Assistant Principal and SENCO: Central Quadrant - London

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff. Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic, skilled and knowledgeable Assistant Principal and SENCO for our Central Quadrant academies. This is an excellent opportunity to work in a growing Academies, where you will be highly supported by both the Central Quadrant team and the wider Harris Federation. The Central Quadrant consists of eight Harris Academies in the London Boroughs of Bromley, Southwark, Croydon, Wandsworth and Lambeth and are part of the Harris Federation.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• To provide SEN leadership across designated secondary academies within the Central Quadrant.
• To provide on-the-job training, guidance and coaching to develop the practice of the Deputy SENCO/Aspiring SENCO.
• To ensure that the designated Academy practice is compliant with the SEND Code of Practice (2014) and other relevant statutory requirements.
• To work with the designated Academy Leadership team ensuring an ethos of Inclusion within the Academy and a culture of high aspirations for students with SEND.
• To ensure that the provision of SEND support is in accordance with the aims of the designated Academy and the curricular policies determined by the Governing Body and Principal of the Academy.
• To be responsible for maintaining the designated Academy’s SEND Profile, ensuring that it is always up-to-date and is an accurate picture of student SEND need across the Academy.
• To be responsible for the accurate identification of SEND need across the designated Academy, ensuring a rigorous and thorough assessment process.
• To be a role model with regard to Quality First Teaching and curriculum adaptations within your own teaching practice.
• To be responsible for the embedding of Quality First Teaching across the designated Academy.
• To be responsible for the designated Academy SEND Offer, ensuring high quality targeted interventions enabling students with SEND to make better progress.
• In consultation with the designated Academy Leadership Team, to provide a programme of professional development with regard to SEND, that ensures all staff have the knowledge, skills and understanding to plan teaching and learning effectively and enable students with SEND to make expected progress.
• To be responsible for tracking the progress of students with SEND, using a wide range of Academy data relating to progress, attainment, referrals, exclusions, detentions and attendance to identify barriers to learning.
• To deploy staff and resources according to the needs of SEND.
• To write a termly report to the Governing body on progress and developments.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• QTS (or equivalent) and a good undergraduate degree.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development relevant to the SENCO role or willingness to undertake this training.
• Knowledge and understanding of national priorities, current curriculum development and an ability to design and implement an innovative curriculum based on students’ needs.
• A thorough understanding of quality assurance techniques.
• An appreciation of student motivation.
• An understanding of how professional development contributes to the raising of quality.
• SEN experience in a secondary school.
• Evidence of successful teaching experience.
• Evidence of pastoral experience.
• Experience of working with key stakeholders such as parents, governors, employers etc.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Teacher Development: At Harris, we have curated professional development pathways that will guide you towards achieving your career ambitions. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. With a strong network of passionate educators, expert development initiatives and a multitude of opportunities for career progression, your journey with Harris could be the most rewarding one yet. We offer a wide range of high quality teacher professional development programmes via the Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership.

Flexible Working: We are committed to fostering a positive and supportive working environment for our staff, recognising that achieving a balance between professional and personal responsibilities is essential. We understand that each individual’s circumstances are unique, which is why we offer flexible working options that can be adapted to meet the needs of both the academy and our employees.

Benefits: In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance (usually £2,000 for Inner London and £1,500 for Outer London), a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Teachers Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, Employee Assistance Programme, and many other benefits.

Safeguarding Notice: The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities: The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION: If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation. Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.