SENCO in Elstree

Habs has been awarded Independent School of the Year 2025, with Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools receiving both the award for Outstanding Educational Partnerships and the overall top accolade of Independent School of the Year 2025. This recognition reflects our long-term commitment to social impact and the deep, sustained collaborations we continue to build with our state sector partners. It is an exciting time to join our community.

We are delighted to be recruiting two SENCOs — one for Haberdashers' Girls' School and one for Haberdashers' Boys' School. Across both schools, there is a strong focus on collaboration, shared learning and ensuring that every pupil is supported to thrive. These SENCO roles offer a real opportunity to shape inclusive practice, work closely with colleagues and help ensure that Habs remains at the forefront of all areas of education.

We are looking for passionate, thoughtful and forward-thinking professionals who are motivated by making a genuine difference and who value working as part of a supportive and ambitious community. If you are excited by the chance to influence whole-school practice, collaborate across two outstanding schools and contribute to an environment where inclusion and excellence go hand in hand, we would love to hear from you.

The successful candidates will lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of SEND provision in line with the schools' academic and pastoral aims and with national legislation and guidance. Working closely with the Heads and senior leadership teams, the Special Educational Needs Coordinators will oversee the SEND policy, lead and manage the SEND teams, and monitor the effectiveness of provision, supporting Heads of Department and teachers in developing excellence in quality-first teaching.

The roles include responsibility for the identification, assessment, and ongoing support of students with SEND, including the development and review of Individual Needs Plans. The post-holders will oversee access arrangements for public examinations and university admissions tests, support admissions processes at 11+, 13+ and 16+, and play a central role in the transition and induction of new students with SEND.

The Special Educational Needs Coordinators will coordinate statutory processes relating to Education, Health and Care Plans, including applications and annual reviews, and will liaise effectively with local authorities and external professionals. They will ensure that all SEND records and documentation meet statutory and inspection requirements. The post-holders will work closely with parents, carers, and external agencies and will contribute to professional development across the school, sharing expertise and promoting inclusive, high-quality classroom practice.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree in education or a related field; a postgraduate qualification in special educational needs is desirable.
• Level 7 qualification in psychometric testing and access arrangements (e.g., CPT3A or equivalent) is preferred. We would support an applicant who is willing to pursue this.
• Proven experience as a SENCO, or other similar leadership role, including leadership and management responsibilities.

We offer a competitive salary, commensurate with the candidate’s experience and the size of the School, along with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your professional and personal wellbeing:

• Approximately 17 weeks holiday per year.
• Private Pension Scheme through Aegon with four flexible options and generous employer contributions.
• Additional life insurance cover.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), providing confidential support and advice.
• Financial assistance for further qualifications.
• Extensive professional development and training opportunities.
• Discount on school fees for children attending any of the Elstree Schools (fee remission applied at the time of child joining).
• Free lunch and refreshments.
• Free onsite parking and access to travel on the school’s extensive coach network.
• Complimentary access to state-of-the-art sports facilities, including gym, swimming pool, and fitness classes.
• Wellbeing initiatives such as yoga, mindfulness sessions, and health checks.
• Access to an online GP service for quick and convenient healthcare advice.
• Access to Vivup, our staff benefits platform offering discounts, financial advice, and wellbeing resources.
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme and green travel incentives, including options for Octopus Electric Vehicles.

Applications will be reviewed as they arrive, and we reserve the right to close this vacancy sooner; please apply as soon as possible. Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the School is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.