Specialist Teacher - Social Emotional Mental Health and Learning Team (SEMHandL)

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, accepting of all, and free from discrimination and bias. The Coventry Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) Support Service exists to deliver the aspirational challenge set by young people with SEND and their families: 'To Lift the Cloud of Limitation and enable them to enjoy an ordinary life.' We are a creative, connected, and forward-thinking service. Together with our families and partners in schools, settings, the NHS, and the third sector, we have driven change that has pushed us to the cutting edge of SEND.

This includes embedding co-production across all areas of service delivery, investing in our SEND workforce, and pioneering initiatives such as the award-nominated 'Together We Can' partnership group to engage Early Years children and their families, and 'My Support Plan', a family-centred approach to understanding children’s strengths and needs and tailoring their support.

When Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) completed a Local Area inspection of Coventry in October 2019, they commended our genuine passion and commitment to getting things right for children and young people with SEND and their families; our respect for the lived experiences of children and young people with SEND and their parents; and the strong partnership between school settings and education service providers, with a high level of buy-in for specialist services.

The Social Emotional Mental Health and Learning team is a busy and highly valued service supporting and promoting inclusion across the city. We are a traded service working within primary, secondary, and special schools, as well as offering interventions such as The Key.

Our Values

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

What is the job role?

An exciting opportunity to join the specialist teacher's peripatetic team within the Social, Emotional, Mental Health, and Learning Team (SEMH&L). This is an opportunity to work in the well-regarded SEMHL Team as part of Coventry SEND Support Service. The team is committed to securing good and outstanding SEN practice, supporting pupils, families, SENCos, and all school staff to meet the increasingly diverse range of needs and challenges around SEMH&L. This role is 20 hours per week over 4 days. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and appointment will be conditional upon a satisfactory DBS check.

Who are we looking for?

• Be a good to outstanding practitioner with a passion for SEN.
• Have a genuine interest in achieving the best outcomes for pupils with SEND.
• Have a flexible, creative, solution-focused approach.
• Be able to work well in a team and independently using your initiative.
• Be committed to the inclusion of all pupils.
• Be able to work across primary and secondary schools.

In your personal statement, focus on:

• Your expertise and experience in learning and wellbeing support.
• Your understanding of inclusive practice and your approach to supporting others in developing it within an educational setting.
• Your experience working with colleagues, education, and families, and the sensitivities involved in enabling successful cooperation.

Please contact Kathy Gardner at kathy.gardner@coventry.gov.uk for further information or to arrange an informal conversation. For full details on the application process, please see the attached document labeled 'Coventry City Council Application Process.'

Interview date: 21 May 2025

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative, and creative spirit that has historically brought communities together to address problems and foster social change. We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant, and diverse. At Coventry, we are committed to excellence in all we do. With around 5,100 staff from diverse backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented individuals who focus on our customers, take responsibility, collaborate, and innovate. Join us to make a difference in our communities and enjoy a fantastic rewards and benefits package.

For more information, visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies.