Virtual Head of SEND

Job introduction

We are looking for a passionate and experienced school leader who can work with us to develop outstanding provision for children with SEND within the city.

This role is also available as a fixed term, two year secondment.

Interview date: tbc

For an informal discussion, please contact Ashley Seymour-Williams (07795336030)

About the role

• To lead, support and challenge governing bodies, head teachers, SENCos, the Virtual School team, social care, health and partners, to secure the best possible educational provision and outcomes for children with SEND.
• To support schools to make efficient and effective use of the financial resources at their disposal.
• To act as a champion for children and young people with SEND across the city and highlight and seek to hold to account where performance requires improvement.
• To engage headteachers with the LA strategy for SEND and support schools to plan strategically for children and young people with SEND.

1. To work to put in practice the local authority’s commitment to inclusion: to contribute to the development of high-quality local placements.
2. To work with senior leaders in schools, health, local authority and parents across the Local Area to drive forward improvements and achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people with SEND.         
3. As a member of the SEND & AP Partnership Board, represent the views of headteachers and present evidence to the Board of where improvements need to be made.
4. To ensure oversight and quality assurance of provision and outcomes for children and young people with SEND in the city, particularly, but not exclusively, those with EHCPs and those in internal intervention spaces and specialist provisions.
5. To ensure rigorous and robust quality assurance programme of audits, followed by action plans which evidence improvements.
6. Lead on developing and maintaining strong partnerships with key local partners, including schools, working directly with SENCos and senior leadership in a range of settings to drive up quality of provision, equality of outcomes and standards for children with SEND.
7. Work closely with Head of SENSS, Head of BHISS, Head of Education Strategy, Senior Advisor- Education Partnerships, and Admissions Manager to ensure children with SEND are placed in a timely way, progress and thrive in their settings in line with the tiered approach. In particular ensure there are systems in place to support those out of school or at risk through placement breakdown.
8. Work closely with social care and early help to raise their awareness and support better joint working for children with SEND – especially those that are in care or receiving statutory social care services, and at risk such as with low attendance.  
9. To rigorously track, monitor and report on progress and process data of children for children in all educational settings creating a ‘virtual school’ ethos for all children with SEND. This includes those educated within and out of the authority.  
10. To produce reports on the progress and EHCP processes of children with EHCPs and SEND including those missing school, out of school and out of city.  
11. Work closely with relevant data colleagues to ensure robust data can be accessed and shared effectively to track children with SEND.  
12. In partnership with BHISS and other providers, organise and commission training and development in key aspects of SEND for schools and settings and for LA colleagues as appropriate, including quality, and best practice according to latest evidence 
13. Be proactive in disseminating good working practice and developing innovative solutions, especially in relation to co-production, supporting schools, parents and partners to achieve good outcomes across all domains. 
14. To ensure that the voices of children and parents are embedded and acted upon in schools, including being part of Parent led governing body. 
15. Work with post-16 providers and partnerships to ensure robust pathways for adulthood and successful outcomes like employment.
16. To participate in the regional and national SEND networks 
17. Be responsible and accountable for driving forward improvements and innovation plans for the Education and Learning service.  
18. To produce an annual report of SEND for the city’s schools.

Additional information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is less than 37 hours or term-time only.

We are a workplace that supports flexibility and employee wellbeing in the way we work whilst providing the best service for our customers. Team and service working arrangements are designed to support both employee work life balance and team collaboration. These would be part of your individual working arrangements alongside any personal preference agreed with your manager in advance of joining. Your contractual location will be the designated council office for your team and travel to and from your contractual location would be at your own expense.

For more information about our values and the benefits of working at the council, visit Why work for us

Company information

Encouraging a diverse workforce

Our city is known and loved for its diversity. Not only is the mixture of people, culture and skills vital to the economic and social development of the city, it's what makes Brighton & Hove such a great place to live, work and visit. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve so we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. In order to achieve our aims of proportionate representation, we particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, male or trans.

Find out more about our commitment to being a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone can achieve their potential by reading about our fair and inclusive actions, our anti-racism strategy and How we create a fair and inclusive workplace.

Please note that this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Check.