Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) - NEST Provision

What skills and experience we're looking for

Newhaven School is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, motivated and inspiring SENCO to join our NEST (Newhaven Education Support Team) provision, based at our Gardens site.

NEST is a specialist setting supporting secondary-aged students who are unable to attend mainstream education due to severe and enduring mental health difficulties. All students are supported by CAMHS, and our aim is to provide a bridge to help them overcome barriers to learning.

Working closely with the Head of NEST and Pastoral Team, you will lead on raising standards across all four areas of SEND and ensure the effective integration of SEN policy into the daily life of the provision, with a strong focus on trauma-informed practice and mental health.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a clear vision for SEN provision and lead improvements in areas such as social communication and student confidence
• Ensure all statutory requirements for EHCPs and the SEN register are met and regularly reviewed
• Monitor and evaluate teaching and learning strategies, including specialist approaches for students with Autism
• Lead and manage complex student transitions (into, within, and beyond Newhaven)
• Work closely with external agencies, parents and borough colleagues to provide holistic support
• Build strong relationships with families in crisis and support SEN-related applications, including PIPs and transport

We are looking for a candidate who:

• Is resilient, empathetic and passionate about supporting vulnerable young people
• Has a strong understanding of trauma-informed practice
• Holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and the National Award for SEN Coordination
• Has experience supporting students with mental health and social communication needs
• Can effectively motivate and regulate students who may display challenging behaviour or school avoidance
• Is a confident communicator, able to lead and contribute to multi-disciplinary teams (MDT)
• Demonstrates creativity in developing visual supports and social communication strategies

What the school offers its staff

About Newhaven School

Newhaven School is a multi-site provision supporting young people whose needs cannot be met in mainstream education.

At NEST, we focus on:

• Supporting mental health and emotional wellbeing
• Developing social communication and independence
• Enabling students to achieve positive and ambitious futures

Our staff are committed to creating a safe, structured and nurturing environment where students can rebuild confidence and succeed.

Commitment to safeguarding

Newhaven is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. All appointments will be subject to a satisfactory Enhanced with Barred List check through the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) plus additional pre-employment checks. Newhaven is committed to the journey of decolonising our school by becoming deeply reflective about our systems, processes and decisions, by sharing our lived experiences in a genuine way that means we have a much better understanding of each other and by developing our staff so that all have equity of opportunity.