Early Years Specialist Advisory Teacher for SEND Transition (EYSAT)
Job Description
Salary: Soulbury EIP 4-6 £48,818 to £51,694 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00. You will need to be flexible to work core hours of schools and settings
Location: Base to be agreed but the role is countywide, working across the multiple Locality Inclusion Network Areas (LINs) within West Sussex.
Please note: You will be required to travel independently throughout the county, including to locations that are not always accessible by public transport.There is a regular and intrinsic requirement to communicate in English with members of the public.
Closing date: 19 November 2026
Interview date: 23 November 2026
We have an exciting opportunity to join WSCC as an Early Years Specialist Advisory Teacher focusing on SEND transitions to school. This role sits within the Early Years and Childcare Service in the SEND and Inclusion Team, where you will collaborate and liaise with a range of professionals to support children with identified SEND in their transition from early years settings (or home) into reception class at school.
As a Specialist Advisory Teacher, you will be linked with early years settings and schools to provide practical support, advice, and guidance to enable effective inclusion and transition of learners with identified SEND.
You will work closely with SEND and Inclusion Advisers, Advisory Teachers, Early Years and Childcare Advisers, and other local authority teams to provide further professional support on the delivery of positive outcomes for children. This includes working with external Early Years leaders, managers, governors, parents, and practitioners to ensure positive learning outcomes for children.
Key Skills
We are looking for someone with knowledge and understanding of SEND, who is passionate about inclusive practice and identifying innovative solutions. The EYSAT role will include providing supportive, sensitive challenge to early years settings and schools. This approach is designed to encourage inclusive practice, strengthen reflective thinking, and promote high‑quality provision for all learners. By offering guidance that is both constructive and aspirational, the role will help to build the capacity, confidence, and understanding of staff—enabling them to better meet the diverse developmental, social, and communication needs of children. Through partnership, coaching, and modelling effective strategies, the EYSAT will contribute to a culture where inclusion is embedded, celebrated, and continuously developed.
You will need emotional resilience, integrity, and an awareness of others to thrive in this role.
If you are committed to supporting equality and diversity, and respecting all customers, clients and other members of staff, we would love to hear from you.
In addition, you should also be able to demonstrate the following:
Ability to make sound pragmatic problem-solving decisions which will have a wider service impact. The ability to provide comprehensive professional advice, analyse and make judgements to resolve difficult problems of a technical, professional or people related nature.
Ability to develop and maintain collaborative working relationships and excellent partnership working skills with leaders, managers, practitioners and other agencies to deliver objectives.
Ability to challenge existing practices and identify innovative solutions to improve learning outcomes for children.
Ability to forward plan, set timescales and meet challenging targets and objectives, taking appropriate action where these are not being met.
Excellent inclusive practice and teaching skills. Effective evaluation and analytical skills to monitor and review effectiveness of provision, teaching and learning.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (verbal and written) with the ability to successfully influence and negotiate effective outcomes, demonstrated through the development and delivery of a range of strategies for practitioners to adopt to improve outcomes.
For a full list of key skills, responsibilities, experience and qualification requirements please refer to the job description linked below.
About Us
The Education and Skills Directorate plays a crucial part in delivering the West Sussex Plan to provide our young people with the Best Start in Life. This means it is vital that every school in the county offers each and every child the education that they are entitled to, and we will do everything in our power to make that happen. This requires strong collaboration with the wider local authority agenda, particularly with Children’s Services.
The Early years and Childcare Service brings together a range of specialist resources to support the drive for an inclusive educational culture across West Sussex Early Years Education and Childcare providers.
For more information, please visit West Sussex County Council Services for Education website
Rewards and Benefits
As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work they do.
Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including the following:
Employer Pension Contribution: 15% (this alters per annum on the 1 April each year).
Annual leave: 31 days holiday + Bank Holidays = 39 days
For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.
How to Apply
The reference number for this role is 318
To apply, please upload your CV and cover letter, explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills), ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.
Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.
Job Description Attachment
Specialist Advisory Teacher Early Years Transition Job Description
Further Information / Safer Recruitment
For an informal conversation regarding the role, please contact: Hiring Manager Toby Silverman, SEND and Inclusion Lead, at Toby.silverman@westsussex.gov.uk
For further information on your application, please contact: Natalie Greene, Recruitment Specialist, at Natalie.Greene@westsussex.gov.uk
To apply, please upload your CV and cover letter, explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role, ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
This post is subject to QTS check, an enhanced DBS check, five years referencing, and an occupational health check.
Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.
Qualifications
Educated to degree level with QTS.
Extensive experience of working in Early Years in either maintained or non-maintained early years provision, or within a Local Authority.
Proven relevant experience supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
Experience working in Reception at primary school.
Secure knowledge and evidence of implementing the Early Years Framework and related pedagogical issues.
Secure knowledge and evidence of implementing the SEND Code of Practice.
An understanding of how children learn in and through a broad curriculum in the early years and beyond.
Knowledge of the characteristics of effective settings and schools and the Ofsted Framework.
Sound and accurate IT knowledge to enhance teaching and learning and effectively monitor service delivery.
Salary range
- £48,818 - £51,694 per year