Job Description

Student Support Role - SEND Officer - Outwood Academy Shafton

Salary - Grade 8 SCP 18-21 26,650.97 - 28,378.54

37 Hours per week, Monday to Friday, Term Time plus 1 Week (39 weeks)

Start Date - Monday 1 September 2025

"Outwood Academy Shafton places students at the centre of everything it does, with a focus on creating a culture of success, a positive climate for learning and increased student attainment, achievement and social and emotional development. You must possess the skills and determination to make a significant difference to the lives of our students and share our single goal of 'Students First, raising standards and transforming lives'. As a key figure in our 'family', you will be expected to contribute to the daily support of the school and ensure all our pupils are catered for during their time in our setting. Your team will consist of a SENDCO, Inclusion Coordinator and 17 TAs at varying grades. We are seeking to appoint a SEND Officer with the drive to contribute to an atmosphere of respect, recognition, and mutual support within the academy. Promoting equality and supporting the values and diversity of the school community is essential to our ethos. Our SEND Officer will support our SENDCo to ensure the Academy identifies and addresses the needs of our students who may be in receipt of an EHCP or on the pathway to explore the needs for additional high needs funding.

About our Academy

Outwood Academy Shafton is an academy bursting with potential for excellence. The students and staff are passionate about their school and there is a strong sense of belonging within the academy. The Academy is a large 11-16 school with just over 1,400 students on roll. It sits at the heart of its community. The academy is full, annually, with first choice preferences and we have a large number of families who are waiting for a place for their child. The academy is a new-build academy, opening almost a decade ago. As a learning community, it is a vast space covering 4 floors with excellent suites of classrooms, labs and specialist learning facilities.


We are proud that Outwood Academy Shafton is a welcoming and supportive academy, with a relentless determination to provide the very best education for every child. We place students at the centre of everything we do, with a focus on creating a culture of success and a positive climate for learning. In 2023, the academy was recognised by the Inclusion Quality Mark as a National Inclusion Champion, placing in the top 6 schools nationally for our work on creating a place where all young people feel that they belong and can succeed.


The Academy became part of the Outwood Family of Schools in 2015 and as a member of the Outwood Family we believe in putting Students First, raising standards and transforming lives.


Our key aim is to create a positive, happy ethos and culture where our students behave well, have good manners, develop age appropriate self-discipline, engage positively with their learning and show integrity in their words and actions.


Student Voice is a huge strength of the academy serving to raise student engagement, encouraging participation in charity, community, learning and peer support. We strongly believe our student voice makes students feel valued and included in their schooling.


Praise culture for staff and students sits at the heart of our vision of belonging. Our system of praise values and celebrates the achievement of all students and staff, both within and outside the classroom. This culture of praise is visually represented in each classroom with teachers encouraged to praise students for going above and beyond. Students receive a Praising Stars report every 6 weeks which reviews and praises their effort in their classes. The academy calendar is built upon a number of regular weekly, termly and annual praise events such as our weekly PROUD Thursday which we welcome you to come and view when you visit us.



At Outwood Academy Shafton we pride ourselves on inclusivity. The inclusion team is an integral part of the academy and ensuring the needs of our SEND students are met. The SEND Officer holds a vital role within the inclusion team, they line manage the teaching assistants, ensuring that high quality provision and support is in place for the students they are supporting. We currently have 17 teaching assistants with the team growing and adapting to the needs of the students.


The SEND Officer will hold their own case load of SEND students and liaise closely with the Inclusion Co-Ordinator and SENDCo to ensure support is put in at the right time, to ensure progress for all students. Outwood Academy Shafton have and will continue to grow the provisions that they offer and this forms part of the role with attending professional meetings, training and CPD to continue to improve practice with the students at the heart of the focus.


As an inclusion team we pride ourselves on the relationships we hold and maintain with students, parents/carers and professionals. A well rounded approach to listening to the voice, opinions and thoughts of all involved will ensure the best outcomes are at the heart of the support for our students.


The successful candidate needs to be extremely well organised, have the ability to prioritise workload, ensure strict deadlines are met and adhere to the SEND Code of Practice. Working with the most vulnerable children in society, it is fundamental that you can deal with challenges that students present with and work with parents and external agencies in a professional, prompt and confidential manner. The ability to work on your own initiative, be a role model to others and effectively manage others are essential. You will have a good understanding of the SEND Code of Practice. Experience of working with students with SEND is essential as is the ability to produce strategies and interventions to assist our more vulnerable students achieve their full potential.


Outwood Grange Academies Trust provides a high-quality learning and cultural environment that inspires and motivates children.


Closing date for applications - Tuesday 24 June at 12:00 noon.

.

.

If you would like to discuss this role please contact Leanne Burgin SENDCo at l.burgin@shafton.outwood.com.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS - WHAT DO WE OFFER AS AN EMPLOYER?

Outwood Grange Academies Trust supports colleagues by funding an extensive range of accredited training courses and apprenticeship opportunities up to Masters level. We also offer:



Your starting salary with annual increments plus inflation linked increases. The starting salary within the grade advertised will be dependent upon your experience. You will also receive:



A comprehensive induction and training process Automatic enrolment into an increasingly rare and valuable defined Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution rates Flexible family friendly policies from day one Enhanced occupational benefits available (such as maternity, adoption and parental leave) with no qualifying period Holidays: A minimum of 25 days plus bank holidays (this increases with length of service) A range of working patterns are available dependant upon the role Automatic enrolment into our Employee Assistance Programme which gives you and your family members free access to:



Specialist information on a wide range of work-life issues Emotional support and counselling for a wide range of personal and work issues Legal guidance Financial guidance and debt counselling Child and dependent care support and advice Support for managers We are also a wellbeing employer with a dedicated wellbeing strategy and menopause policy along with menopause champions based in our academies. Other benefits include:
Free flu vaccinations Free onsite parking Employee discounts such as competitively priced Synergy Car Leasing Access to various discount sites Outwood Grange Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All appointments are made in accordance with safer recruitment practices and the statutory guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education. Online checks will be carried out on all shortlisted candidates, and all appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and checks regarding suitability to work with children.



We reserve the right to close advertisements early. Advertisements will therefore close at 12 noon, either on the advertised closing date, or the day the decision has been taken to close the advertisement early.



For more information on Outwood and a message from our CEO please click here



Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) is an education charity and not-for-profit sponsor of primary, junior and secondary academies. We are a dynamic organisation, recognised nationally as one of the highest performing family of schools in the North of England, and we currently sponsor over 40 schools.



Our educational blueprint has been developed through leading and supporting schools over many years.



We have used this successful blueprint to sponsor academies and have a transformational effect on children's life chances within very quick timescales.



We feel strongly that academies should enhance the education provision of the community they serve, in addition to driving up standards and playing a central role in regeneration. This is because we believe that improving the life chances of young people is essential to developing a strong local and national economy.



We are now comprised of over 40 schools who work together to ensure that all children, irrespective of their starting point, receive an excellent education. We pride ourselves on meeting the needs of children in our care, including the most vulnerable or challenging.