What skills and experience we're looking for
Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of pupils with Special Educational Needs? Benfield School are looking for an Assistant SENCo to join their team and inspire our pupils to reach their potential.
As an Assistant SENCo, you will play a crucial role in coordinating the school's process for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for an identified caseload of pupils. Working closely with pupils, families, and a range of professionals, you will help to develop and review quality-assured, outcome-focused plans that meet the diverse needs of our pupils.
We are looking for someone who can inspire and influence and who can:
• Co-ordinate the EHCP assessment process, ensuring it is carried out efficiently and within prescribed timescales.
• Work collaboratively with a wide variety of professionals, including external agencies, to promote improved outcomes for pupils and their families.
• Build strong partnerships with parents and ensure that pupils and their families are fully involved in the assessment process and decision-making.
• Provide advice and guidance to pupils and parents regarding options available to them in education, training, or employment, and support transition planning.
What the school offers its staff
Benfield School is a fully inclusive 11-16 school it has a distinct ethos with strong sense of support and loyalty. Excellent relationships between pupils and staff and a purposeful learning environment is evident in lessons and around the modernised site. With this foundation, pupils have a strong platform to be confident, happy and are able to achieve their aspiration.
Our school is one of eight primary and secondary schools within the NEAT Academy Trust family of schools. At the heart of our trust is the aim to nurture, educate, achieve and transform the lives of all young people within the communities we serve across the North East. We have a national research school, which aims to build and strengthen networks of schools throughout the region and help them access effective education research and implement it in everyday practice.
In return we offer:
• Great opportunities for continuing professional development and a career pathway across the trust.
• A team of hardworking, dedicated and friendly staff where everyone is valued.
• The benefitof working in a highly collaborative multi academy trust.
• Membership of Local Government Pension Scheme which the trust also contributes to on your behalf.
• Recognition of previous service with other schools, academies, local government etc.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), delivered by Health Assured – the UK and Irelands leading wellbeing provider.
Further details about the role
Interested? If you would like to join us and feel you could thrive here, then please read the accompanying job description and person specification and click ‘apply now’ to complete an online application form no later than midnight on Thursday 3rd April 2025.
NEAT Academy Trust are committed to safer recruitment practice and promoting the welfare of children and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and a satisfactory Enhanced DBS from the Disclosure and Barring Service is required as part of pre-employment checks. For shortlisted candidates, we will conduct an online search as part of our screening.
Commitment to safeguarding
As this vacancy involves working with children and young people, you must declare relevant criminal convictions when you apply for the job. A criminal record will not automatically stop you from getting the job but we will consider the nature of the offence when assessing how suitable you are for the job and discuss this with you at interview. If this job is in regulated activity we will also check if you are barred from working with children. If you are barred from working with children it is an offence for you to apply for a job.