Director of Learning Support

Location: Binfield

About us The Sheffield College is a thriving further and higher education community, empowering around 13,000 learners each year to achieve their goals. Driven by our mission to transform lives through learning, we foster an inclusive environment recognised through our 2026 Investors in Diversity Gold award and 3rd - place ranking in the National Centre for Diversitys 2025 Top 100 Most Inclusive UK Employers.

About the role We have high aspirations and standards for ourselves and our learners, and this role will be a key one in supporting the colleges mission to be consistently great and ensure our students get the qualifications and skills they need to go further in employment, careers, apprenticeships, further training, and university level courses. This role will specifically support our ambitions to be a great place to learn.

Responsible for ensuring excellent teaching, learning and assessment cross-college, and engendering the positive use of technology across the curriculum. Key Objectives:
This role will specifically support our ambitions to provide all students with the best possible experience across the college through leadership of learning support. The key objectives for the role include:
Continuing to improve the quality of the student experience and student outcomes so that High Needs provision meets the expected standard, as defined by Ofsted, with an ambition to exceed this. Ensuring implementation modern and effective cross-college learning support, including specialist support, that meets or exceeds legislative and reform requirements. Oversee the development of effective systems and processes for initial assessment, assessment of need and the implementation of learning support.

Leading the achievement of KPIs, including budgetary, as set and reviewed during the colleges annual Business Planning and Performance review processes. Ensuring that funding for learning support is appropriately maximized and used efficiently. Oversee the Heads of Learning Support to provide a high-quality student experience which meets compliance audit and funding requirements.

Main Responsibilities:

As a member of the Senior Leadership team (SLT), reporting to the Vice Principal Student Experience, this post will contribute to the SLTs common goals. To achieve these, specific duties include, but are not limited to:
Providing strategic leadership to ensure a high-quality student experience, which results in outstanding achievement, progression, and employability outcomes for all students and apprentices with learning support needs including those with High Needs Providing strategic leadership for the further development of the colleges approach to learning support, including specialist support, ensuring that relevant policies, procedures and processes are effective and embedded Leading and developing the implementation of strategic and operational plans that drive and develop inclusive teaching and learning practice across the college using adaptive teaching strategies Supporting learning support and curriculum teams to ensure that the delivery of all learning support improves student and apprentice outcomes and maximises funding, whilst meeting our obligations to the Local Authority, funding bodies and auditors Managing strategic risk, regarding the provision of learning support and EHCP reviews, ensuring statutory requirements are met Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of developments within SEND, acting to develop best practice and provide professional advice and ensure the College complies with relevant legislation and legal duties Leading on strategic partnership working, including the development and maintenance of effective relationships with employers, sector bodies (including funding agencies), schools and the local community.

Supporting the Vice Principal to work collaboratively with the Local Authority and other strategic partners to secure and maximise appropriate funding for High Needs students and to ensure strong external partnership relationships exist Leading the strategic direction of the annual business planning for the department and supporting the Academy teams with their business planning and performance review to ensure the efficient use of resources and that recruitment, financial and quality performance targets are achieved.

Acting as budget holder for the department, delivering value for money Ensuring that safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented and adhered to across learning support Leading on relevant data analysis to bring about improvements. Providing regular management information to relevant parties and providing report to the Executive Leadership team. Providing dynamic, visible, and effective leadership and direction, ensuring that a solution focused, and supportive culture of continuing professional development inspires, enables, empowers and motivates staff to achieve high standards of performance.

Supporting the development of the college brand. Recognising,…