SENDCo

SENDCo 

Location: Rockshaw Road, Chaldon, Surrey 
Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent 
Salary: £34,398 - £52,490 (M1 – UPS3 Fringe) ** Plus £5,000 Welcome bonus For Qualified Teacher*
Hours: 40 hours per week   

Aurora Chaldon School  

As part of our growth strategy, The Aurora Group are really pleased to be opening a brand new SEND Secondary School in September 2025 in Chaldon, Surrey for young people aged 11-16 who require support with social communication, emotional regulation and sensory processing, typically associated with Autism. All our students have access to a broad and exciting curriculum, allied to the national curriculum, personalised to meet their needs, interests and passions. With a model of small classes, high levels of classroom support and a supernumerary multi-disciplinary intervention team we are able to give students “every opportunity to achieve”  

Key to the success of this new school will be the appointment of a highly effective SENDCo to join us on this exciting project!  

This is an exciting opportunity to join the school at the start of their journey.  Working with the Head of School in all aspects of leadership and management and to take responsibility for managing and developing learning and teaching, curriculum, careers & work experience, assessment and enrichment throughout the designated phases of the school. You will be based at Aurora Chaldon school with a requirement to work out of our satellite site Caterham when required.  

To learn more about this amazing school, please follow this link – Chaldon School .

Key Duties: 

• Promote best practice and contribute to the aims and ethos of the school through inset and CPD for new teachers.  
• To work with the Head of School to ensure that the school offers a high quality, exciting, engaging, well resourced, differentiated and well matched curriculum for all children.  
• To act as Deputy Exam Officer for the site, working with the AHT/Exam Officer, subject teachers to ensure examinations and accreditation processes are in place and that JCQ requirements are met.   
• To lead the successful identification of meaningful post16 destinations   
• To implement successful transition plans to secure Post16 destinations, liaising with destination colleges around school link courses, visits and specific pupil needs.   
• Lead Y9 transition reviews, ensuring student voice is captured and that outcomes align with Pathways for Adulthood.  
• To identify and enable access arrangements for exams and other accreditation.    
• To oversee high quality Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance and work with the wider school team to deliver a Careers Framework that supports KS3-4 pupils on their pathway to adulthood.   
• Ensure that the school carries out its statutory responsibilities in accordance with each pupil EHCP and their defined SEND assessment.  
• In relation to each pupil’s EHCP and defined SEND assessment, coordinate and deploy the school’s provision with regard to its policies, staffing and resources.  
• Communicate with parents/carers, school employees, other agencies, and local authorities on the progress of pupils and the effectiveness of intervention and support strategies.  
• Ensure that there is an integrated approach to schools SEN provision generally and for specific pupils, incorporating the deployment of staff, including therapist, resources, strategies and the types of support and intervention.  
• Exercise a key role in advising and assisting the Head of School with the strategic development of SEN policy and provision, including reviewing, and formulating policies.  
• Prepare information and carry out annual statutory reviews or specific case conferences.  
• To develop positive relationships within the school, within the Surrey Schools and the wider Aurora Team and externally, which support the running and developing of the school towards and sustaining outstanding.  

Please note that duties will vary and you will be expected to contribute to the overall aims of the school when required, please see the link below for our full job description: 

Job Description – SENDCo 

Essential Qualifications  

• QTS or QTLS is essential.  

Desirable Qualifications  

• Accredited training in specific areas of special education, e.g. Autism, Dyslexia etc.  
• Management/leadership qualification  
• NPQSL/H/SENDCo or willingness to achieve within 2 years  

Essential Experience  

• Proven track record of excellent creative and structured teaching within relevant key stages and/or special needs environment.   
• Experience of holding responsibility for and turning policy into effective and successful practice.  
• Leadership of a significant area or phase or inclusion, including responsibility for raising standards across the whole school.   
• Effective team management and working collaboratively and effectively with others.   
• Communicating effectively to a wide range of different audiences though a range of different mediums.  
• Successful management of complex scenarios and conflict resolution  
• Effective relationships working successfully with a range of external agencies   

What’s on Offer at Aurora?

We believe in supporting you as much as we support the children and young people in our care. Here’s a snapshot of the fantastic benefits waiting for you:

📚 Grow with Us – Training & Development

Learning never stops at Aurora! We offer a wide range of training programmes and career development opportunities to help you build your skills and reach your goals.

💸 Save Money on Everyday Essentials

With the rising cost of living, our Perkbox app helps you stretch your money further:

• Discounts on groceries, phone plans, internet, dining out, gym memberships & more
• Access to our Cycle to Work and Car Scheme

📱 Access to Wagestream – a financial wellbeing app that helps you track earnings, save, get expert money advice, and even access part of your pay early when needed

💰 Competitive Pay & Reward

We regularly benchmark our pay and benefits to stay ahead of the curve. You’ll enjoy:

• Enhanced Annual Leave
• Company Sick Pay
• Enhanced Pension
• Life Assurance

🩺 24/7 GP Access – For You & Your Household

Need a doctor? No problem. Book a phone or video appointment anytime, day or night. This service covers everyone in your household.

🦷 UK Health Cash Plan

Cover everyday healthcare costs like dental and optician bills. You and your children are included in the scheme, and you can upgrade to add your partner too!

🧠 Employee Assistance Programme

Your wellbeing matters. Get confidential support on a wide range of issues, including:

• Freephone counselling (available 24/7)
• Online tools and resources

👯‍♀️ Refer a Friend – Earn £1,000!

Know someone who’d be a great fit? Refer them and get rewarded!
(*Terms apply)

How to Apply:  

Please complete an online application form in full, remembering to include all employment and education details.  If you need any assistance or would like any more information, please contact Kirsty in the Aurora Group Recruitment Team at kirsty.wilkinson@theauroragroup.co.uk 

** Within Aurora we support teacher professional development by offering Upper Pay Scale both to teachers joining the company and through our internal professional development and performance management process.

To be offered a role on Upper Pay Scale we will expect you to:

• provide evidence that you are already receiving an Upper Pay Scale salary.
• Hold specific allocated responsibility, once you have completed your induction, that contributes to whole school improvement including the overall raising of standards in the school and demonstrate their ongoing commitment to their own CPD.

Details of the relevant area of responsibility will be discussed with you at interview and further when you join the company.

Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check. 

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children. 

The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer.  

This advert could be paused or taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled or we receive a sufficient number of applications. 

Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search. 

* Welcome bonus is payable in 2 payments - 50% following successful completion of probation and 50% after one year service