Becket Keys’ students are passionate about their school, and staff will tell you that this is an exciting and exceptional place to work. The school offers a high-quality education in a caring, Christian environment in which each student is known, valued and encouraged to achieve his/her individual potential. We are committed to outstanding academic performance and to fostering a love of learning in our students.

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic and talented Assistant SENDCo to join our Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Department.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop your skills in working with children with SEND and to assist in leading the work of the SEND team under the direction of our SENDCo. This role would be ideal for a Higher-Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) who would like to expand his/her knowledge and experience of special educational needs. It would also suit a colleague looking to move from a primary to a secondary setting or a colleague who has had a period away from school (for example for a maternity or paternity leave or caring for children). There is flexibility in the hours to allow for children to be dropped off and collected from school although ideally we would like to appoint a colleague who can work every day. All colleagues who are committed to excellence of provision for SEND teaching and learning will be welcome to apply.

The successful candidate will be joining an exceptional, student focused team and will:

Have experience of working in a school across two or more key stages. We are open to applications from primary colleagues.

Have strong GCSE (or equivalent) qualifications in English and Mathematics and a good grasp of how to teach the core building blocks in one or both subjects.

Be articulate and committed to achieving high academic standards for all children, including those with SEND.

Be motivated, well-organised, resourceful and able to use own initiative when necessary.

Be hard working and a great team player, with good interpersonal skills.

Be able to work accurately and have strong attention to detail.

Be IT literate, especially with Microsoft Office (particularly Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint).

Be pro-active, flexible and keen to take on additional responsibilities as they arise.

Be caring and patient.

Be committed to their own professional development.

Have some knowledge of school-oriented software (e.g. Edukey, Bromcom, CPOMS).

Have strong knowledge of effective strategies to meet the needs of students with Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, ASD, ADHD and/ or SLCN difficulties.

Have good understanding of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2015) and adaptive teaching.

Have an awareness of safeguarding and how to keep children safe.

SEND Accountabilities – under the direction of the SENDCo

Prepare paperwork relating to EHCPs, screening assessments and referrals to other agencies (e.g., Occupational Therapy, EWMHS, Educational Psychology Service).

Be involved in planning, organising and conducting review meetings including EHCP Annual Reviews.

Ensure accurate and detailed records are kept of meetings and discussions with parents and outside agencies.

Maintain effective partnerships with parents to promote learning and to provide information to parents about targets, achievements and progress

Monitor and record targeted students’ progress and achievement.

Work with key staff on transition at KS2 to KS3 and KS4 to KS5 to ensure that there is a smooth transition between primary and secondary schools, as well as further education, for students with SEND. For example, attending Year 5 or 6 annual reviews at primary schools.

Supporting students on an Alternative Provision pathway with monitoring visits.

In the absence of the SENDCo, lead regular SEND team meetings.

In the absence of the SENDCo, manage and support LSTs as necessary to ensure they are following their support and workshop timetable.

Carry out any other duties as directed by the SENDCo commensurate with the general level of responsibility of the post.

Becket Keys Church of England School has ‘Faith in Learning’ which means that we fully expect learning to take place for all our students daily. We bring faith into learning as part of our strong Christian Ethos. This does not mean that candidates must be Christian, but support for the values and ethos of our Christian school is essential.

Our vision is based upon Christian values: Respect, Responsibility and Forgiveness. We expect our staff to know students individually and to provide them the best possible educational experience.

Staff of the school benefit from priority admission for their children. Our admissions policy effectively guarantees staff a place in the school for their children. With nearly 800 applications for our 150 places each year, this is a significant perk! In addition, staff will be provided with a comprehensive induction programme and laptop, childcare vouchers are available, and childcare is available at a neighbouring provision with discounted rates for staff members.

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will need a full DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, which can be applied for once a job offer is made.