specialist provision set out in their Education, Health and Care Plans. To fulfil the statutory duties of the SEN Co-ordinator under the Children and Families Act 2014, the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 2015. Relationship with the Senior Leadership Team The postholder attends Senior Leadership Team meetings as and when required, including whenever the agenda concerns special educational needs and disabilities, inclusion, the Deaf Provision, safeguarding of pupils with SEND, admissions, staffing or budget decisions affecting SEND provision. The postholder reports to the Senior Leadership Team regularly on the progress and outcomes of pupils with SEND, the effectiveness of provision, and any matter requiring a leadership decision.

1. Statutory basis The SENDCo role is a statutory one. Regulations 49 and 50 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 require the SENCO to be a qualified teacher and to hold the mandatory qualification. From 1 September 2024 the National Professional Qualification for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators is the mandatory qualification, to be completed within three years of appointment. Holders of the National Award for SEN Co-ordination are not required to complete it.

Chapter 6 of the SEND Code of Practice 2015 sets out the responsibilities of the role, and this job description is written in accordance with it.

1. Pay and allowances The post is remunerated on the Main Pay Scale in accordance with the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document and the school’s Pay Policy, together with the following allowances.

Main Pay Scale M1 - M6, according to experience Teaching and Learning Responsibility TLR 2 Special Educational Needs allowance Yes

1. Strategic leadership of SEND Work with the Headteacher and governing body to determine the strategic development of SEND policy and provision.

Keep the SEND Policy and the SEN Information Report under review and ensure both are published and accurate. Contribute to the school development plan and ensure SEND priorities are fully reflected in it and actioned. Advise the Headteacher and governing body on the deployment of the school’s delegated budget and other resources to meet pupils’ needs effectively. Report to the Senior Leadership Team each term, and to the governing body, on the progress and outcomes of pupils with SEND and on the effectiveness of provision. Attend Senior Leadership Team meetings as required and ensure that SEND is fully considered in decisions on curriculum, staffing, budget and admissions. Ensure the school meets its duties under the Equality Act 2010, including the duty to make reasonable adjustments, and contribute to the Accessibility Plan. Keep abreast of national developments in SEND policy, including reform of the system, and advise the school on their implications.

1. Every child on the register Maintain an accurate and current SEND register, developing a deep understanding of each pupil's unique profile and support needs.

Know each pupil’s needs, barriers to learning, agreed provision and current progress, and be able to speak to each pupil with confidence and detail. Meet regularly with class teachers to review individual pupils needs and progress. Observe pupils in lessons, at break times and across the school day, and use observations to inform and shape provision. Maintain a provision map that records what is in place for each pupil, what it costs and the impact. Track the progress of every pupil on the register and identify those not progressing as expected, and act. Where progress is not as expected, identify the barriers, adapt the provision - recording the rationale for adaptation and continually monitoring progress. Ensure a graduated approach of Assess, Plan, Do and Review is applied consistently for each pupil. Cultivate meaningful connections by being visible and accessible to pupils with SEND, fostering a supportive environment where every student feels known and understood.

1. Education, Health and Care Plans Identify pupils who may require an EHC needs assessment and gather the evidence required to support a request.

Prepare and submit requests for EHC needs assessment to the local authority, and support parents who make their own request. Co-ordinate the school’s contribution to assessments, drafts and amendments, and respond within statutory timescales. Ensure the special educational provision specified in Section F of each plan is delivered in full and be able to evidence that it has been. Plan, convene and chair annual reviews, ensuring the pupil and their parents are meaningfully involved and that reports are submitted to the local authority within the required timescale. Advise on and request amendments to plans where a pupil’s needs change. Manage transition arrangements, including in-year transitions, into Reception, between key stages and on to secondary school. Maintain accurate records for every pupil with a plan, including provision delivered, outcomes, reviews and correspondence. Working alongside the School Business Manager and Headteacher to monitor the use of top-up funding and ensure it is applied to the provision for which it was awarded. Represent the school at local authority panels, mediation and, where necessary, the First-tier Tribunal.

1. Icknield Deaf Provision Ensure every pupil in the provision receives the specialist provision set out in their EHC Plan, including specialist teaching and communication support.

Line manage and support the staff working in the provision include the Teachers of the Deaf. Work in partnership with the Teachers of the Deaf, the Luton Deaf Children and Young People’s Services team, audiology services and the local authority. Monitor the progress of pupils in the provision closely and report on outcomes. Ensure pupils in the provision are fully included in the wider life of the school, including trips, clubs and whole-school events. Advise on admissions to the provision and contribute to placement discussions with the local authority. Work with the IDP team to ensure that equipment, acoustic conditions and reasonable adjustments across the site meet the needs of deaf pupils.

1. Working with teachers and support staff Advise and coach class teachers on quality first teaching and on adapting teaching for pupils with SEND and ensure this is rigorously monitored.

Ensure teachers understand that they remain responsible for the progress of every pupil in their class, including those with SEND. Deploy teaching assistants and specialist staff effectively and monitor the impact of their work. Line manage, appraise and develop the SEND support team. Identify training needs and plan, source or deliver professional development on SEND across the school. Induct new staff on the needs of pupils with SEND in the classes they work with.

1. Working with parents, carers and pupils Be the first point of contact for parents and carers of pupils with SEND and build open and trusting relationships with them.

Ensure parents are involved in decisions about their child’s provision and understand what is in place and why. Hold regular structured conversations with parents about progress and provision, at least three times a year. Ensure pupils have a voice about their own support, in a way appropriate to their age and understanding. Signpost families to the local offer, independent support and other services. Respond promptly and sensitively to concerns raised by parents.

1. Working with external agencies Liaise with educational psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, CAMHS, the school nursing service and any other health and care services.

Be the key point of contact for the local authority on SEND matters. Commission and co-ordinate external specialist assessments and ensure recommendations are implemented. Maintain effective links with other settings, including the secondary deaf provision at Icknield High School.

1. Safeguarding Promote and safeguard the welfare of all pupils, in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Recognise that pupils with SEND face additional safeguarding barriers, including that indicators may be attributed to the child’s condition. Ensure concerns about pupils with SEND are reported and pursued with the same rigour as for any other child. Liaise with the safeguarding team for input required.

1. Teaching Teach pupils where required by the Headteacher, which may include intervention groups, individual support and class teaching.

Model effective practice for pupils with SEND. Meet the Teachers’ Standards in full.

1. General Comply with all school policies, including safeguarding, health and safety, equality and data protection.

Handle information about pupils with SEND, which is special category data, in accordance with UK GDPR and the school’s Data Protection Policy. Participate in the school’s appraisal process. Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade and nature of the post as reasonably required by the Headteacher. This job description sets out the main duties of the post at the date it was prepared. It is not an exhaustive list and will be reviewed with the postholder as part of the appraisal process.