Specialist Teacher

This is an exciting time to join One Team Dorset as a Specialist Teacher. We are creating a rewarding specialist teaching offer for schools which aims to build school staff's skill and capacity to be able to support all learners effectively. We have a number of Complex Communication Needs Bases within schools in Dorset, for which we provide expert guidance and support, alongside developing support within an early intervention structure for all schools. We are seeking to appoint a Specialist Teacher with Complex Communication Needs experience to support schools in the Dorchester Locality and alongside other colleagues to support in schools in surrounding areas potentially including North and West Dorset and Chesil
This role has the core function of working with schools to improve their provision for young people with Complex Communication Needs. You will provide advice, training and support to schools and education providers in their work with children who have CCN. You will also be expected to be able to support schools with other vulnerable learners; these may be SEND related, health related or arise because of their looked after status.
Supporting teachers developing expertise in the classroom is the key function of this role. The role has direct and regular links to schools and acts as a high-level support in the system, enabling schools to address the needs of the children and young people in their care.
The role has a requirement for a high degree of specialist knowledge of the barriers to learning for young people and the support required to overcome these. As part of a specialist team, you will benefit from developing your own skills and understanding through CPD opportunities and peer supervision. You will be fully supported by the other members of the specialist teachers team.
Individual work with children may be necessary to support schools with their most complex children in order to maintain their placement and to retain subject qualifications but this will be a smaller part of the role. This role is a system leadership role whereby the post holder will be a key part in developing the skills of the teaching workforce in the county., We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We offer an interview to everyone who declares a disability and meets the essential criteria for the role.

We are keen to make our interviews accessible. Let us know on your job application if you have a disability and need any reasonable adjustments.

We also look for applicants who share our commitment to our behaviours. We will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the selection process.

If appointed, the personal information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found at https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn.

This role is UK based and we will need to establish your Right to Work as part of the appointment process.

We use generic job descriptions and person specifications. This means the job title on any attachments may differ from the job title in the advert. We may provide specific information in a context statement if relevant., You will have relevant post-graduate qualifications or extensive experience along with a willingness to undertake further training necessary for this role. It is essential that you have qualified teacher status with evidence of successful work in settings. You should be able to demonstrate that your practice is up-to-date. You will have the ability to build and sustain good working relationships with people at all levels, both internal and external. You will have had experience delivering training and support to school staff and parents in relation to your specialism, and you understand the importance of using the SEN Code of Practice with school staff to ensure effective outcomes for children.

Dorset Council: A great place to work

We're passionate about making Dorset a great place to live, work and visit. Working for us should be no exception.

At Dorset Council we:

• provide more than 450 services to over 300,000 residents


• have ambitious aspirations


• are excited about our future


• care about Dorset and all the people who live here


• know that all roles make a difference and that our employees are key to our success

You will:

• have access to a range of employee benefits


• be part of an organisation that supports each other to grow and succeed


• have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression, The team are passionate about inclusion and looking for creative ways to support schools to achieve strong outcomes for all our children and young people. Not only will you work collaboratively with a team of specialists that includes specialisms in specific learning difficulties, ASD and SEMH needs, but you will also form part of a locality team in Dorchester with a range of educational and social care expertise aimed at achieving care and good education for all Dorset's children.