JOB DESCRIPTION

Whole School Director of Inclusive Learning (SENDCo)

Department: Academic
Line Manager: SPS Deputy Head Academic (with a dotted line to SPPS Deputy Head Academic)

Key Responsibilities

The Whole School Director of Inclusive Learning is a key leader within the St Paul’s community. They will act as the Head of the Learning Support (LS) Department (SENDCo) at St Paul’s School (SPS) and line manage the Head of LS in St Paul’s Prep School (SPPS).

They will play a major role in helping all pupils learn, grow and excel. We believe all Paulines can make outstanding progress with the right support in place, and the Whole School Director of Inclusive Learning is crucial in providing this.

The Whole School Director of Inclusive Learning defines the vision, strategy and practice of the departments across both schools. They are an expert teacher and practitioner, work seamlessly with colleagues and parents to provide the best provision for all pupils, manage the Senior school’s department’s resources diligently and provide inspirational leadership to the LS departments.

Duties

Leadership

• Lead the Learning Support (LS) department’s vision and define its positive, supportive culture.
• Be an exemplar of best practice, keeping up-to-date with the latest evidence-based research and trends in outstanding SEND support and, if appropriate, applying them at SPS and SPPS.
• Excel in pedagogical understanding and how this relates to SEND pupils.
• Continue existing programmes, and develop new ones, to ensure all pupils make outstanding progress, whilst continually evaluating the effectiveness of our LS provision.
• Write, implement and evaluate an aspirational annual development plan.
• Create a sense of teamwork within the departments, including the sharing of good practice and resources, and to support and monitor work of other members of the department.
• Motivate all teaching colleagues to understand SEND and how to adapt their teaching practice accordingly.
• Attend and advise at regular academic meetings including Heads of Department meetings in both schools, and the weekly Pupil Welfare meeting on issues relating to SEND and EAL.
• Champion neurodiversity within the SPS and SPPS community, and the voice of SEND outside.
• Report, as required, to Governing Body on all Learning Support matters.
• Model professional interactions with everyone in the community.
• Work collaboratively with senior leaders across both schools including the Deputy Heads (Academic), and Director of Teaching and Learning in SPS.

Management and Administration in SPS

• Implement, review and update annually (in line with new legislation and new pedagogical research/developments in good practice) the Learning Support & SEND Policy, the EAL Policy, the Accessibility Policy and how each relates to year groups across both schools.
• Effectively line manage the LS department in SPS and the Head of LS in SPPS, providing on-going supportive feedback, annual reviews and cyclical appraisal.
• Meet with the Assistant Head (Safeguarding and Pupil Wellbeing) for supervisory meetings when needed e.g. to update them on issues that have emerged when boys have attended LS lessons/attended the LS Study Skills drop-in clinic.
• Advise the High Master on the appointment of new members of departmental staff.
• Maintain and develop the departmental resource centre and to liaise with the Librarian over the purchase of new books and resource material.
• Maintain all records of pupils on the Learning Support register.
• Manage the departmental budget and resources in accordance with School protocols.
• Maintain the Learning Support pages on the Intranet and department handbook.
• Ensure the department is active in implementing the School’s published policies, especially the Child Protection and Health and Safety Policies.
• Attend Eton Group meetings, and other professional bodies, as appropriate.
• Co-ordinate Learning Support teaching resources.
• Organise cover, as necessary, for absent colleagues.
• Conduct regular, effective departmental meetings, which are appropriately minuted and published.
• Arrange appropriate teaching loads within the department.
• Organise appropriate initial screener tests and organise screener tests for later entrants to SPPS and SPS, as appropriate.
• Liaise with the Access Arrangements Co-ordinator on the administration of JCQ appropriate screener assessments; and, as required, offer advice and coordinate when parents commission external full diagnostic assessments.
• Liaise with the Access Arrangements Co-ordinator on UK public examinations, oversee applications for Access Arrangements procedures in accordance with the regulations set by Joint Council for Qualifications [JCQ] and Cambridge International Exams [CAIE], working closely with the Second in LS, Examinations Officer, and the in-house assessor, and make applications for Exam Accommodations for US university applications, advising parents on this process, working closely with the Head of US Universities Department.
• Be responsible for the decisions on exam concessions that may/may not be applied for, according to the regulations of the relevant exam authorities.
• Liaise with UK university Admissions Offices as required and liaising with the Careers and Universities Department.
• Advise/assist former pupils with requests for LS information once they have arrived at university.
• Keep in close contact with a boy’s tutor/UM/relevant HoDs /subject teachers as required to keep them up to date with a pupil’s needs/progress and to obtain evidence for exam concessions as appropriate.
• Monitor pupil progress on the LS List by liaising and meeting with tutors, Undermasters/Assistant Heads (Academic), getting the views of pupils and parents, and reading reports, e.g. grade reports, subject reports and LS reports as necessary, and ensure adherence to departmental policy.

