SENDCo

About us and the role

Inclusion sits at the heart of a truly exceptional school, and this is an opportunity to lead it with purpose, clarity and impact. This role offers the chance to shape and drive a fully inclusive culture, ensuring that every student, regardless of need, is known, supported and able to thrive both academically and personally.

As SENDCo, you will provide strategic leadership and day-to-day direction for SEND provision across the school. Working closely with colleagues, families and external professionals, you will ensure that students with additional needs are accurately identified, supported through high-quality interventions and able to make strong, sustained progress. From leading the development of SEND policy and provision, to overseeing EHCPs, access arrangements and targeted support, your work will have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of young people.

Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you will play a key role in developing staff expertise, empowering teachers to deliver inclusive, high-quality classroom practice through guidance, training and collaboration. As a member of the wider leadership team, you will contribute to whole-school improvement, championing a culture where inclusion is not an add-on, but embedded in everything we do.

This is a role for someone who combines strategic thinking with genuine care for young people, someone who is driven by the belief that every child deserves the very best support, opportunity and outcomes.

School visits are welcomed and encouraged. Please contact the school to arrange a suitable time.

Avanti Grange is Bishop’s Stortford’s newest secondary school, already recognised as Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted (2025). Our state-of-the-art campus serves families across Bishop’s Stortford and neighbouring villages, and is home to a vibrant, ambitious and supportive community. The school is heavily oversubscribed, reflecting its strong reputation locally and the demand to be part of our journey.

We are a co-educational community school, part of the Avanti Schools Trust, with a clear vision to inspire spiritually compassionate changemakers. Our staff are motivated by a shared purpose: to deliver exceptional teaching, foster character formation, and nurture wellbeing. As one colleague put it: “Working at Avanti Grange feels like being part of a family with a shared, values-driven mission.”

We are equally committed to the growth of our staff as to the success of our students. In 2024, we were awarded the Teacher Development Trust Gold Award for the quality and culture of our professional development – recognition held by only a small number of schools nationally. Through education-leading CPD and coaching, colleagues at Avanti Grange thrive in an environment where “better never stops.”

Students benefit from a rigorous, knowledge-rich curriculum, underpinned by yoga, mindfulness, and an exceptional co-curricular programme. Our pastoral system is a defining strength: impeccable behaviour supports high-quality learning, while wellbeing is woven into daily life through practices that allow both staff and students to flourish.

With more than 660 students on roll and growing each year towards a full secondary and sixth form, Avanti Grange offers a rare opportunity to help shape one of the most exciting schools in the region.

What will you do?

• Provide strategic leadership for provision for students with SEND across the school, monitoring and reviewing the quality and impact of support.
• Lead the coordination of SEND provision across the school, ensuring a consistent and effective graduated approach to support
• Oversee effective systems for the identification and assessment of students with SEND, ensuring appropriate provision is put in place and regularly reviewed.
• Work with the Executive Principal, Head of School and Hub Inclusion Lead to ensure the school meets its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, including reasonable adjustments and access arrangements.
• Undertake a teaching commitment as agreed with the Head of School, determined in line with the needs of the school and balanced appropriately to support the responsibilities of the SENDCo role.

Why should you apply

Avanti exists to help each person become a well-rounded human being through intellectual, moral and spiritual growth, and so make the world a better place.

You will be working in a fantastic environment, with:

• Great opportunities for professional development
• Teacher pension scheme (subject to eligibility)
• O2 discounts, Specsavers corporate eye test vouchers
• Eligible for NUS Card and CSSC membership
• Well-being programs (retreats, yoga, wellness apps)
• Cycle-to-work Scheme

What are we looking for?

• QTS Qualified with significant teaching experience
• National Professional Qualification for SENCOs (NPQ SENCO) or willingness to complete within three years of appointment
• Experience of working with students with a range of SEND with strong knowledge of the SENDCO code of practice
• Experience of effective middle leadership with evidence of securing positive outcomes
• Commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of all students

Please view the full Job Description for more information on the responsibilities and essential criteria required for this role.

Further information

Pre-employment checks

Avanti Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates are required to have an Enhanced DBS check unless internally appointed and still within the cycle of DBS re-checks.

Any appointment subsequently made will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and other pre-employment checks.

Diversity and Inclusion

We want to make sure we are attracting the widest possible range of people and ensure that they are accepted, understood and treated equally when they work here. This means we will work hard to understand that each employee is unique and ensuring that individuals or groups are not treated differently or less favourably on the basis of specific characteristics.

Such characteristics include (but are not limited to) age, disability, gender including transgender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, and how the school supports pregnant women and new parents.