SEND Practice and Quality Lead

Wokingham Borough Council have a fantastic opportunity for a SEND Practice and Quality Lead to join our friendly SEND Team on a full time, permanent basis.

We can offer you a host of excellent benefits including flexible working options, a generous annual leave entitlement of 31 days annual leave (plus Bank Holidays), a great local government pension scheme, a range of employee discounts and much more!

As SEND Practice and quality Lead, you will take a central role in contributing to the implementation and delivery of core improvement programmes: the Safety Valve programme; the SEND Strategy, the Written Statement of Action and related Accelerated Progress Plan (APP). You will play an active role in ensuring area SEND partners are fully involved in ongoing development, review and implementation of a new SEND Strategy.

We will look to you to lead quality and performance assessments, analysis and preparation as part of Inspection Readiness planning, and work with all partners in the production and ongoing development of the SEF.

We aim to improve outcomes for children, young people and families in Wokingham, with specific focus on those with special educational needs and disabilities regardless of whether they have or do not have a statutory plan in line with the SEND Code of Practice.

Key Responsibilities:

• Take a central role in contributing to the implementation and delivery of core improvement programmes to improve outcomes for children and young people with additional needs and / or disabilities.
• To be responsible for the development and effective use of a SEND Quality Assurance Framework to promote high standards and support performance.
• To work in partnership with key stakeholders to promote best practice, including schools and settings, parents/carers, young people, social care, ICB, commissioning and finance colleagues.
• To support the improvement of the accuracy, accessibility and intelligent us of SEND performance (school and LA level) and SEND finance data, working closely with finance and performance teams, so that the LA is able to make accurate and prompt data returns and
• improve its use of data to plan, monitor and embed accountability processes and innovate.
• To lead the annual review and QA the implementation of SEND Strategy, SEND SEF and action plan, as well as SEND Inspection Readiness Plan.

Candidate Requirements:

• A commitment and passion for co-production with children, young people and families and the importance of this within SEND services.
• Over 3 years’ experience of delivery of SEND services or QA or improvement programmes.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of legislation in relation to SEND including Children and families act 2014; The SEND code of Practice 2015 and the Care Act 2014.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with stakeholders, including parents / carers and children / young people
• Ability to analyse complex written and statistical data, prepare and present reports that influence change and drive continuous improvement.

 For an informal chat about the role please contact Jamie Conran (Head of SEND) on Jamie.conran@wokingham.gov.uk

Closing date: Sunday 1^st October 2023

Interview date: Week Commencing 9^th October 2023

Please be aware that we will be reviewing the applications we receive on a daily basis, and we reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified.

Wokingham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

Wokingham is an equal opportunities employer.