Empowering Futures: How a SENCO Drives Change for Learning and Independence
02 Oct, 20241-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- About how SENCOs work with professionals to inspire positive change.
- How a SENCO works to support all autistic children to be able to access learning and progress into the world of work and live an independent life as possible.
- How to find and apply for the best SENCO jobs.
Every school needs a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), a leader with primary focus on coordination and organisation to best manage Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. SENCOs have a positive impact on effective SEND leadership which can improve schools, teaching and pupil attainment.
Dale Parsons is an experienced SENCO and curriculum coordinator dedicated to ensuring that all children are working towards their Education Health Care Plans outcomes and developing the skills they need.
Dale has also previously worked as an Assistant Head for Inclusion and SENCO. He is currently a SENCO for a through school and works with post-16 provisions, supporting learners transitioning in and out of school.
Tell us about your career journey so far
I am currently a SENCO at a specialist provision for children with a primary diagnosis of Autism, but my career in education began around 12 years ago. I started my Teacher training and originally wanted to become a PE Teacher, however, that quickly changed once I got involved with SEN.
After university I started working as a carer for adults with learning disabilities and loved it. I then made the move to education working in a mainstream college whilst finishing my Teacher training.
Initially, I started working with SEN students which I really enjoyed and then I moved to an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) specialist college. I worked there for 8 years, progressing from Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) to Curriculum Manager. I then worked as a SENCO in a mainstream primary school which was a great experience before moving to my current role.
What does your role as a SENCO consist of?
In my current role I work closely with parents, Teachers, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, behaviour analysts and the local authority. I support all those involved with the child with SEND to plan interventions as well as strategies to support learning as well as planning for what’s next. I help the team involved set realistic targets that the children can work towards in order to become as independent as possible.
I am responsible for overseeing the annual reviews for the whole school and chair over 60% of them (we have over a hundred children at the school). I support Teachers throughout the school so they can develop best practice and I teach a class once a week.
As a SENCO, I also support learners transitioning in and out of school which means I work closely with lots of post-16 provisions.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My days tend to be different, although the routine of the week is very similar most of the time. However, occasionally I do get the odd curveball and have to cover a class, do pupil assessments, work as a 1:1 in the classroom or even help with sports days or school productions. It's very fun and there’s never a dull moment!
I generally teach a class and plan on Mondays, and Tuesday to Thursday I am mostly in annual reviews and meetings with parents and other professionals. On Friday’s I tend to do my paperwork.
In my role I work very closely with the Headteacher and will talk to her every day and regularly check in with the Teachers throughout the school.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is ensuring that we have the most up-to-date paperwork for all learners so we can deliver the best provision possible for our young people with SEND. Sometimes the paperwork is not as current as we would like, and it can be difficult to get the right level of provision needed for children to succeed.
What’s the most valuable lesson that you’ve learned in your career?
The most valuable lesson I have learnt is to always ask questions and be honest. If you are unsure of something no matter how big or small, it's better to ask rather than to get into it and realise you have misunderstood, have gone completely wrong and then you are unable to fix it. It's important to remember that you can't know everything about everything, and asking for help and being honest about what you do know is important to help you learn and develop.
What challenges or obstacles have you faced in your career?
The biggest challenge I have faced in my career so far is when you’re working hard to get provision for a child and there are lots of barriers to get there e.g. a lack of funding or lack of access. Then the provision is not being available due to things beyond your control.
Reform in the SEND sector continues to be a huge topic of discussion. How have things changed or progressed in the SEND sector since the start of your career?
Since I started in this sector, I have seen a rise in the number of children that need support. The number of children that need specialist provision is huge and growing. However, I have seen that the standard of teaching for autistic children in mainstream and specialist settings has improved greatly.
How do you keep up-to-date with changes in the SEND industry?
I am part of the SENCO forum online. I regularly reach out to colleagues to share best practices and I try to go to as many conferences as possible. I also work closely with my Headteacher as she is very knowledgeable on all things SEN.
What do you feel can be done to better support the needs of children and young people with SEND?
I feel like standardisation in the field with regards to Annual Review paperwork would be ideal, that way we are all on the same page across the country rather than different local authorities having different paperwork and expectations.
I also feel like it should be mandatory or standard practice to have an end goal or north star document for long-term target setting. Having worked with children aged 4 to 16 and plus 16 in mainstream and specialist settings this would be ideal and really give a clear route map from reception to post-16 and beyond.
What would you say has been your biggest career achievement?
My biggest career achievement so far would have been achieving my postgraduate in Autism and Asperger’s and delivering a workshop at the 2022 NATSPEC conference.
Do you have any tips or advice for anyone considering a career in SEND provision?
I would say get right into this field especially if you are passionate about SEN. It is hard work and there are lots of long days, but to see a child learn a new skill that can ultimately support them to be an independent adult makes it worth it! Seeing the difference you make to the families and the children is an incredible feeling and makes it all well worth it.
What are your plans for the future?
In an ideal world I would love to have a positive influence and make my ideas of long-term planning and standardisation for annual review paperwork come into play on a national level. Personally, I would love to keep developing my knowledge and working with my mainstream colleagues to support all autistic children to be able to access learning and progress into the world of work and live an independent life as possible.
SENCO jobs
If you’re searching for your next SENCO job, why not take a look at the latest vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available.
SENCO recruitment services
As specialist local authority SEND recruiters, we support local authorities and schools nationwide with their temporary, interim and permanent staffing needs.
If you’re struggling to recruit, we have exclusive access to some of the most experienced SENCOs in the UK.
If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?
- South of the UK - Richard Shorrock
- Midlands & North of the UK - Adam Zyda
Share your experience
Every individual brings a unique set of experiences, thoughts, and insights to the table. We believe in giving a voice to a community of professionals to inspire positive change and champion reform in the healthcare sector.
If you work in the healthcare sector and would like to share your own personal and professional experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Perhaps you have a different perspective, could offer a fresh angle, or want to challenge assumptions.
Simply reach out to our Head of Content, Nicole Sherwood, to discuss a collaboration which makes your voice count.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re a vibrant and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West.
We continually reimagine the recruitment process to challenge convention and defy expectations; from creating a better recruitment experience to remodelling employee engagement, we thrive off doing things differently and turning heads along the way.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
Related Posts
Books That Every SENCO Should Read
04 Apr, 2024