Expert Teaching

• Teach 1:1 LS Lessons – approx. 17 per week, including on occasion outside of timetabled lessons

Training and Professional Development

• Train colleagues in providing outstanding teaching and learning for all pupils.
• Contribute to the induction of new teachers to SPS on Learning Support, SEND and EAL.
• Induct new members of departmental staff.
• Encourage and provide CPD and staff development and follow up identified training needs.

Working with St Paul’s Prep School

Oversee the Head of Learning Support in SPPS in the management and administration of their responsibilities. This may include, but not be limited to:

• Supporting, as required, the sharing of information with prospective parents/feeder schools on the provision of LS at SPPS and SPS.
• Supporting, as required, the SPPS Head of LS and the Admissions Department in determining and providing appropriate access arrangements during entrance procedures.
• Working with the SPPS Head of LS to ensure a smooth transition for pupils on the SPPS LS register into the Senior School and to ensure the transfer of relevant information to SPS at point of transfer.
• Supporting, as required, with the uploading of LS notes for new entrants, the updating of information on current pupils as appropriate, and the communication to teachers of strategies which will best support pupils’ LS needs.
• Attending the end of Summer term meetings for new parents (internal and external).
• Ensuring a smooth transition for pupils moving from SPPS to the Senior School by meeting pupils, parents, tutors, UMs as necessary.
• Supporting the SPPS Head of LS in reviewing and enhancing departmental systems for identifying, supporting and monitoring those pupils who require LS.

Other duties

• Perform such other tasks as the High Master may from time-to-time reasonably require.

All staff have a responsibility and duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils. Staff must be aware of the systems within the School which support safeguarding and must act in accordance with the School’s Safeguarding & Child Protection policy and Code of Conduct. Staff will receive appropriate child protection training which is regularly updated.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted.

Qualifications

• Level 7 diploma or equivalent.
• A university degree or equivalent. Desirable
• Qualified teacher status or equivalent. Desirable
• National Award SENCo qualification. Desirable

Experience

• Detailed knowledge and understanding of JCQ and CAIE regulations for access arrangements and reasonable adjustments.
• Experience of leading a successful Learning Support Department. Desirable
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of US ACT and SAT regulations for exam accommodations. Desirable

Abilities

• Ability to work well as part of a team, and to build trust and openness.
• Passion for seeing all pupils progress in their learning.

Skills & Attributes

• Enthusiasm, and ability to motivate and inspire students.
• Willingness to be involved in the wider life of the School.
• Commitment to improve teaching and learning, and continued professional development.
• Discretion, courtesy, honesty and integrity.
• Reliable, punctual, diligent and well-organised.
• Commitment to safeguarding and the welfare of students.
• Evaluate, analyse and plan effectively.
• Excellent communication skills, orally and written.
• Proven skills in managing difficult conversations and successful conflict resolution. Desirable