SENDCo

Be part of our journey…

Since relaunching in September 2021 with a new name and a new ethos, Queen Elizabeth School is quickly establishing itself as a centre for excellence. We are on a mission to “empower our students to achieve academic excellence through aspiration and innovation”. With the support of a highly ambitious leadership team and surrounded by colleagues who are passionate about the whole student experience, and with our new sixth form, QE6 which opened in September 2023, now is a fantastic time to join our forward-thinking school.

Whatever their role in the school, all of our colleagues share a passion for learning and working with the next generation.

Situated on the Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire border and close to the market town of Hitchin, the school also benefits from being within five minutes drive of idyllic countryside locations, yet being 5 minutes from the M1 and London Luton Airport.

We are now looking for a SENDCo to join our team. The role exists to lead our approach to inclusion, ensuring the needs of all students are met and they have full access to our curriculum and are able to achieve their full potential. It is a whole school responsibility as a member of the SEND Team, to help develop the quality of our inclusion provision to enable all students to make excellent progress.

Find out more about Queen Elizabeth School, from the voices of our school community here

A large part of the role is leading the SEND department in ensuring an exceptional climate for learning in which staff are developed and vulnerable learners are supported to be able to flourish, both academically and in terms of their own personal development. The holder of this role will ensure that the day to day running of the SEND and inclusion provision function efficiently and effectively and that all relevant policies and procedures are fit for purpose and are applied robustly and fully.

• Develop a culture of high expectations for all of our students, challenging any misconceptions about what they are capable of achieving.
• Developing teachers’ pedagogical practice to ensure all students receive high quality teaching.
• Leading on the strategic planning and day to day coherent co-ordination of SEND and inclusion provision across the school.
• Leading on the delivery of appropriate intervention support for students across the school by developing support programs, schemes of learning and teaching and learning materials.
• Developing and maintaining highly effective partnerships with external professionals including those within the locality.
• Line Management of Staff within SEND and Inclusion

• Share our values of ambition, integrity, determination and kindness
• The ability to teach other humanities and or social sciences would be useful
• Hold an absolute commitment to exceptional standards
• Be a consummate professional
• Be a team player with an understanding that excellence can only be achieved by working together
• Have a passion for their subject and ensuring students progress

• Work in a state of the art building with outstanding IT, sporting and performance facilities
• Excellent opportunities for progression- we will always seek to promote from within in the first instance
• Outstanding professional development opportunities, both from our internal CPD programme and through our partnership organisations
• Season ticket loan
• Use of our on-site fitness suite
• Bike to Work Scheme
• Opportunities to support extra-curricular activities domestically and internationally
• Ample staff parking and excellent transport links
• Subsidised staff accommodation available

01 January 2027 or sooner

Leadership

Permanent, Full-time

Position advertised: 25 August 2026

Closing date for applications: 11 September 2026. Midday

Final Shortlisting:
To be confirmed

Interviews:
To be confirmed

We reserve the right to interview and appoint a suitable candidate before the deadline date.

Queen Elizabeth School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. We are an equal opportunities employer.

The Department for Education (DfE) has set out statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ for schools and colleges on safeguarding.

Safeguarding is defined in paragraph 4 as: “Protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.”

The definition of 'children' includes everyone under the age of 18.