About the School - Long Close School
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We are delighted to welcome you to Long Close School, where we welcome children from 2 – 16 years. With over 80 years of teaching heritage, our school is firmly established as the first choice amongst parents looking to give their child the best possible start to their education. Proud of our reputation for delivering academic excellence, both at 11+ and GCSE stages, our children thrive with small class sizes and experienced teachers delivering an outstanding education.
The school now has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of Learning Support & SENDCo to join our fantastic team.
Introduction from Headteacher:
Thank you for your interest in joining Long Close. When you first visit us, you will immediately sense the warm, family atmosphere from the quality of the relationships between the students and staff. This wonderful, vibrant community is a fabulous place to work and you'll find it hard to imagine a school that feels more like home.
For over eighty years, the small size of our school has made the biggest difference and with our bespoke, personalised 1:1 approach, students are happy, fulfilled, aspirational and form life-long friendships. We have approx. 200 students aged between 2 – 16 and this makes Long Close a very unique and extremely rewarding place to work.
You'll be intrigued with our distinctive educational philosophy that is predicated on the acquisition of the essential 21st century skills and rooted in a ‘skills-first academic excellence’. We educate the whole child and place an equal importance on academia, sport and the creative and performing arts, offer a plethora of experiences inside and outside the classroom and we are so proud of our polite, articulate, well-rounded, humble and impressive young people; we aim to inspire future leaders.
I warmly invite you to visit us before submitting an application to experience for yourself our unique setting and find out why our students and staff love Long Close so much.
About Cognita
Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 100+ schools in 16 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 85,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, ‘Thrive in a rapidly evolving world’.
At Cognita, we know every student is unique. We nurture their distinct personalities and strengths. We support them academically, socially, and emotionally, wherever they are in the world, wherever they’re starting from. And each and every one of our schools is unique too.
We protect what’s special about them, while offering them rich knowledge, opportunities, and best practices. And they get to be part of something bigger. We open their classrooms to the collective wisdom of over 100 schools in 16 countries, ensuring every child gets an education that’s, quite literally, world class.
It’s an individual approach that empowers every school, teacher and student to focus on what they do best and thrive.
About the role
In your role as the Head of Learning Support & SENDCo, you will be instrumental in driving the strategic vision for our Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provision. Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, you will be responsible for the effective implementation of the school's SEND policy, ensuring that every student receives the individualised support they need to thrive. In addition to overseeing day-to-day operations, you will engage in teaching approximately 50% of the time within Prep or Senior sessions, directly influencing student learning and fostering an inclusive classroom environment. Your strong leadership will empower a team of dedicated professionals, as you promote best practices and innovative teaching strategies tailored to diverse learning needs.
This is a permanent, full-time role with a September 2025 start date.
Who we are looking for:
We are seeking an experienced and passionate leader who possesses a strong background in SEND and a National Certificate for SENCOs or equivalent experience. You should be a well-qualified graduate with QTS or the equivalent gained through experience and knowledge of current learning support strategies. With exemplary interpersonal skills and an ability to motivate and inspire both staff and students, your strong organisational abilities and effective use of data will support improved outcomes for vulnerable groups. Additionally, your dedication to fostering an inclusive learning environment and commitment to personal development and lifelong learning will contribute to our school’s vision of excellence in education.
Benefits at Cognita
• Competitive salary depending upon qualifications and experience
• Teacher’s Pension
• Free lunch provided during Term Time
• School holidays and public holidays / Holiday Allowance
• Free parking on site (subject to availability)
• School fee discount
• Exclusive third-party discounts
• Professional Development
How to Apply
Complete this application before the closing date. The Closing Date for Applications is: 6 April 2025.
Cognita Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and other third parties to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practice and pre-employment background checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.
We are an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity and treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of background.
EARLY APPLICATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO INTERVIEW AND APPOINT PRIOR TO CLOSING DATE FOR THE RIGHT APPLICANT.
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