Cheshire Academies Trust is seeking to appoint an experienced and compassionate Trust Specialist Support Lead on a one-year fixed-term basis at 0.4 FTE (two days per week). This is a pivotal Trust-wide outreach role working under the direction of the SEND Director, with a primary focus on supporting staff across our mainstream schools to meet the needs of pupils with higher levels of SEND within inclusive classroom environments. The successful candidate will play a critical role in helping teachers and one-to-one support staff develop effective approaches, adaptations, resources and provision that enable pupils with SEND to thrive. This position involves working closely with the SEND Director, school leaders, teachers, support staff and SENCOs to strengthen day-to-day classroom practice, build staff confidence and develop greater consistency of inclusive approaches across the Trust’s schools and four local authorities.
Key Responsibilities:
• Outreach support for inclusive practice: Work directly with mainstream schools to support teachers, one-to-one staff and wider teams in meeting the needs of pupils with higher levels of SEND in classroom contexts.
• Advice, adaptation and resources: Offer practical advice, develop resources and recommend appropriate adaptations, programmes and strategies that help pupils access learning and participate successfully in mainstream environments.
• Four areas of need: Provide informed guidance across all four areas of need within the SEND Code of Practice: communication and interaction; cognition and learning; social, emotional and mental health; and physical and sensory needs.
• Assessment and problem-solving: Observe pupils, unpick barriers beneath how a child may initially present, and work with staff to identify the why, the need and the most effective next steps.
• Quality first teaching and consistency: Champion quality first teaching and inclusive classroom environments as the starting point, while working with the SEND Director to develop greater consistency in approaches, routines and support systems across schools.
The Ideal Candidate Will Possess:
• A strong and credible track record of successfully supporting pupils with higher levels of SEND, including helping them thrive within mainstream classrooms.
• Secure knowledge and practical experience across all four areas of SEND need, with the ability to advise staff on effective provision, adaptations and support.
• The ability to coach, mentor and build the confidence of teachers and one-to-one support staff in meeting SEND need alongside the needs of the wider class.
• Strong understanding of inclusive practice, quality first teaching and how to balance individual support with effective whole-class teaching.
• The ability to analyse presentation, behaviour and barriers to learning thoughtfully, and then recommend realistic, evidence-informed alternatives and next steps.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust, work collaboratively and handle sensitive situations with professionalism and compassion.
• The self-drive, organisation and initiative needed to work across multiple schools, manage competing priorities and follow through on agreed actions.
• An understanding of how to build greater consistency of classroom practice and inclusive approaches across schools working within different local authority systems.
To apply, kindly complete the application form via the MyNewTerm website and submit it highlighting your skills, qualifications, and experience relevant to the job description and person specification. All applications will be dealt with via the online applicant tracking system.
https://mynewterm.com/jobs/5455/EDV-2026-CAT-06939
Note that we do not accept CVs and applications that include a CV will not be considered.
