Assistant Director - SEND and Inclusion
Derbyshire County Council is seeking an exceptional senior leader to drive our SEND and Inclusion strategy and strengthen inclusive practice across all schools, specialist settings and services. This is a high‑impact role shaping provision for children and young people with SEND across the county.
About the Role
You will lead SEND and Inclusion Services, including Inclusion Support Services (ISS), All Children Receiving Education (ACRE), SEND Services and the Educational Psychology Service. Responsibilities include statutory accountability for children missing education and those educated other than at school, oversight of performance and quality assurance, leading responses to inspections, and driving system‑wide improvement. You’ll also build strong multi‑agency partnerships and ensure budgets and contracted services deliver best value.
About You
You bring substantial senior leadership experience in schools and/or a Local Authority, strong knowledge of SEND and inclusion, excellent communication and partnership‑building skills, and proven ability to lead complex change.
Enjoy being a part of our team with benefits such as:
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Flexi time, allowing up to an additional 2 days of leave per month
- Derbyshire Rewards - Discounts from high street retailers and more
- Generous annual leave and flexi time scheme
- Travel expenses
- Discounts on leisure centre memberships
- Free car parking at most sites
- In-house counselling service
- Occupational Health service
- Access to sessions with a trained physiotherapist
- Cycle to work scheme
- Various Employee Networks championing inclusivity across the council.
Provisional Interview 22 January 2026
Due to this post having access to children and/or vulnerable adults, the successful candidate will be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from obtaining this post, as all cases are judged individually according to the nature of the role and information provided. Click here to see our policy on criminal background checks.
Apply now and take the first step towards a fulfilling career with us! By joining Derbyshire County Council you will have access to a range of amazing rewards and employee benefits, including our generous annual leave scheme, excellent local government pension and fantastic employee discounts. To discover more detail about the rewards and benefits available to you, click here
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We welcome applications from individuals who share our values — being Collaborative, Innovative, Empowered and Accountable. These values describe who we are and what we stand for as a council. They help shape our culture, encourage consistent behaviour and guide how we work together to make a positive difference for both our employees and the residents we serve.