Are you passionate about making a difference for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)? Do you have the skills to drive high standards and ensure inclusive practice across our academy?  

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic SEND Team Manager to work with our dedicated team. This is an exciting opportunity to shape SEND provision here at Sandymoor Ormiston Academy; to support children and young people with SEND, ensuring they achieve the best possible outcomes. 

To support the delivery of statutory SEND functions including assessment, reviews, disagreement resolution, and transition planning. The postholder under the leadership of the Senior Assistant Principal, will manage the SEND Team, supporting legal compliance, high-quality practice, and positive outcomes for children and young people with SEND. They will also support improvement within their area of responsibility under the leadership of the Senior Assistant Principal for Inclusion, working collaboratively with families, and partner agencies. Please see attached Job Description for further information.

Based in Runcorn, Cheshire - Sandymoor Ormiston Academy is a vibrant and happy 11-16 secondary comprehensive academy in the heart of the community. Our students are a fantastic group of young people, supported by a wonderful team of staff who are committed to ensuring continuous improvement in a positive “can do” culture. This mix creates an academy that is a pleasure to work and learn in. Being a smaller school, we know our students inside-out and always put them at the heart of our decisions. We work exceptionally hard to provide a student-centred, personalised, and innovative learning environment preparing our students with the character and leadership skills to lead happy, healthy, and successful futures.  We are firmly dedicated to our values of social action, ambition, pride, and resilience which emanate through our academy on a daily basis.

We are fully committed to on-going continuous professional development and, along with excellent in-house CPD, can offer an extremely supportive and positive atmosphere to work in.

Our students are hard-working, polite and eager to learn and we are seeking to appoint an individual who is proactive, flexible and able to communicate clearly and effectively across all platforms, maintaining high expectations of learning, achievement and behaviour contributing to whole school improvement, inspiring our students and making a positive contribution to our ethos and values.   

Our curriculum is organised to allow a course of study that is broad, rich and flexible in supporting students.  In addition, we offer our students a broad enrichment programme which all staff are encouraged to participate in. 

Staff wellbeing is incredibly important to us and therefore, we are committed to creating a health - promoting workplace by ensuing wellbeing and mental health at the heart of our decision making. We will support staff to make positive choices for their own wellbeing and encourage a collegiate culture across and between all roles in the academy. Specifically, we have committed to the development of a long-term strategy for improving staff wellbeing and making sure our staff are well supported and cared for.

Why work for Ormiston Academies Trust?  

Our vision is to create a school system where every child thrives, regardless of background. Our people are at the heart of our approach – they are our greatest asset. 

We exist to provide the best learning opportunities every day, in every school for every child. It is the people and teams in our Trust who make this a reality and ensure we have the greatest impact. If you join us at Ormiston, whatever your role, you can be sure of a role with purpose and meaning.

Ormiston, where every member of staff enjoys…

• The opportunity to build on the legacy of those who came before – being part of one of the longest standing Trusts, created with the sole purpose of enabling children and young people to thrive
• Working for a Trust nationally recognised for its impact on disadvantaged children – a rewarding, stimulating career where staff are challenged to be the best they can be, for the pupils we are proud to serve
• Being part of a team and community where you belong – receiving bespoke and holistic support from a well-resourced and ambitious network of experts and professionals that work at the heart of communities
• A supportive environment to grow your career – an extensive professional development programme, alongside flexible working arrangements and generous benefits

To find out more about working at Sandymoor Ormiston Academy, please visit our website www.sandymooroa.co.uk .For an informal chat or to arrange a visit please contact Caroline Thompson – PA to the Principal on thompsonc@sandymooroa.co.uk or Karen Hall – HR Manager on hallk@sandymooroa.co.uk

If you want to work with a great team of staff and students, and feel that you have the right skills, please apply by the closing date of 1 February.  Interviews will take place shortly after.

Please note that CVs will not be accepted. Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early should a suitable candidate be found.

Sandymoor Ormiston Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Ormiston Academies Trust embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.  Flexible working opportunities will be considered. 

All successful appointments will be subject to suitability checks in accordance with KCSIE, including identity, Right to Work, qualifications, online searches, prohibition check, two references and enhanced DBS check including Children’s Barred List.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. Guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, which provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974

All the academy policies can be found here: https://sandymooroa.co.uk/key-info/policies