nasen - WSS Deputy Regional SEND Leader for South East
Secondment opportunity for WSS Deputy Regional SEND Leader for South East.
WSS Deputy Regional SEND Leader for the South East
Salary: £450 per day (payable to the school / education setting)
Hours: A minimum commitment of 40 days a year, equating to an average of one-day a week (flexibility to plan own day or equivalent in part days), during term time
Contract Type: Fixed term contract until 31 March 2027
Closing Date: Thursday 5th March 2026
Start date: 1st April 2026 (or as soon as possible thereafter)
Join our Regional Whole School SEND Teams – help shape the future of SEND
Whole School SEND is expanding its regional teams, and we are looking for experienced SEND leaders to step into seconded Deputy Regional SEND Leader positions.
As a Deputy Regional SEND Leader, you will support the delivery of the DfE’s Universal SEND Services programme, helping schools and colleges across your region to develop inclusive practice and improve outcomes for learners with SEND. Working in close partnership with national and regional colleagues, you will lead professional networks, support strategic SEND development and share evidencebased practice.
These roles are ideal for experienced SEND leaders who:
already think beyond one school
have strong professional networks across their region
are confident working with senior leaders, MATs, local authorities and other partners
want to shape policy and practice at a national level
value collaboration, knowledge exchange and inclusive leadership
You might currently be:
a MAT SEND / Inclusion Director or Lead
a trustwide SENCo / Inclusion Lead
a local authority SEND leader
an experienced SENCo influencing across multiple schools
a system leader with credibility and influence in your region
This role is offered on a secondment basis. This means the successful applicant will remain employed by their current organisation, and Whole School SEND (through nasen) will reimburse the employer for the time the individual spends undertaking Regional SEND Leader duties. The secondment fee of £450 per day is paid directly to the employing organisation, ensuring there is no financial loss to the school, trust or local authority releasing the colleague for this work.
The Deputy Regional SEND Leader will continue in their substantive role while contributing the equivalent of one day a week (40 days across the year) to Whole School SEND. This model enables leaders to bring current, realworld expertise into the national programme while maintaining their ongoing responsibilities within their home organisation.
This role requires flexibility, occasional travel and occasional overnight stays.
Whole School SEND is an equal opportunities organisation and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.
A full job description for this role below, also details of this and other roles can be found on our website: https://nasen.org.uk/careers.
Application process
To apply for the role, please send your CV along with a short statement that explains why you are interested in the role and your suitability. Please click apply to be taken to our application platform.
Please note – this is a secondment position from an education setting, you must be located in the geographical region stated on the advert to apply, those not meeting this criteria will not be considered.
Closing date for applications: Thursday 5th March 2026. The application period may be closed earlier if sufficient suitable candidates apply.
About Whole School SEND (WSS)
Whole School SEND (WSS), hosted by nasen, is a national community committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The work of Whole School SEND is based on the principle that the knowledge and expertise needed to develop the workforce already exists in the system and that knowledge exchange can occur through effective collaboration.
From 2016 to 2022, the Department for Education funded the Whole School SEND Consortium to build capacity in the system through a strategic, school-led, review-based approach. In 2022, we were awarded the DfE’s ‘Universal SEND Services’ contract which runs until 2027. Our regional SEND team play a crucial role in the delivery of this programme. Further details on the Universal Services Programme can be found on our website Universal SEND Services | Whole School SEND
Since its inception in 2016, the WSS community has brought together key stakeholder organisations, individuals and educational settings from across the SEND community and encouraged collaboration between them.
The Deputy Regional SEND Leader will be seconded on a flexible one day a week basis to work closely with the Regional SEND Team under the leadership of the Regional SEND Leader, Head of Whole School SEND, the National Leader of SEND and National Coordinators, to support the delivery of the work of WSS within a defined geographical area and develop strong cross sector, phase and organisational relationships.
A regionalised model of delivery and development, responsive to local contexts, will continue to be an essential part of the growth and sustainability of our work. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of SEND in your region. We have a wide-ranging programme of work, including delivering CPD (online and face-to-face) and leading Professional Development Groups, as well as maintaining and extending regional networks.
JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job title: Whole School SEND(“WSS”) Deputy Regional SEND Leader South East
Secondment fee: £450 per day (payable to the school)
Department: Whole School SEND Team
Reports to: Regional SEND Leader North West and Whole School SEND National Coordinators
Role Objective
To work closely with the Regional SEND Leader, Regional SEND team, the Head of Whole School SEND, National Leader of SEND and National Coordinators to support the delivery of Whole School SEND initiatives within a defined geographic area and develop strong cross sector, phase and organisational relationships.
To promote Whole School SEND’s work and actively increase engagement with schools, colleges, and key stakeholders across the region.
Responsibilities
Promoting the work of Whole School SEND across schools and colleges within the region.
Increasing regional engagement and participation in WSS’s CPD activities.
Building and maintaining collaborative relationships with educational leaders, local authorities and other key stakeholders to drive improved SEND provision across the region.
Sharing and promoting evidence-based practices and effective approaches to enhance inclusive education and improve outcomes for learners with SEND.
Delivering regional activities to support the implementation of WSS’s work by coordinating and delivering events, regional professional development groups and school support.
Mentoring and supporting school leaders to enhance provision and practice for SEND, ensuring inclusive, evidence-based approaches that improve outcomes for all learners.
Representing Whole School SEND at regional and national conferences, in the media and within other professional forums.
Working closely with the internal nasen/WSS team.
Ensuring that WSS activity within the region is conducted to a high standard.
Supporting programme partners to engage in regional activity.
Developing the influence of WSS on SEND policy and practice.
Contributing to the wider work of WSS, including the development of the voice of children and young people with SEND and their families.
Contributing to the ongoing development of WSS in partnership with key stakeholders.
Liaising with regional key stakeholders.
Privacy Notice
Education and Qualifications
Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline OR Qualified Teacher Status or an alternative teaching qualification.
NASENCO / NPQ SENCo or equivalent is desirable.
Masters level qualification or equivalent CPD is desirable.
Knowledge and Experience
Currently employed within an education setting.
In-depth understanding of SEND policy and practice.
Partnership and collaborative working and relationship management, including outstanding interpersonal skills.
Significant middle or senior leadership experience.
Experience of working on strategic projects.
Experience of delivering strategic expectations within a structured timetable.
Preparing and creating clear, well-reasoned reports and correspondence.
Specific skills and behaviours
Committed to diversity and inclusion.
Ability to work with others across a range of roles, including senior leaders in schools, national SEND leaders, government and other organisations, and internal operational teams.
Ability to work unsupervised using own initiative in a logical, systematic and organized manner.
Ability to work flexibly and plan effectively to meet deadlines, according to the current demands of the role.
Pragmatic with a solution-focused approach to problem solving.
Resilient and able to operate autonomously at pace.
Committed to diversity and inclusion.
Honest, open and a good listener.
Strong communicator for a range of audiences.
Excellent organisational skills.
High standard of quality of written and other outputs.
Creative and logical thinking.
Excellent IT skills.
- Organisation
- nasen
- Locations
- South East England
- Daily salary
- £450
- Employment type
- Contract
About WorkNest Clients
WorkNest work on behalf of our clients to support them to deliver high quality recruitment campaigns. We work with a variety of clients from a variety of sectors, and all available roles will be published via the WorkNest client vacancies page.