Special Needs
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO)
Competitive Salary: (Leadership Scale – Dependent on Experience) Please note there is also a teaching responsibility with this role.
Start Date: May or September depending on the candidate
Are you a passionate and experienced SEND professional ready to lead and inspire in a specialist setting?
We are seeking an outstanding SENDCo to join our dedicated team at our wonderful school. Mayfield School is a thriving school, supporting amazing young people from the age of 4 to 19 with a wide range of complex needs.
This is an exciting opportunity for a committed professional who believes every child deserves an ambitious, personalised education and who has the expertise to drive outstanding SEND provision across the school.
This role will work to ensure that all our young people receive personalised, high-quality support that enables them to achieve their potential. The SENDCO will champion inclusive practice, work collaboratively with staff and external agencies, and model professional integrity.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support with the strategic development of SEND provision in the school.
- Oversee legal requirements, to include Annual Reviews, Interim reviews and Emergency Reviews of EHCP’s in line with the SEND code of practice.
- Responsible for the day-to-day operation of the SEND policy and co-ordination of specific provision to support individual pupils.
- Provide professional guidance to colleagues, working closely with staff, parents and other agencies.
- Advise on the use of school’s budget and other resources to meet pupils’ needs effectively, including staff development.
- Promote inclusion in the school community and access to the curriculum.
- Leading and managing staff and the effective deployment of staff and resources.
- Lead on interventions that will support all pupils.
- Attend and review meetings
What We Offer:
- A supportive and forward-thinking leadership team
- Highly trained, committed, exceptional staff
- A well-resourced specialist environment
- Ongoing CPD and leadership development
- Opportunities to shape whole-school SEND strategy
- Administrative support
- Employee benefits scheme such as wellbeing app and a range of discounts
We Are Looking For Someone Who:
- Holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
- Has achieved (or is working towards) the National Award for SEND Coordination
- Is passionate about education and inclusion
- Has experience working within a special school or specialist provision
- Has strong knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice
- Is confident leading multi-agency collaboration
- Has excellent communication and organisational skills
- Is passionate about inclusion and improving outcomes for vulnerable learners
Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. The successful candidate will be subject to enhanced DBS and safeguarding checks.
Please note the job description is not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post. It will be reviewed annually
For a tour of the school or to ask for further information please contact the school on: 01946 691253
To apply, please complete the application form only, CV’s WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED and return these to recruitment@mayfield.cumbria.sch.uk
Other Information
Mayfield is a new build and unique special school located on the West Coast of the Lake District close to the historical Georgian town of Whitehaven.
The school has been transformed as part of the new development, Campus Whitehaven which represents a 32-million-pound investment in the future of Education and Community facilities for West Cumbria.
The new school offers amazing learning spaces and is purpose built to the needs of the wide range of pupils. The bespoke design has created the best possible learning environment with spacious classrooms and a wide range of specialist facilities.
The design was developed around the best examples from schools around the country and the result is amazing. Careful preparation and involvement ensured that pupils have made the transition exceptionally well and are responding to the new opportunities for learning. They are very proud of their new school.
Spacious classrooms have been created with small group rooms, mobility equipment bays, storage, cloakrooms and toilet access.
Each room has a full coverage hoist system linking directly into the assisted changing rooms. This means that staff time can be focused on learning.
The specialist facilities are state of the art and the school is everything that was hoped for and more, including:
- Hydrotherapy Pool – excellent changing facilities (hoist access into the water)
- Rebound Therapy Room
- Low Impact Gym
- Library – a home for sensory stories, fiction and non-fiction promoting a love of reading.
- Food Technology Room
- Sound Beam Learning Room
- Eye gaze room
- Therapists Room
- Medical Room
- Family Room
- Life Skills Flat
- Relaxation room with acoustic water bed
- Project Spaces
- Soft play
- Traditional Sensory room and Immersive Room
The campus wide facilities are open to the community outside school hours and will increase participation in sport and accessibility for all.
The school also aspires to be a venue and training centre for SEND and host events and training by bringing the experts to West Cumbria and enhancing capacity to meet the needs of the area.
Mayfield is one of 6 special schools in Cumbria and meets the needs of pupils aged 3 – 19 years. The school population has risen from 87 to 218 in the last 7 years and there is a constant demand for places at the new school.
All pupils have an Educational Health Care Plan reflecting either severe or profound learning needs and additional needs. Co-existing conditions are typical and 54% of the pupils have a diagnosis of ASD.
The school was deemed outstanding by Ofsted in November 2023 recognising the high aspirations and achievement of the pupils.
There is a positive culture of reflection and development throughout the school following the “Everyone Thinking, Everyone Learning” vision.
Mayfield staff and governors are relentless in the pursuit of excellence for all and use the latest research information technologies and strategies available to unlock the potential of every learner.
The school strives to lead the way in learning for pupils with special educational needs. Mayfield is a school with close links to the Local Authority and works in partnership with many organisations to improve outcomes for pupils across the locality.
The school has an established team of highly skills staff and a good balance of ECT / more experienced teachers. The school is strongly committed to the MOVE (Movement Opportunities via Education) programme with 2 staff trainers.
Team Teach is the approach used for behaviour management and all staff are trained as priority. There are 5 trainers in school. Mayfield is well supported and has high profile in the local community.
In September 2023, 6th form and year 11 pupils will move to a new site in Cockermouth
Please read our latest Ofsted Report and Overarching Safeguarding Statement