Job Description

SENCO & Assistant Headteacher - SEND, Safeguarding & Quality of Education
Location: Hammersmith, London
Salary: £56,000-£65,000 per annum, depending on qualifications and leadership experience
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Age range: 8-16 years (Years 4-11)
Required qualification: QTS/QTLS
About the role
Reporting directly to the Headteacher, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across SEND, safeguarding, attendance and quality of education.
You will ensure that pupils' EHCP outcomes translate into meaningful classroom provision, that assessment and review systems are effective, and that staff have the knowledge, confidence and support to meet individual needs.
You will also contribute to the development of a strong safeguarding culture, oversee attendance monitoring and intervention, and support the continuous improvement of teaching and learning across the school.
The role combines strategic oversight with practical involvement, requiring someone who is confident leading adults, coordinating systems, analysing information and working collaboratively with families and external professionals.
Key responsibilities
SEND leadership and provision
  • Lead and develop the school's SEND provision, systems, documentation and provision mapping.
  • Ensure EHCP outcomes are translated into clear classroom provision, individual targets and measurable evidence of progress.
  • Coordinate annual reviews and ensure high-quality contributions from relevant professionals.
  • Oversee pupil profiles, assessment information and records to support effective SEND planning.
  • Support and coach staff in adaptive teaching, communication, emotional regulation and effective Teaching Assistant deployment.
  • Work closely with local authorities, social care, health professionals, therapists, families and other agencies.
  • Maintain a robust evidence base demonstrating the quality, effectiveness and impact of SEND provision.
  • Support DfE and Ofsted scrutiny, ensuring documentation and practice reflect statutory expectations and school requirements.
Safeguarding leadership
  • Undertake the school's designated safeguarding responsibilities within the agreed safeguarding structure, working closely with the Headteacher and DSL/DDSL arrangements.
  • Receive, record, escalate and follow up safeguarding concerns in accordance with school policies and statutory guidance.
  • Support safeguarding induction, staff training updates and ongoing safeguarding awareness.
  • Maintain oversight of safeguarding records, chronologies, case-file quality and agreed referral processes.
  • Support the implementation and monitoring of low-level concerns procedures.
  • Contribute to safeguarding audits, quality assurance and continuous improvement.
  • Ensure safeguarding concerns are appropriately escalated and statutory decisions remain with the appropriately designated lead where applicable.
Attendance leadership
  • Act as the school's Attendance Officer, monitoring daily attendance and identifying patterns of persistent and concerning absence.
  • Coordinate timely follow-up with families and relevant professionals.
  • Support the development and implementation of individual attendance plans.
  • Maintain accurate attendance records and evidence of interventions.
  • Work collaboratively with families, local authorities and other agencies to improve attendance.
  • Escalate attendance concerns in accordance with school attendance and safeguarding procedures.
Quality of teaching and learning
  • Monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning through an agreed quality-assurance cycle.
  • Undertake learning walks, lesson observations, work scrutiny, assessment reviews and planning reviews.
  • Gather and use pupil voice to understand the quality of pupils' learning experiences.
  • Provide constructive, developmental feedback and coaching to teaching staff, including colleagues working towards recognised teaching qualifications.
  • Monitor agreed improvement actions and support staff in translating feedback into measurable improvements in classroom practice and pupil outcomes.
  • Identify strengths and areas for development across the school and contribute to appropriate professional development.
Leadership and school improvement
  • Lead and line manage agreed areas of school provision, staff or curriculum and pastoral responsibilities as delegated by the Headteacher.
  • Establish clear objectives, monitoring arrangements and accountability within areas of responsibility.
  • Provide supportive challenge and constructive feedback to colleagues.
  • Use pupil progress, SEND information, attendance, behaviour and family feedback to identify priorities for improvement.
  • Contribute to school self-evaluation, school development planning, policy development and review.
  • Support staff appraisal, professional development and inspection readiness.
  • Help shape the culture, systems and expectations of a developing specialist school.