Primary SENCO & Inclusion Leader

Location: Tower Hamlets, East/Inner London

School Type: Primary School (Co-educational, Ages 3–11)

Contract: Full-Time, Permanent

Start Date: January or April Start

A vibrant, highly inclusive primary school in the heart of Tower Hamlets is seeking a compassionate, strategic, and knowledgeable SENCO & Inclusion Leader to shape and drive support for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Situated in a rich, multi-cultural East London community, this is a pivotal middle/senior leadership role for a dedicated SENCO, or an experienced primary practitioner holding the NASENCO qualification, to advocate for every child's access to learning, inspire inclusive classroom practice, and lead a dynamic team of SEND support staff.

About the Role

As the Primary SENCO, you will serve as the strategic champion for child-centered learning and educational equity across the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2. Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, class teachers, support staff, and external specialists, you will oversee the identification, provision, and review of support for children with diverse physical, learning, emotional, and neurodivergent needs. You will ensure every child, regardless of baseline, makes meaningful progress in a warm, welcoming, and high-expectation primary setting.

• Environment: A bright, community-focused Inner London primary campus featuring dedicated intervention spaces, sensory rooms, nurture groups, and speech and language resources

• Culture: A deeply inclusive, child-centered environment committed to trauma-informed practice, high aspirations, strong parent partnerships, and early intervention

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic SEND Leadership: Design, implement, and evaluate the school’s SEND strategy in full compliance with the SEND Code of Practice, KCSIE, and local authority frameworks.

• EHCP & Intervention Oversight: Manage statutory EHCP applications, lead annual reviews, design targeted provision maps, and monitor the impact of small-group and one-to-one interventions.

• Multi-Agency & Partner Collaboration: Act as the main liaison for external professionals, including Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists (SALT), Occupational Therapists (OT), CAMHS, and Tower Hamlets SEN Services.

• Staff Mentoring & Quality First Teaching: Model inclusive classroom strategies, coach teaching staff on adaptive practice, and deliver high-quality CPD on SEND strategies across EYFS–KS2.

• Family Engagement & Advocacy: Build trust-based relationships with parents and carers, involving them as active partners in their child’s educational journey and support reviews.

Requirements

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or an equivalent recognized teaching credential, with substantial primary teaching experience.

• National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) or the Postgraduate Certificate in SEN Co-ordination (or a commitment to complete within statutory timeframe).

• Deep operational understanding of the SEND Code of Practice (0–25), statutory EHCP processes, and primary-stage assessment methodologies.

• Proven track record of designing effective interventions, analyzing student data, and leading multi-disciplinary support teams within a diverse urban primary setting.

• Outstanding empathy, communication skills, organizational resilience, and an unwavering commitment to child welfare and inclusion.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Inner London Main / Upper Pay Scale + SEN Allowance / TLR (commensurate with leadership experience and qualifications).

• Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), dedicated non-contact time for SENCO administration, executive inclusion CPD, and access to staff health and wellbeing programs.

How to Apply

If you are a dedicated SENCO ready to champion inclusion, empower primary learners, and lead exceptional SEND provision at a warm secondary-feeder primary school in Tower Hamlets, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application and CV for consideration.