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The SENCO is responsible for coordinating SEN provision and supporting teachers and leaders in meeting the needs of pupils with SEN. This guide explains the statutory SENCO role, their key responsibilities and how they work in London schools.
The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) is a qualified teacher designated by the governing body or trust to be responsible for coordinating SEN provision across the school. Every maintained school, academy and free school in England is required to designate a SENCO. The SENCO plays a central role in identifying pupils’ SEN, planning and reviewing provision, coordinating specialist support, advising and supporting other staff and liaising with parents, local authorities and external agencies. In London, where SEN provision is particularly complex and demand is high, the effectiveness of the SENCO role is a significant factor in school outcomes.
SENDhelp supplies specialist SEN teachers, teaching assistants and support staff to schools and provisions across London and the surrounding counties. Whether you need cover today or are planning ahead, we can help you find the right person quickly.
The SENCO role is established in law through the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 2015. Maintained schools must designate a qualified teacher as SENCO. In most maintained mainstream schools, the SENCO must have Qualified Teacher Status. New SENCOs who are not already qualified must complete the National Award for SEN Coordination within 3 years of taking up the role. Independent schools are not subject to the same statutory requirements but are expected to make appropriate SEN provision.
The SENCO’s key responsibilities include: overseeing the operation of the school’s SEN policy; coordinating provision for pupils with SEN; advising and supporting teachers in differentiating the curriculum for pupils with SEN; liaising with parents of pupils with SEN; managing and supporting teaching assistants providing SEN support; contributing to the training and professional development of SEN staff; coordinating and overseeing transitions for pupils with SEN; liaising with external agencies including educational psychologists, CAMHS and the local authority; and overseeing the implementation and review of EHCPs.
The National Award for SEN Coordination is a postgraduate qualification at Level 7 that all new SENCOs must complete within 3 years of appointment if they do not already hold it. The National Award develops the strategic, operational and relational skills needed for effective SENCO practice. It covers SEN legislation and policy, assessment and identification of SEN, planning and reviewing provision, working with families and other agencies and leadership of SEN within the school. SENCOs who hold the National Award are better equipped for the complexity of the role.
London SENCOs face particularly complex professional demands. London schools often serve highly diverse populations with complex and varied SEN profiles. The volume and complexity of EHCP work is high in London, where demand for specialist provision outstrips available places and appeals to the SEND tribunal are common. London SENCOs must navigate the specific policies and practices of their London borough while applying the national SEND Code of Practice. Many London schools have full-time SENCOs or SENCO teams to manage the volume of SEN casework.
The SEND Code of Practice expects the SENCO to be a key member of the school’s leadership team, contributing to strategic decision-making about SEN provision across the school. In practice, the seniority and strategic influence of the SENCO varies significantly between schools. In larger schools or those with high proportions of pupils with complex SEN, the SENCO may be at deputy or assistant headteacher level. In smaller schools, the role may be held by a class teacher alongside other responsibilities.
An effective SENCO depends on having well-trained and committed SEN support staff to deliver the provision they coordinate. Teaching assistants, learning support assistants and specialist SEN teachers all contribute to the provision a SENCO coordinates. In London schools where there are significant staffing vacancies or high turnover of SEN support staff, the SENCO’s ability to deliver high-quality provision is constrained. SENDhelp can supply experienced, trained SEN staff to London schools to support the SENCO in delivering their school’s SEN provision.
For related information see our articles on Special Educational Needs Meaning and SEN Statutory Assessment Explained.
The SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) is responsible for coordinating SEN provision across the school. This includes identifying pupils’ needs, planning and reviewing provision, supporting teachers in differentiating the curriculum, managing SEN support staff, liaising with parents and external agencies, overseeing EHCPs and contributing to strategic leadership of SEN in the school.
Every maintained mainstream school in England is required to designate a qualified teacher as SENCO. The SENCO must have Qualified Teacher Status and new SENCOs must complete the National Award for SEN Coordination within 3 years of taking up the role. Independent schools are not subject to the same statutory requirements but are expected to make appropriate SEN provision.
The SENCO coordinates the work of teaching assistants, learning support assistants and specialist SEN teachers who deliver provision to pupils with SEN. They brief and direct SEN support staff, monitor the effectiveness of provision and adjust staffing arrangements in response to changing needs. The quality of SEN support staff and the consistency of their deployment significantly affects the quality of the provision the SENCO is able to deliver.
Visit our SEN London Resource Hub for more guides on EHCP rights, SEN legislation, staffing costs, agency use, Ofsted expectations and borough-by-borough funding variations across the capital.
The information in this article is provided for general guidance only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Legislation, funding and local authority policies change: always verify current requirements with the relevant authority. SENDhelp Education Limited accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content. Any links to third-party websites are provided for convenience only and do not constitute endorsement of their content.
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