SENCO in Maidstone

A forward looking social business, Catch22 has more than 200 years’ experience of providing public services that help people turn their lives around. We work with troubled and vulnerable people, helping them to steer clear of crime or substance misuse, do the best they can in education or employment and play a full part in their family or community. Our vision is a strong society where everyone has a good place to live, a purpose and good people around them, no matter what their background.

Our Catch22 College is the collective name for 8 sites we have across the country delivering academic and vocational training programmes for young people aged 16+ who, for whatever reason, are not suited to a mainstream college setting. Our College Site provides learners with a highly supportive environment where they have access to opportunities to build up their confidence and self belief, and to gain new skills and experiences that will help them to achieve their goals in life. We exist to help our learners find their future.

This position is working 4 days per week and involves close collaboration with colleagues across the Catch22 College network. The role will play an active part in supporting our Colleges & Supported Internship projects, helping to enhance opportunities and outcomes for learners with additional needs.

Base Location: The successful candidate will be based at one of our Catch22 College sites (choice of location) and will have regular travel to other campuses within the network.

• Catch22 College: Maidstone – Maidstone Skills Centre, Titchfield Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8FX.
• Catch22 College: London (Canning Town) – Community Links, 105 Barking Road, Canning Town, London E16 4HQ.
• Catch22 College: Nottingham – Unit 2 Chase Park, Daleside Road, Nottingham NG2 4GT.
• Catch22 College: Peterlee – 1 Hailsham Place (Hailsham Pl), Peterlee SR8 1AB.
• Catch22 College: Bishop Auckland – 1c Henson Close, South Church Enterprise Park, Bishop Auckland, County Durham DL14 6WA.

Job Description: To oversee the day-to-day operation of provision for learners with special educational needs (SEN) and to provide professional guidance in the area of SEN in order to secure high quality teaching and the effective use of resources to bring about improved standards of achievement of all learners. To act as a key point of contact for staff in relation to the provision, planning and funding of support for learners with SEN.

Main duties:

• Lead the strategic direction, development, and daily operation of SEN provision to raise pupil achievement.
• Lead on the completion of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and the securing of higher needs funding to meet identified needs.
• Attend and contribute to multi‑agency meetings, Annual Reviews, and safeguarding discussions involving learners with SEN.
• Support colleagues in setting high expectations, monitoring teaching quality, and analysing SEN pupil progress data.
• Maintain accurate records for all learners with SEN and oversee the use of tracking systems to monitor impact.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation (e.g., Equalities Act 2010) and service‑wide SEN policies and procedures.
• Work collaboratively with external agencies, commissioners, and internal staff to ensure coherence and readiness for Ofsted.
• Advise on effective use of SEN resources and budgets to meet learner needs.

Qualifications:

• Educational degree
• Evidence of continuous professional development with particular reference to Special Educational Needs (SEN)
• Qualified Teaching Status (QTS) or a similar qualification

Additional Information:

The role will be based at one of Catch22 College sites, with regular travel required to other Catch22 Colleges across the country. Contract: Part Time, Permanent Hours per week: 29.6 Hours over 4 days (days can be flexible) Salary: £33,055 to £39,143 pro rata (£41,319 to £48,929 FTE)

Specific Requirements: The post holder must have a driving licence and be able to drive as part of the role.

At Catch22 we value equality, diversity and inclusion. We are wholeheartedly committed to the principle of equality of opportunity, both as an employer and as a provider of services. Diversity and Inclusion is part of what we do every day, working to deliver our vision to build a strong society where everyone has good people around them, a purpose, and a good place to live.

Catch22 is committed to rigorous safeguarding and safer recruitment practices; ensuring that every individual within the organisation has been safely and appropriately checked. Please note, we will conduct an online search as part of our due diligence checks for successful candidate(s). This will involve a search of all publicly available information online and in social media.

Catch22’s Commitment to Ban the Box: Catch22 is proud to have “Banned the Box”. This means that we do not ask for candidates to disclose criminal convictions at the application stage. Instead, we invite disclosures at interview stage, and encourage them at the offer stage.