Inclusion Specialist Teacher - Alternative Provision and Post 16 (Experts at Hand)

Overview

We are seeking to appoint two enthusiastic, highly motivated and experienced teachers to join our growing team of Inclusion Specialist Teachers within the Experts at Hand Service. This is an exciting opportunity to influence inclusive practice across Buckinghamshire, working with schools, Alternative Provision and Post-16 providers to improve outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of SEND, inclusion and effective educational practice, alongside the ability to build capacity within educational settings through advice, coaching, consultation and training. You will play a key role in supporting Buckinghamshire's SEND Improvement Programme and helping educational settings create environments where all children and young people can thrive.

2 year fixed term contract

About us

Buckinghamshire SEND Service delivers a range of specialist services that support inclusion, improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND, and build the capacity of educational settings across Buckinghamshire. We work in partnership with schools, families and professionals to ensure that children and young people receive the right support at the right time.

As an Inclusion Specialist Teacher, you will work collaboratively with educational settings to promote inclusive practice and improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Through consultation, advice, training and practical support, you will help education professionals develop a deeper understanding of pupils' strengths and needs and implement effective strategies that enable them to access learning and achieve their potential.

Working as part of the Experts at Hand Service, you will provide specialist support across schools, Alternative Provision settings and Post-16 providers, helping to strengthen workforce confidence, develop inclusive cultures and improve SEND provision. This is an exciting opportunity to influence practice beyond a single setting, supporting professionals across the education system to identify needs early, implement effective interventions and create sustainable approaches that improve outcomes for children and young people.

You will join a highly skilled and supportive multi-disciplinary SEND team, working closely with the Inclusion Team (Specialist Teachers and Inclusion Practitioners), Educational Psychologists, Education, Health and Care Plan Coordinators (EHCCos), families and partner agencies. Together, we are committed to ensuring that children and young people with SEND can access high-quality educational opportunities and achieve successful outcomes.

About the role

The role will involve:

• Supporting the development of inclusive practice across schools, Alternative Provision and Post-16 providers through consultation, advice, coaching and SEND support.
• Supporting educational settings to improve outcomes for children and young people who are at risk of exclusion, disengagement from learning or requiring additional support to access education.
• Supporting children and young people who are out of education and contributing to reviews of their educational provision.
• Managing and supporting a caseload of children and young people with SEND, ensuring that casework and statutory responsibilities are completed professionally and in a timely manner.
• Contributing to the assessment, review and monitoring of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in line with statutory requirements and the Children and Families Act 2014.
• Working collaboratively with educational settings, families and multi-agency partners to ensure provision is child-centred, outcomes-focused and informed by the views and aspirations of children and young people, including successful preparation for adulthood outcomes.
• Providing high-quality written advice, reports and practical recommendations that support effective planning and inclusive educational provision.
• Designing, delivering and evaluating training and professional development opportunities that strengthen workforce confidence and capacity in meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND.
• Monitoring the impact of advice, training and intervention support, using evidence and feedback to inform future practice and service development.
• Building strong professional networks and facilitating communities of practice that promote consistency, workforce development and effective SEND provision across educational sectors.
• Contributing to Buckinghamshire's SEND Improvement Programme and wider strategic priorities through identifying emerging needs, developing workforce capacity and improving inclusion and outcomes for children and young people.
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of SEND legislation, research and effective practice, supporting continuous improvement across the service.

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and is educated to degree level.
• Has substantial and successful classroom teaching experience, including supporting children and young people with SEND.
• Has detailed knowledge of special educational needs, inclusion, the SEND Code of Practice and evidence-based interventions that support positive outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
• Has experience working with children and young people with SEND and their families.
• Has evidence of further professional development, training or study in SEND and inclusion.
• Demonstrates excellent communication, consultation and relationship-building skills.
• Is confident in providing specialist advice, guidance, professional challenge and support to educational settings, acting as a trusted Expert at Hand to strengthen inclusive practice and improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
• Can research, design and deliver engaging training and professional development opportunities.
• Has experience writing high-quality reports and recommendations for schools, settings and families.
• Has excellent IT skills, including the use of Microsoft Word and Excel to produce professional reports and supporting documentation.
• Is able to work collaboratively across a wide range of services, agencies and educational sectors.
• Has knowledge of, or experience working with, Alternative Provision and Post-16 education providers to support inclusion and successful outcomes for young people with SEND.
• Maintains a strong commitment to inclusion and achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.
•  Is committed to ongoing professional learning through training, collaboration and independent research.
• Holds a full driving licence and has access to a vehicle, as the role requires travel across Buckinghamshire.
• Is able to satisfy the requirements of an Enhanced DBS check with Child and Adult Barred List checks.
• A relevant postgraduate qualification in SEND or recognised SEND specialism would be advantageous.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Other information

This is a full-time, 2-year fixed-term position on Teachers' Pay and Conditions.

There are two positions available.

If you would like to find out more about this role, please contact: [email protected]

Internal Closing date: 09/09/2026

Interview date: 14/09/2026

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Ensuring that children and young people in Buckinghamshire reach their potential is a primary focus within our Education service. It’s essential that we provide inclusive and life-long learning opportunities for all of our young people - so we look to raise standards, attainment and aspirations in a number of ways.

Our key priorities include: improving the quality and timeliness of Education, Health and Care Plans and the support families of children with SEND receive; reducing the number of exclusions both permanent and fixed term; and providing the children of Buckinghamshire with the highest quality education possible.

We aim to provide the right support, at the right time for families requiring non-statutory intervention, and provide sufficient, high quality early years and school places for children in Buckinghamshire. Despite Buckinghamshire having a higher percentage of good or outstanding Early Years providers and schools than national averages, we are not complacent.

We are keen to strengthen the services we deliver to provide the children of Buckinghamshire the highest quality education possible.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/