SEND Inclusion Secondment Opportunity

Dear Colleagues,

SEND improvement is a priority for KCC and we have an ambitious reform programme underway across the SEND system.

With regard to mainstream schools, the approach is outlined in the Countywide Approach to Inclusive Education and is being implemented through the Mainstream Core Standards, the Transitions Charter and three commissioned programmes - Inclusion Leadership Programme, NurtureUK and Supported Employment, as well as other programmes. In Phase One, schools and Trusts have opted into activity and by November 2022, 74% of schools and academies had participated in a range of SEND inclusion related training. We are now preparing for Phase Two, where we will be taking a more targeted approach which includes:

• Rolling out a co-constructed set of SEND inclusion expectations of all mainstream schools
• Identifying schools and Trusts where the evidence suggests there is a need to learn from current inclusive practice to develop their own practice further
• Planned and systemic use of the capacity in the system to support mainstream schools through outreach from for example by special schools, PRUs and SRPs
• Piloting a devolved decision-making to a Locality level including the deployment of multi-agency staff to support schools and a mechanism for challenging conversations about effective use of resources. The multi-agency teams are comprised of staff who are already in post but the evidence suggests that although individually their support is welcomed, it is not having the required strategic impact on increasing SEND inclusion capacity in the system
• Strategically integrating a role for the newly trained inclusive leaders of education to support peer reviews with the ambition to embed this approach in locality-based clusters over time
• Support KCC in the development of effective systems and governance for Locality working so that the local area can be successful in achieving its critical success factors and improve inclusive outcomes.

Using agreed evidence to identify target schools, the Inclusion Champions will work particularly closely with the Education Inclusion lead, TEP Inclusion Lead and other staff, SEN Inclusion Advisers and STLA.

The Inclusion Champions have two main roles

• leading in-school or MAT leadership team discussions about barriers and challenges to SEND Inclusion development and signposting to support, including possibly to peer review (the first ‘graduates’ of the SEND Inclusion leadership programme come on stream in summer 2023) and to support from Locality multi-agency teams
• supporting the delivery of SEND improvement projects, particularly the development of Locality working.

The secondments would be equivalent of one day a week and can be flexibly delivered. The secondments will be for one academic year in the first instance, starting in September.

The intention is to recruit four area teams which includes leaders with expertise of EY, primary, secondary non-selective, secondary selective, post 16 and academy trusts across the four teams. There will also be opportunities to work cross county.

The process

The recruitment timetable is as follows

• Wednesday 17 May - advert circulated asking for CV and expression of interest
• Tuesday 6 June - closing date
• From Friday 9 June - interviews

The shortlisting criteria are as follows:

• Experience and evidence of:
  • leading impactful whole school improvement and SEND inclusion
  • having implemented SEND inclusive practice in own organisation
  • having supported improvement and development in other settings
  • working in purposeful collaboration with other agencies
  • participation in long term training and development programmes (for example, Inclusive Leaders of Education, NurtureUK).

The intention is to recruit a county team which includes leaders with expertise from EY, primary, secondary non-selective, secondary selective, post 16 and academy trusts. Each member of the team will be allocated an area base but will have opportunities to work.

If this opportunity is of interest please submit a CV and a letter outlining why the post is of interest, together with evidence of impact to Sue Kirby at Sue.Kirby@kent.gov.uk by Tuesday 6 June.

Best wishes

Christine McInnes
Director of Education