Experts at Hand | Sheffield Inclusion & SEND Service

Help shape the future of inclusive education in Sheffield

Sheffield is transforming the way children and young people with SEND are supported.

As part of our Experts at Hand model, we're building a team of highly skilled SEND Advisory Teachers who will work alongside schools to ensure every child can thrive in their local community.

This isn't about taking children out of school.

It's about taking expertise into schools.

You'll work directly with leaders, SENCOs, teachers, families and partners to build confidence, develop inclusive practice and reduce barriers to learning—supporting Sheffield's vision that every child belongs.

Why this role matters

National SEND reforms are placing greater emphasis on:

Earlier intervention
Inclusive mainstream education
Building expertise within schools
Stronger partnership working
Improved outcomes for children and young people

Our Experts at Hand approach brings these reforms to life by providing specialist expertise where it's needed most.

You'll become part of a city-wide team helping schools develop sustainable inclusive practice rather than creating dependency on specialist services.

What you'll do

You'll support a group of Sheffield schools by:

Coaching and mentoring school leaders, SENCOs and teachers
Modelling high-quality inclusive classroom practice
Delivering engaging professional learning
Supporting children with complex SEND to succeed in mainstream education wherever appropriate
Working alongside families to develop shared understanding and effective support
Advising on Universal, Targeted and Specialist provision
Contributing to EHCP Needs Assessments and statutory processes
Using evidence and data to measure impact
Helping schools develop confidence rather than reliance

This is a collaborative role where relationships, influence and practical expertise matter.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for experienced practitioners who:

Are passionate about inclusion
Believe every child deserves to belong in their local community
Have significant experience supporting children with SEND
Have successfully led SEND within schools
Can inspire and coach others
Are confident delivering training
Build trusted relationships quickly
Are solution-focused and reflective
Enjoy working across schools and agencies

Qualified Teacher Status is essential together with substantial experience supporting children and young people with SEND.

About Experts at Hand

Experts at Hand ensures specialist expertise reaches children through the adults who support them every day.

Rather than becoming the expert for the child, you'll become the expert alongside schools, helping staff develop the confidence, knowledge and skills that create lasting change.

Together we're creating:

More inclusive schools
Earlier support
Stronger partnerships
Better outcomes
A genuine sense of belonging for every child

Why Sheffield?

This is an exciting time to join us.

You'll play a key role in delivering:

Sheffield's SEND and Inclusion Strategy
The Experts at Hand model
National SEND Reform
The city's Belonging Framework
A collaborative approach with education, health and family services

Join us

If you're an experienced teacher who believes inclusion is everyone's responsibility and wants to influence practice beyond a single classroom, we'd love to hear from you.

Help us build a city where expertise is shared, schools are empowered, and every child belongs.

If you would like a conversation regarding the role please contact Jo.Laidlaw@sheffield.gov.uk to arrange a mutually convenient time for a discussion.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.