School Place Planning Sufficiency Officer; SEND

Salary £42,123 - £47,665 Per annum | 37 hours per week | Full time, Permanent | Preston, Lancashire

In return Lancashire County Council offers a range of benefits, which can be found on LCC Vacancies website.

We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.

The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab.

The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2029.

If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2029, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation.

Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.

County Hall / Hybrid

£42,123 - £47,665

Permanent

Lancashire County Council is committed to ensuring that children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) have access to high-quality education provision in the right place and at the right time.

As part of the School Place Planning Team, you will support the delivery of the Council's strategic approach to ensuring sufficient SEND school places are available across Lancashire.

Working closely with colleagues in SEND Services, Education Capital, schools, academy trusts, dioceses and other stakeholders, you will analyse demand, monitor provision, identify future needs and help develop evidence-based solutions to meet growing pressures within the SEND system.

The role combines data analysis, strategic planning, project management and stakeholder engagement, providing a unique opportunity to influence decision-making at both operational and strategic levels.

• Support the delivery of Lancashire's SEND Sufficiency Strategy.
• Analyse SEND pupil data and forecast future demand for specialist provision across the county.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of the SEND Capital Programme.
• Support the commissioning of additional SEND places through school expansions, specialist units and new provision.
• Monitor SEND sufficiency trends and identify areas of emerging demand.
• Prepare reports, briefings and recommendations for senior officers and elected members.
• Work with schools, trusts, dioceses and partner organisations to develop sustainable sufficiency solutions.
• Support Local Plan consultations and assess the impact of housing growth on SEND provision.
• Contribute to the development of methodologies for securing developer contributions towards SEND infrastructure.
• Monitor projects, timelines and outcomes to ensure value for money and effective delivery.
• Support the annual review of SEND sufficiency across Lancashire.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders to support strategic planning and service development.