SENCO - Maternity Cover (Ark Alexandra Academy)

Package Description

Salary: £50,306 - £55,627 per annum
Contract type: Fixed Term (Until 30 January 2025)
Working pattern: Full-time

Closing date: Tuesday 11 June 2024, at 9:00am
Interview date: To be arranged as suitable candidates are identified.

How to apply: Please see the following job advertisement and click "Apply" - SENCo - Maternity Cover, East Sussex - Tes Jobs

Who to contact if you have a query: Please contact HR on ALEHR@arkalexandra.org.  

Job Introduction

We are excited to welcome applications from ambitious middle or senior leaders, with SEND experience who have the skills, drive, and commitment to help us achieve our ambitions for Ark Alexandra Academy. 

The successful candidate will work closely with the SLT with a strong focus on improving outcomes for our SEND students.  They will have the skills, drive, and commitment to help us achieve our ambitions for the school as we enter the next phase of our improvement journey.

Experience of primary and secondary education will be an advantage.  We are looking for a leader who can demonstrate skills in raising standards and outcomes through supporting teachers to provide strong classroom provision for SEND and vulnerable students.  Working with parents and families will be a large focus of this role, the ideal candidate will have exceptional communication skills.

As a member of the leadership team, you will be centrally involved in the overall leadership and management of the academy and will help to establish a school culture that maintains high expectations for both staff and pupils. 

For more information, please read the job description and person specification in the information pack available for download.

We’re looking for an individual who:

• Is a qualified teacher and has the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCo) or the willingness to work towards
• Has experience identifying, monitoring and providing effective support for students with SEND
• Experience leading, coaching and motivating people, ensuring professional development and effectively challenging and managing any performance concerns
• Experience of reflecting on and improving practice to increase student achievement 
• Is able to communicate effectively with students of all abilities
• Cares about students, their learning, and their futures
• Can manage behaviour effectively to create a safe, respectful and nurturing environment so that students can focus on learning
• Is committed to participating in professional development programmes and will engage in mentoring opportunities provided by the school and network

Our school:

Ark Alexandra is a large secondary academy with a Sixth Form provision in Hastings, East Sussex and is the largest secondary in the successful Ark network. A popular school that is heavily over-subscribed, we have grown to have over 1,600 students this year.

Our school is on an exciting rapid upward trajectory. From September 2024, Ark Alexandra will operate as one school across two 6FE campuses. This creates the dual benefit of working within a small school family setting, whilst providing unique opportunities for growth, development and career opportunities that exist in a large school model.

We take a traditional and research-based approach to education with a primacy placed on cognitive science, scholarship and what the best schools do. We are a no-nonsense school where staff can focus their efforts on teaching great lessons. Our focus on extra-curricular activities including DofE, Cadets and rewards trips ensures our students benefit from a range of exciting opportunities.  

Ark Alexandra works closely with our feeder primary schools, Ark Blacklands, Ark Little Ridge and Ark Castledown, all of which have exceptional leadership graded as Outstanding by Ofsted, with Blacklands and Little Ridge being graded Outstanding in all areas.

As a Church of England school, our values of faith, excellence and kindness underpin everything that we do. We have an inclusive admissions policy that welcomes, without preference, students of all faith and none. Our vision is to create a truly great school for the young people in Hastings. We believe that everyone deserves to be accepted, included, and empowered to live a purposeful and fulfilling life.

What we offer: 

• Salary higher than the national pay scales 
• Twice as many training days as standard and network-wide events with Ark colleagues, held by the best minds in education 
• Weekly staff training designed to meet the needs of the school 
• Coaching for every teacher 
• Protected co-planning time 
• Access to the high-quality, professional development, including nationally recognised qualifications such as the NPQML and NPQSL 
• Opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across the network 

At Ark Alexandra in Hastings, we are committed to helping staff with relocation. In addition to offering up to £5,000 we can help you make a smooth transition into our school and sea-side community. We recognise the challenges of moving to a new area, and as such we offer:

• Information on local housing options, and connections to good property agents
• Advise on school enrolment for staff members' children
• Additionally, we foster a welcoming environment by connecting new employees with existing staff members who can offer guidance on settling into the community of Hastings.

The school's commitment to supporting the relocation process reflects our dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive work environment for all staff members. 

How to apply:

Please see the following job advertisement and click "Apply" - SENCo - Maternity Cover, East Sussex - Tes Jobs.

Please note: we are unable to accept applications via CV. We will also be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this advert may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response. Early application is strongly encouraged. You will be able to pause, save and log back in to complete your application up until the vacancy closes.

If you’re interested in further information about our school, please visit our website – www.arkalexandra.org or to find out more about Ark Schools, please read "Why Join an Ark School?" from the information pack available for download from the application website.

To arrange an informal conversation about the role or an informal visit, please contact HR on ALEHR@arkalexandra.org.

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please visit www.arkalexandra.org/vacancies, click the job you are interested in and click the link at the bottom of the advert.

Additional Information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.