SENCo in Bristol

Are you an experienced SENCo ready to take the next step in your leadership journey? Do you want the opportunity to shape a SEND provision from the very beginning, influence whole-school practice, and make a lasting impact on the lives of young people? Manor Wood School, a newly established Acorn Education setting in Bishopsworth, Bristol, is seeking a passionate, strategic, and forward-thinking SENCo to lead and develop our SEND provision. This is a unique opportunity to help create a school where inclusion, innovation, and high expectations are embedded from day one.

About the Role

As SENCo, you will play a pivotal leadership role in the strategic and operational development of Manor Wood School. Working closely with the Headteacher and our multidisciplinary therapy team, you will design, implement, and continually refine a high-quality SEND provision that enables every pupil to thrive. You will lead SEND across the school, ensuring pupils with additional needs receive timely, personalised, and effective support. You’ll champion inclusive practice, guide staff with expert advice, and ensure a consistent, graduated approach to intervention and support is embedded across all classrooms. Collaboration sits at the heart of this role. You will work closely with teaching staff, parents and carers, external professionals, and multi-agency teams to develop meaningful strategies that support pupils with complex communication needs, autism, and associated learning, emotional, and behavioural needs. This is a role where your expertise will be seen, valued, and genuinely impactful—shaping outcomes not just for pupils, but for the entire school community.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership of SEND provision across the school
• Lead the development and implementation of SEND policy and practice
• Oversee SEND assessments, reviews, and statutory processes
• Promote high-quality, differentiated teaching and effective interventions
• Offer expert guidance and professional development to staff
• Work collaboratively with families, external agencies, and therapy teams
• Ensure compliance with SEND legislation and the SEND Code of Practice
• Contribute to whole-school leadership, particularly the Quality of Education

Who We Are Looking For

We are seeking an outstanding, aspirational SENCo who:

• Is passionate about inclusion and improving life chances for vulnerable learners
• Demonstrates strong leadership, organisational, and communication skills
• Inspires and supports staff to deliver consistently high standards
• Is proactive, solution-focused, and confident in turning strategy into practice
• Has the vision and drive to help shape a new school and its culture
• Believes every pupil deserves high expectations, dignity, and opportunity

As a key member of the Leadership Team, you will have real influence over the direction of the school and the outcomes achieved by its pupils.

Qualifications & Experience Required

• UK Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
• Prior experience working within SEND or coordinating SEND provision
• Strong understanding of SEND legislation, the Code of Practice and the graduated approach

About Us

Our new Acorn School – Manor Wood School in Bishopsworth, Bristol has a capacity for 80 pupils and opened in May 2025. The school is a co-educational provision for pupils with complex needs including SEMH. We are proud to provide a supportive yet challenging learning environment where every pupil has the opportunity to develop their full potential – whether academically, vocationally, in sports, or through personal achievements. As an inclusive school, we offer a broad and balanced curriculum tailored to each child’s unique needs. This personalised approach enables every pupil to progress at their own pace while building the skills and confidence to meet future challenges. We are part of Acorn Education and can offer plenty of challenges along with a wide range of opportunities to develop your career. Acorn Education is the UK’s leading provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs.

Why join Acorn Education?

We place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

Benefits

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
• A market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.