Specialist SENDCO

Job Introduction

About Us

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxfordshire County Council are transforming support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We are building a team of health and education professionals (Experts at Hand) to provide earlier intervention and stronger inclusion in schools settings, providing practical support where it is needed, and helping children and young people receive the right support, at the right time. By sharing your expertise and working collaboratively with colleagues across organisations, you'll play a key role in improving outcomes for children, families, and schools across Oxfordshire.

As part of our Experts at Hand programme, you'll join a growing community of SEND professionals dedicated to strengthening inclusion, supporting schools and ensuring children and young people receive timely, effective support. Working across education, health and wider SEND services, we are creating a more connected and responsive system that helps identify needs earlier, reduces barriers to learning and improves outcomes for children and young people across Oxfordshire.

The SEND Strategic Early Intervention Team plays a vital role in delivering Oxfordshire's SEND Reform Plan. By working alongside SENDCOs, schools, settings and multi-disciplinary partners, the team helps strengthen inclusive practice, support effective early intervention and ensure children and young people receive the right support, at the right time.

About the Role

As a Specialist SENDCO, you will be a valued member of the SEND Strategic Early Intervention Team, supporting SENDCOs, schools and educational settings across Oxfordshire. Using your specialist SEND knowledge and experience, you will help schools identify needs early, implement effective support and develop inclusive practice that enables children and young people to thrive.

This is a varied and rewarding role where no two days are the same. You will work directly with SENDCOs and school leaders, providing consultation, advice, guidance and practical solutions that help strengthen SEND provision. Through collaborative problem solving, you'll help colleagues navigate challenges, develop effective strategies and build confidence in supporting children and young people with SEND.

A key part of the role involves supporting the SENDCO Helpdesk and contributing to the single point of access for Experts at Hand. You will help review and prioritise requests for support, ensuring that children, young people and educational settings receive timely advice and access to the most appropriate services. Working as part of multi-disciplinary triage arrangements, you'll help ensure support is coordinated, proportionate and led by identified need. 

You will also play an important role in supporting schools to strengthen their graduated response and develop effective inclusive provision. This may involve undertaking observations, gathering evidence, identifying practical solutions and helping schools implement approaches that improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Throughout your work, you'll help build capacity within schools and promote high-quality, inclusive practice.

Working closely with colleagues across education, health, attendance, SEND services and wider partnership teams, you'll contribute to a more joined-up system of support. You'll share good practice, support locality-based approaches and help identify emerging themes and priorities that can influence future service development and improvement. 

About you

You are passionate about inclusion and believe that every child and young person deserves the opportunity to succeed. You understand the importance of early intervention and know that effective support, delivered at the right time, can have a significant impact on children's educational experiences, wellbeing and future outcomes. 

You will be a qualified teacher with substantial teaching experience and have successfully worked as a SENDCO within a school or educational setting. You will hold the National Award for SENDCO or an advanced SEND qualification and bring a strong understanding of current SEND legislation, assessment approaches and intervention strategies.

You will have a broad knowledge of the four areas of SEND and be confident supporting schools with a wide range of needs. Your experience of developing inclusive practice and strengthening SEND provision will enable you to provide practical advice that makes a tangible difference to children, young people and educational settings.

Strong relationships are at the heart of this role, so you'll be an excellent communicator who can build trust with SENDCOs, school leaders, teachers and professional partners. You'll be comfortable providing challenge where needed, whilst maintaining a supportive and collaborative approach that helps others develop confidence and capability. 

You'll be organised, adaptable and able to work independently across a range of settings. Most importantly, you'll bring curiosity, creativity and a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. You'll share our ambition to create a more inclusive education system and be motivated by helping schools develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to meet the needs of every learner. 

If you're ready to join our community of Experts at Hand and help shape a more inclusive future for children and young people across Oxfordshire, we'd love to hear from you.

Rewards and benefits

• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support 24-7.
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%.
• Childcare vouchers, cycle to work scheme, electric car scheme, range of staff discounts including travel, holidays, insurance, food, health & leisure activities.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.
• Range of family-friendly policies.

Your office base may be subject to change as we are currently transitioning between temporary and permanent office locations due to the closure of County Hall. If this is applicable to you, you will be notified, but no reimbursement will apply in respect of travel.

Our Values
Our organisational values underpin everything we do and say and are supported by policies, processes and guidance. In short, our values describe ‘the way we do things here’ so that we deliver great services for our residents. Our values are:
Always learning, Be kind and care, Equality and integrity in all we do, Taking responsibility, Daring to do it differently Everyone that works for us demonstrates their commitment to these values. We will ask you to demonstrate your commitment to these values, and their associated behaviours, throughout the application process.

Your office base may be subject to change as we are currently transitioning between temporary and permanent office locations due to the closure of County Hall. If this is applicable to you, you will be notified, but no reimbursement will apply in respect of travel.

Our commitment to:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Our commitment to:
Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Our commitment to:
Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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Interviews will take place on Friday 16th October and Monday 19th October 2026.

If you would like an informal discussion about this role, please contact matthew.selsdon@oxfordshire.gov.uk