Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs)

All schools are required to have a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO). The SENCO must be a qualified teacher working at the school. A newly appointed SENCO, where they have not previously been a SENCO, must achieve a National Award in Special Educational Needs Co-ordination within three years of appointment. The SENCO has an important role to play, along with the headteacher and governing body, in determining the strategic development of SEND policy and provision in school.

The SENCO has day-to-day responsibility for the operation of SEND policy and co-ordination of specific provision made to support individual pupils with SEN, including those who do and do not have EHC plans. Schools should ensure that the SENCO has sufficient time and resources to carry out these functions. This should include providing the SENCO with sufficient administrative support and time away from teaching, to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities, in a similar way to other important strategic roles within a school. SENCOs will be most effective in their role if they are part of the school leadership team.

Key responsibilities of the SENCO include:

• Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEND policy 
• Co-ordinating provision for children with SEND 
• Advising on the graduated approach to providing SEND support 
• Advising on the deployment of the school’s delegated budget and other resources to meet needs effectively 
• Being a key point of contact with external agencies, especially the LA and its support services 
• Working with the headteacher and school governors to ensure that the school meets its responsibilities with regard to reasonable adjustments and access arrangements (Equality Act, 2010)
• Ensuring that the school keeps the records of all pupils with SEND up to date 
• Liaising with: 
  • Designated teachers where a looked after pupil has SEND 
  • Parents of pupils with SEND 
  • Early years providers 
  • Other schools 
  • Health and social care professionals 
  • Independent or voluntary bodies 
  • Potential next providers of education to ensure smooth transition