SEND Officer

About The Role

Use your expertise to transform SEND learner outcomes – join us as a SEND Officer.

As a SEND Officer you will be integral to our Inclusive Learning department based at EKC Dover College. You will be working alongside the support and curriculum teams to enhance the student experience of our SEND learners.

As part of your role, you will be expected to build strong links with local schools and the community fostering effective working relationships, enabling the arrangement of smooth and positive transition for our students. A working knowledge of Education and Health Care Plans (EHCP) is a necessity as you will be preparing and chairing annual reviews, setting outcomes and ensuring these are monitored throughout the year.

You will also be responsible for undertaking support meetings with new and existing students to ensure that student's support needs are met and strategies are put in place, cascading this effectively to all parties involved. This will include the writing, and reviewing, of personal needs plans, health care plans, behaviour support plans and risk assessments.

You will be supported by other SEND Officers within the EKC Group Colleges, and will be expected to attend regular network meetings to ensure best practice is carried out and information is shared in a timely manner.

Hours per week: 18.5
Weeks per year: 38
Salary per year: £12,616 (inc holiday pay)
Proposed start date: 24 August 2026

Benefits

• Generous Annual Leave aligned to our academic calendar
• Learning and Development Opportunities – If you are interested in developing into teaching, you could benefit from our £7000 investment into teacher training through our in house Teaching Academy, 3-4 annual paid group development days, bespoke training programmes and strong internal progression – 1 in 3 roles are filled internally
• Flexible Personal Leave – Time off for your child's first day at nursery or school, moving homes and for interviews
• Competitive Pension Scheme – 18% employer contribution
• Exclusive Discounts & Perks – Including restaurant, grocery, retail and holidays discounts as well as car leasing and tech purchasing schemes, on-site nursery (if based at relevant site)
• Wellbeing and Health Support – Generous sick pay, counselling services, discounted gym membership at Canterbury College, free eye tests and glasses vouchers, flexible support for medical appointments and return-to-work support
• Culture and Recognition – Being part of Community Days, an Annual Staff Celebration Day, and an eco-friendly organisation dedicated to reaching net‑zero by 2030

About You

We are seeking an enthusiastic and innovative professional to join our team, supporting young people with Special Educational Needs to thrive and reach their potential.

You Will Bring

• Experience in the SEN or Care sector, with the ability to lead and support a team
• Proven skills in supporting young people with challenging behaviour and SEMH needs, using proactive and preventative strategies
• Experience using a range of communication methods and aids (e.g. Makaton, visual supports, symbols) to promote learning and independence
• A strong understanding of accurate recording, reporting and information sharing, following established protocols
• A commitment to maintaining student dignity, while adhering to data protection and safeguarding requirements

If you are interested in an informal chat about the role, or have any queries, please email us at jobs@ekcgroup.ac.uk for more information.

Commitment to Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and we ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibilities for upholding these principles. As a designated establishment, we are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore have an obligation to carry out checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children and vulnerable adults. These checks include conviction/caution self‑declaration, Enhanced DBS check and obtaining sufficient referencing. It is a criminal offence to apply for a post which involves engaging in regulated activity relevant to children if you are barred from doing so. If you are successful in being shortlisted to interview, your suitability to work with children and vulnerable adults will be explored as part of the interview process.

Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

East Kent Colleges Group is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all members of our communities. We are particularly keen to increase the diversity of our staff body and encourage applications from candidates where there is underrepresentation in our workforce. We are proud to hold the Positive About Disability Award and are a Disability Confident Employer. This confirms our commitment to interviewing all applicants who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification. With any successful candidate, we will explore any reasonable adjustments to a role due to a health needs or disability.

We have a commitment to Care Leavers (Care Covenant Pledge) and to current or previous Armed Forces personnel (Armed Forces Covenant Pledge) with a commitment to interview applicants who meet the positions essential criteria and who have declared this on their application. We welcome applications from anyone wishing to work flexibly and those considering a return to work from a career break.

Recruitment Process

We do not engage with agencies for permanent staff and have an in‑house recruitment team.

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