Senior Trust SENCO

This is an exciting opportunity to join our established SEND and Inclusion team at an important stage in the Trust’s development. We are looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and highly skilled SEND practitioner who shares our ambition to ensure that every child, regardless of need or starting point, receives high-quality provision and is able to thrive.

The Senior Trust SENCO will be a key leadership role within our Trust SEND and Inclusion structure. Working directly to the Head of SEND and Inclusion, you will provide professional leadership and line management to our team of Trust SENCOs, while also retaining designated SENCO responsibilities within identified schools. You will work flexibly across our academies, providing additional capacity, advice, challenge and support where this is required.

The role sits alongside our Lead Practitioner for Inclusive Teaching and Deputy Trust Behaviour and Inclusion Lead. Together, these posts provide specialist leadership across complementary areas of SEND, inclusive teaching, behaviour and inclusion. All three roles work under the strategic leadership of the Head of SEND and Inclusion and contribute to the continued development of consistent, high-quality practice across Waterton.

This is therefore much more than a traditional school-based SENCO role. You will coach and develop other SENCOs, support leaders to evaluate and strengthen SEND provision, contribute to Trust-wide improvement work and help translate strategy into strong day-to-day practice within schools. At the same time, you will maintain direct experience of SENCO practice, ensuring that your leadership remains closely connected to the realities faced by pupils, families and school teams.

We are looking for someone who combines excellent SEND knowledge with credibility as a leader and practitioner. You will need to be confident supporting and challenging colleagues, able to analyse provision and identify priorities quickly, and skilled at building positive professional relationships with headteachers, SENCOs, teachers, support staff, families and external partners.

Our Trust principle is “Success is a shared experience”, and this is particularly important within SEND and Inclusion. We believe that improving outcomes for pupils with SEND is a collective responsibility and that the strongest practice develops through collaboration, shared expertise, high expectations and a relentless focus on what makes the greatest difference for children.

If you are an experienced SENCO who is ready to take the next step into a wider leadership role, while remaining closely connected to practice in schools, we would be delighted to hear from you.