Senior Specialist Teacher of Cognition and Learning in Glenfield

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly skilled and experienced Senior Specialist Teacher of Cognition and Learning to join Leicestershire's Specialist Teaching Service. This new leadership post within the expanding Learning, Communication and Autism Team will play a central role in delivering SEND reforms and the Experts at Hand programme, helping schools build capacity and improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND across the 5–19 age range.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated leader with specialist expertise in Cognition and Learning, including specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyscalculia, and a secure understanding of how cognition and learning needs may interact with other areas of SEND.

About the Role

The team is well-regarded and welcoming, consisting of Specialist Teachers with a wealth of knowledge and experience and a passion for inclusion. As part of the Specialist Teaching Service, the team’s aim is to improve opportunities, outcomes and experiences for children and young people with SEND in partnership with families, educational settings and organisations.

We welcome applications from experienced specialist teachers who wish to take on a leadership role, shaping service development and contributing to the strategic direction of the Learning, Communication and Autism Team. This will include:

• Leading on specific areas of work
• Providing effective performance management and professional supervision within the team
• Contributing to the appointment, development and deployment of staff
• Deputising for the Team Manager as appropriate

The role also involves:

• Representing the Team Manager on multi-agency groups and initiatives
• Contributing to strategic partnerships
• Supporting continuous improvement, innovation and high-quality service delivery across the Specialist Teaching Service

Working within an evolving Experts at Hand model, you will support schools, colleges and partner organisations to strengthen inclusive practice and improve outcomes for learners with SEND. At a whole-school and targeted level, you will work collaboratively with leaders, SENCos and staff teams to develop inclusive practice, implement evidence-informed teaching and learning approaches, and build capacity to meet a diverse range of cognition and learning needs.

You will provide and coordinate consultation, advice, training and professional development, and contribute to the development and quality assurance of training and resources for educational settings, families and professionals. This will include supporting schools and Post-16 settings to implement, monitor and evaluate interventions and approaches.

At an individual level, you will have caseload responsibility and provide specialist assessment, advice and support for children and young people with cognition and learning needs, including dyslexia, dyscalculia and other learning difficulties. You will identify strengths and barriers to learning, provide recommendations to support progress and inclusion, contribute to Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments, and work closely with families, educational settings and partner agencies to secure positive outcomes.

The role requires collaborative working across a wide range of services and agencies, including schools, families, Educational Psychologists, Specialist Teachers and other professionals. We therefore welcome applications from highly motivated, reflective practitioners who are confident in leading others, developing effective provision, and supporting schools to build sustainable capacity for inclusion.

The post also involves contributing to service planning and development, maintaining accurate records, developing resources, supporting quality assurance activity, and engaging in ongoing professional development.

An enhanced with barred list DBS check is required for this post.

About You

To apply for this post, you must have:

• A degree level qualification and Qualified Teacher Status, with evidence of further professional development in Cognition and Learning
• Substantial experience of working directly with school age children and young people with cognition and learning needs, including specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyscalculia
• Strong knowledge of effective assessment, teaching and learning strategies, interventions and resources that support progress, attainment and inclusion for pupils with cognition and learning needs across a range of educational settings
• Proven ability to work in partnership with schools, families, other support services and agencies to improve outcomes for pupils
• Experience of delivering training, consultation and professional development to educational settings and other partners
• Strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills
• Clear knowledge of statutory and local SEND legislation, policies and procedures

Due to the requirements of this role, you will need to work flexibly around school holiday periods in line with service requirements. You will also need access to a vehicle and the ability to travel to sites across Leicestershire.

Interviews for this post will take place in person. Shortlisted candidates will be provided with further information.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. Interested in Flexible Working? We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below.

How to Apply

If you share our passion to make a difference for the people of Leicestershire, we’d love to hear from you. Click the apply button to submit your application, ensuring that you upload a supporting statement that explains how you meet the criteria listed in the ‘About You’ section above.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.