Early Learning and Inclusion Strategic Lead

Job Description

Organisation: London Borough of Waltham Forest

Salary: Soulbury 20 - 23 £70,608 - £75,011

Contract Type: Full Time/Permanent

Working hours per week: 36 hours

Application Deadline: 14th April 2026

Proposed Interview Date(s): 27th and 28th April

Reference: 2081

About Us:

Bursting with culture, energy, and opportunity, the London Borough of Waltham Forest is a fantastic and exciting place to work.

We are a highly ambitious borough. Driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents, we have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities. Our Council is relentlessly resident-focused, insight-led, digitally driven and commercially minded; a Council focused on meeting the needs of our existing and future residents.

London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard employers. This accreditation is a proof of our commitment to creating a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace. This includes fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, skills and progression and diversity and recruitment.

The Council’s preference is for online application. However, if you have a disability and are unable to complete an online application, please email recruitment@walthamforest.gov.uk so we can arrange an alternative application method.

About the role:

This senior role provides strategic leadership within the Education Service, overseeing the planning, development and delivery of high‑quality, expert professional services. The postholder will manage a large, multi‑disciplinary team and ensure the effective delivery of statutory duties, driving high service standards and value for money across the Council’s Early Years provision.

Key responsibilities include leading the Council’s statutory offer of information, advice and training to Ofsted‑registered Early Years providers, ensuring they meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The postholder will also lead the borough’s approach to Inclusion, supporting providers to meet the needs of children with learning and developmental delays, SEND, and vulnerable or disadvantaged children.

The role includes strategic oversight of Section 23 referrals for children under five with identified delays or SEND, ensuring integrated, multi‑agency support that promotes children’s learning and wellbeing. In addition, the postholder will lead on maintaining the accuracy and consistency of EYFS assessment, including moderating of the EYFS Profile at the end of Reception.

This is a pivotal leadership position shaping Early Years and Inclusion/SEND quality, compliance and outcomes across the borough.

>> Click here to download the Role Profile <<

Key Responsibilities:

The postholder will provide strategic leadership and expert guidance across the Early Years sector, ensuring Ofsted-registered providers deliver high‑quality, inclusive provision aligned with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This includes offering up‑to‑date advice, training, and professional development, while promoting best practice and driving continuous improvement across the borough.

They will lead on Inclusion and SEND within Early Years, supporting providers to meet the needs of children with learning and developmental delays, disabilities, and those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged. The role includes receiving Section 23 referrals and coordinating multi‑agency responses to ensure integrated educational, health, and family support for children under five.

The postholder will champion school readiness and transition, working collaboratively with partners to ensure smooth progression for all children, including those on specialist pathways or moving into specialist settings. They will oversee the accuracy and consistency of EYFS assessment, including local authority moderation of the EYFS Profile and leadership of the two‑year‑old integrated review.

A key part of the role involves analysing data to inform improvement strategies, producing high‑quality reports, and contributing to local authority priorities around early childhood outcomes. The postholder will lead strong partnerships and explore funding opportunities to sustain high‑quality services, including potential traded or de‑delegated models.

Safeguarding responsibilities are integral to the role, alongside direct line management of staff.

Qualifications and Requirements:

To be considered for this position, you should meet the following requirements:

• Leadership experience managing teams delivering EYFS and SEND support.
• Strong, current knowledge of EYFS, Inclusion and the SEND Code of Practice.
• Ability to build effective partnerships across schools, providers and agencies.
• Skilled in developing strategies, managing performance and delivering quality services.
• Excellent communication, organisation and problem‑solving skills.
• Experience managing budgets and meeting service KPIs.
• Understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality and diverse community needs.
• Relevant degree‑level qualification (e.g., QTS).

Terms and conditions:

The below terms and conditions apply to this role:

Satisfactory employment references and CIFAS identity checks;

Satisfactory declaration of interest;

This role is subject to safer recruitment practices as it involves work with children and/ or vulnerable adults;

Satisfactory DBS check;

Continued professional body registration (QTS number)

This post is politically restricted therefore the post holder is disqualified from undertaking certain political activities under the Local Government Officers (Political Restrictions) Regulations 1990.

As a public authority, we must ensure that members of staff in public-facing roles are able to speak fluent English. This means that they must have a command of spoken English, with confidence and accuracy, sufficient for the effective performance of their role. This requirement does not refer to any particular English language qualifications, regional or international accents, dialects, speech impediments or the tone of conversations. It does not require staff to speak only in English.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications online by pressing the ‘Apply’ button below. This includes a supporting statement that outlines to us how your skills and experience make you a good candidate for this vacancy.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both, service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. We use our statutory duties on race, gender and disability equality and best practice in respect of age, faith and sexual orientation to ensure equality of opportunity in the workplace. The Council is committed to meeting its 4 equality objectives: - Promoting equality of opportunity - Opposing all forms of discrimination, intolerance and disadvantage - Ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels. - Providing fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent Services to all. Respecting Diversity is a core Council value.

To support the above and reduce the risk of bias in its recruitment activities, the council is operating an anonymous shortlisting process, which hides personal information that can identify individuals until their application has been considered for shortlisting. The council also operates a scheme whereby, for jobs graded up to and including scale SO2, internal candidates are considered first. This includes those candidates who self-identify as having a disability for the purposes of the Disability Confident scheme. For more information, please refer to our recruitment and selection policy.

We are keen to support employees to balance their working life with other commitments. Therefore, wherever possible, we will consider working arrangements that suit an individual's personal circumstances whilst still meeting the needs of the Council. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below or feel free to discuss this during your interview.

For more information on the benefits of working for the Council, please visit https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/jobs-and-training/find-jobs-and-other-opportunities/working-us.

Contact Information:

If you have any questions about this vacancy or the application process, please contact Elisha Wilkinson, Head of Inclusion at elisha.wilkinson@walthamforest.gov.uk

If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post, please contact our Recruitment Team via email at recruitment@walthamforest.gov.uk.

Click here for further information on the Human Resources recruitment privacy notice.