nasen - WSS Regional SEND Leader for East of England
Secondment opportunity for WSS Regional SEND Leader for East of England
WSS Regional SEND Leader for the East of England
Salary: £550 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 Regional SEND Leader positions.
As a Regional SEND Leader, you will lead the strategic delivery of the DfE’s Universal SEND Services programme across your region, enabling schools and colleges to embed inclusive practice and improve outcomes for learners with SEND. Working closely with national and regional partners, you will shape regional priorities, oversee professional networks, guide systemlevel SEND development and champion the use of 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 £550 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 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 is an opportunity to apply your expertise at regional and national levels, while maintaining your connection to your current school, trust or 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.
Regional SEND Leaders are central to the success of the programme, acting as the bridge between national direction and regional implementation. They bring deep SEND expertise and strong regional networks to the role, enabling them to identify local priorities, champion evidenceinformed practice and work closely with schools, colleges and system partners to build confidence and capability in meeting the needs of learners with SEND.
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”) Regional SEND Leader East of England
Secondment fee £550 per day (payable to the school)
Department Whole School SEND Team
Reports to Head of Whole School SEND and Whole School SEND National Coordinators
Role Objectives
To collaborate with the Head of Whole School SEND, National Leaders of SEND, and National Coordinators to deliver Whole School SEND initiatives within a designated geographic area and establish strong relationships across sectors, educational phases, and organisations.
To promote Whole School SEND’s work and actively increase engagement with schools, colleges, and key stakeholders across the region.
To oversee and support the work of Deputy Regional SEND Leaders to ensure consistent delivery and high standards 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.
Overseeing and coordinating the work of Deputy Regional SEND Leads to ensure compliance with programme requirements.
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.
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Education and Qualifications
Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline and 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
In-depth understanding of SEND policy and practice.
Partnership and collaborative working and relationship management, including outstanding interpersonal skills.
Significant senior leadership experience.
Experience of effective deployment and quality assurance processes.
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 organised manner.
Ability to work flexibly, 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.
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
- £550
- Employment type
- Contract
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