SEN Counsellor

Special Educational Needs Counsellor (SENCO)

JOB PURPOSE: Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, the school counsellor promotes student success, provides preventive services, and responds to identified needs by implementing a comprehensive school counselling program that addresses academic, career, and personal/social development for all students.

Post-holder is to:

VISION AND STRATEGY

 Support the Secondary Leadership Team (SLT) in providing a clear educational vision, ethos and direction for the students in their houses, which promotes excellent teaching and learning, including the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils.  Support the SLT in the pursuit of excellence across the whole life of the school.  Determine the strategic development of special educational needs (SEN) Policy and provision in the school.  Be responsible for day-to-day operation of the SEN Policy and co-ordination of specific provision to support individual students with SEN or a disability.  Provide professional guidance to colleagues, working closely with staff, parents and other agencies for the enrichment of the development of every SEN student.  Have a strategic overview of provision for students with SEN or a disability across the school, monitoring and reviewing the quality of provision on an ongoing basis.

LEARNING AND TEACHING SUPPORT

 Assess students and oversee the process of applying for examination concessions.  Promote an inclusive culture and one of educational excellence within and beyond the school.  Fulfil the professional responsibilities of a teacher.  Be committed to the safeguarding and well-being of all students and to follow school Policy and procedures in this regard.  Contribute to school self-evaluation, particularly with respect to provision for students with SEN or a disability.   Ensure the SEN Policy is put into practice, and that the objectives of this Policy are reflected in the school improvement plan.  Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of local, national and international initiatives which may affect the school’s policy and practice.  Maintain an accurate SEN register and provision map.  Provide guidance to colleagues on teaching students with SEN or a disability and advise on the graduated approach to SEN support.  Advise on the use of the school’s budget and other resources to meet students’ needs effectively, including staff deployment.  Work with educational psychologists, health and social care professionals, and other external agencies to enhance the development of SEN students at our school.  Analyse assessment data for students with SEN or a disability.  Lead the oversight of intervention groups for students with SEN, and evaluate their effectiveness, making changes where they are needed.  Identify a student’s SEN needs.  Co-ordinate provision that meets the student’s needs and monitor its effectiveness.  Secure relevant services for the student.  Ensure records are maintained and kept up to date.  Review the education, health and care plan with parents or carers and the student.  Communicate regularly with parents or carers.  Ensure that when an SEN student transitions from Primary to Secondary, all relevant information is conveyed to your counterpart and support a smooth transition for the student.  Promote the student’s inclusion in the school community and access to the curriculum, facilities and extra-curricular activities.  Contribute to the school improvement plan and whole-school policy.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORTING TEACHERS WITH SEN

 Identify training needs for staff and how to meet these needs.  Lead INSET for staff on all aspects of SEN provision or support others when doing so.  Share procedural information, such as the school’s SEN Policy regularly.  Promote an ethos and culture that supports the school’s SEN Policy and promotes good outcomes for students with SEN or a disability.  Lead and manage learning support assistants working with students with SEN or a disability.  Lead ISA staff appraisals and produce appraisal reports.  Review staff performance on an ongoing basis Teaching and Learning.  Model outstanding teaching practice for SEN students.  Influence the whole Learning and Teaching Policy to promote aspects of inclusive teaching.  Lead department INSET regularly and where appropriate.  Provide opportunities for observation of colleagues and visits to other schools in order to share best practice.  Collect and interpret specialist assessment data gathered on students to inform practice.  Work with students, subject leaders, class teachers with tutorial/pastoral responsibilities to ensure realistic expectations of behaviour and achievement are set for SEN students.  Support developments and initiatives to improve standards in literacy and numeracy as well as access to the wider curriculum.  Oversee and monitor the quality of Student Educational Plans (SEPs)and maintain detailed information for subsequent meetings with parents.  Develop systems for colleagues to monitor and record progress made by students with SEN towards the achievement of targets set. Employee's initials:_______  Review and communicate new targets.  Liaise with the Examinations Manager to ensure exam concessions are applied for and administered correctly

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES  Keep the SLT informed about their Subject needs and development.  Ensure continuity, progression and assessment in your subject.  Initiate both in-phase and cross-phase liaison where appropriate.  Maintain the school’s status as a Healthy School.  Support and monitor any teachers as required in pedagogical practice.  Conduct oneself in a professional manner at all times including meeting deadlines punctually, behaving in a courteous and understanding way towards colleagues during meetings and all other times.  Carry out any other reasonable duties as directed by the Principal in conjunction with the senior leadership of the school. The Job Description may be reviewed at the end of the academic year or earlier if necessary. In addition, it may be amended and duties

Application Process

Interested candidates please go to "APPLY FOR THIS JOB".

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend face-to-face and/or skype interview with our recruitment team.

Candidates are requested to provide three referees for pre-employment reference check from current and previous employers.  The referees must be the Principal, Head of school or the direct supervisor from the school management team.

ISA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.  Candidates must be prepared to undergo child protection screening and appropriate background check.

General Requirements for International Teaching Positions

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in relevant subject area
• A recognized teaching qualification (e.g. BEd, PGCE)
• Minimum two years’ experience of classroom teaching in mainstream education sector
• Previous experience of teaching the IB curriculum is preferred, high potential candidates without IB experience might be considered
• Well-versed in various teaching resources including digital tools to support and enhance teaching and learning
• Sensitivity to the cultural differences
• A willingness to actively participate in the academic enrichment and co-curricular programmes