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Tower Hamlets

SENCO | Secondary School in Tower Hamlets

Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) & Head of Inclusion

Location: Tower Hamlets, East/Inner London

School Type: Secondary School & Sixth Form (Co-educational)

Contract: Full-Time, Permanent

Start Date: Immediate / ASAP or January Start

A vibrant, highly inclusive secondary school and Sixth Form in the heart of Tower Hamlets (Inner London) is seeking a visionary, empathetic, and expert Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) to lead their flourishing Inclusion and Learning Support department. Positioned within a dynamic and culturally rich East London community, this key leadership post is ideal for an experienced SENCO, Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion, or an ambitious qualified teacher holding (or working toward) the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO / NPQ SENCO) who is passionate about breaking down barriers to learning and ensuring neurodivergent and high-need pupils thrive academically and socially.

About the Role

As the SENCO & Head of Inclusion, you will be the strategic driver of special educational needs provision across Key Stages 3, 4, and 5. Working in close partnership with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), class teachers, pastoral leaders, parents, and external specialists, you will shape and execute a holistic inclusion strategy. You will oversee Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs), direct targeted interventions, deploy Learning Support Assistants (LSAs), and cultivate an adaptive teaching culture where every learner—regardless of starting point or complexity of need—receives tailored, high-quality support.

  • Environment: A well-resourced Inner London secondary school featuring dedicated inclusion hubs, sensory spaces, digital assistive technology suites, and strong links to local health and educational psychology services

  • Culture: A deeply supportive, equity-focused educational community that champions neurodiversity, early intervention, collaborative teaching practice, and high aspirations for all students

Key Responsibilities

  • Strategic Inclusion Leadership: Design, implement, and evaluate the school’s SEN policy and provision map in alignment with the SEND Code of Practice, ensuring statutory compliance and high standards of inclusion across all key stages.

  • EHCP & Intervention Management: Oversee the statutory EHCP annual review process, manage the SEN register, and coordinate targeted, evidence-based academic and social-emotional intervention programs.

  • Multi-Agency & Family Collaboration: Serve as the primary lead for external specialists (Educational Psychologists, Speech & Language Therapists, CAMHS, Tower Hamlets SEN team); build transparent, trust-based relationships with parents and carers.

  • Staff Development & Adaptive Teaching Coaching: Deliver high-impact CPD to teaching and support staff, equipping educators with practical strategies for adaptive teaching, scaffolding, and neuroinclusive classroom management.

  • Departmental & LSA Leadership: Line manage, mentor, and deploy a team of Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) and Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) to maximize their impact in the classroom and during targeted interventions.

Requirements

  • Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or an equivalent recognized teaching credential.

  • National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) or the new NPQ for SENCOs (or a commitment to complete the qualification within statutory timeframes).

  • Substantial, successful experience as a SENCO, Assistant SENCO, or Inclusion Lead within a secondary school setting.

  • Expert operational knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice (0–25), statutory EHCP processes, access arrangements, and local authority funding mechanisms (experience with Tower Hamlets SEN panel procedures is highly advantageous).

  • Outstanding leadership, diagnostic, and communication skills, with an empathetic approach to supporting vulnerable pupils, families, and multidisciplinary teams.

Salary & Benefits

  • Pay Scale: Inner London Leadership Pay Scale or Upper Pay Scale + TLR1 (MPS/UPS Inner London + TLR1 / Leadership Scale, commensurate with leadership experience).

  • Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), comprehensive executive CPD, dedicated SEN administrative support, and access to staff health and wellbeing benefits.

How to Apply

If you are a transformative inclusion leader ready to empower neurodivergent and high-need young people at a dynamic secondary school in Tower Hamlets, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application and CV as soon as possible for consideration.

Location
Tower Hamlets

About Marchant Recruitment

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Founded in 2012
Co-workers 500
Turnover 5M
Tower Hamlets

SENCO | Secondary School in Tower Hamlets

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