SEN Support Officer (SENSO) in Knottingley

As the SEN Support Officer, you will provide administrative support for the SENCO and ensure tracking and delivery of interventions to improve pupil progress across the Academy. You will manage the daily deployment and performance of the Teaching Assistants to ensure effective and efficient use across the academy in order to support student needs, complementing existing teacher and support staff provision, in order to help their potential be realised. You will deliver bespoke intervention packages to pupils with SEND designed to remove barriers to learning.

Responsibilities

• Work cooperatively with teaching and support staff to ensure integrated support across the academy for pupils with SEND.
• Effectively deploy and manage the Teaching Assistants across the academy so that in‑class support ensures individual pupil needs are met.
• Be responsible for the organisation and delivery of intervention packages for pupils identified by the SENCO.
• Help deliver targeted interventions to small groups or one‑to‑one as directed by the SENCO.
• Be familiar and up to date with policy and practice relating to SEND, including trust, local and national levels.
• Provide admin support to the SENCO and ensure paperwork associated with the CoP is completed.
• Collate and prepare information from a variety of sources for a range of purposes (e.g., annual reviews, specialist teacher visits, assessments, external agency referrals).
• Act as a point of contact for parents and external agencies to ensure the needs of identified pupils are met.
• Monitor the progress, behaviour and attendance of pupils with SEND and use rewards to recognise positive outcomes (e.g., phone call home, postcard, PROUD stickers).
• Use IT systems and databases effectively to deliver administrative tasks.
• Manage the process of annual reviews / EHC plans by organising dates, managing the invitation process and coordinating the completion of necessary paperwork.
• Attend parents’ evenings, open evenings and SEN drop‑ins to meet parents of pupils with SEND.
• Ensure that the SEND register is up to date and shared with all relevant staff.
• Provide the SENCO with admin support for the completion of learning passports and ensure they are shared with all relevant staff.
• Maintain pupil filing, including setting up new files.
• Manage the SENCO’s diary as appropriate, organising meetings, taking and circulating minutes.
• Ensure personal and sensitive data is managed appropriately and in accordance with the Trust data protection and data retention policies, escalating any concerns to the Data Protection Lead (DPL) in the academy.
• Update the SEN records of pupils who have Special Educational Needs, including maintenance and updating on Bromcom.
• Design and update Provision Mapping.
• Liaise with outside agencies, attend meetings, produce medical plans for pupils with medical needs.
• Support the Inclusion support co‑coordinator as appropriate.
• Arrange home tuition for pupils who have medical difficulties.
• Support and assist the academy’s Data Manager with tracking and monitoring of pupils in relation to SEND and intervention.
• Support teaching staff in their understanding of SEND and intervention data.
• Support all staff in their compliance with SEND procedures and protocols.
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people that you come into contact with.
• Appreciate and support the role of other professionals.
• Attend and participate in relevant meetings as required.
• Participate in training and other learning activities and performance development as required.
• Assist with pupil needs as appropriate during the academy day.
• Assess KS4 pupils for examination and assessment access arrangements and support and advise accordingly.
• Provide specialist support and advice in relation to the management of examinations and assessments for individual pupils.
• Work closely with the SENCO, other learning support staff and the exams officer to ensure compliant and effective examination and assessment arrangements and procedures.
• Complete and maintain individual pupils’ exam and assessment records, including all relevant JCQ documentation, forms and file notes.
• Ensure compliance with JCQ requirements and any other formal guidance in relation to access arrangements for examinations and assessment in all applicable cases.
• Undertake any other specialist examination and assessment related duties as may be required by the Principal.
• In liaison with the pupil, their parent/carer and where appropriate relevant staff and healthcare professionals, create individual health‑care plans for pupils.
• Support strategies, including reintegration, aimed at ensuring long‑term absences due to health problems do not affect pupil’s general wellbeing, emotional health and educational attainment.
• Monitor health‑care plans and review them at least annually.
• Provide advice on appropriate training to support pupils with medical conditions.
• Liaise with the local authority and public health teams to maintain up‑to‑date policy and guidance concerning medical conditions, vaccinations, etc.