If you are thinking of becoming a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) you should be aware of the main responsibilities the role will involve. These include:

• Ensuring the liaison between parents and carers.
• Ensuring that individual educational plans (IEPs) are in place.
• Advising other staff about SEN and having a school policy for dealing with SEN children.
• Put in place a graduated response system to meet children’s needs at the earliest opportunity.
  
  

The role is also management-orientated so you will probably become a member of the senior leadership team in a school and be able to influence the development of policies for whole-school improvement. In many cases this will mean you will first need to be on the senior leadership team before you can become a SENCO. You should check with your headteacher if you are unsure what the policy is in your school.

On 25 March 2008, the Government launched a consultation on the Draft Education (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators) (England) Regulations 2008, which are due to come into force in September 2009.

The regulations prescribe the qualifications and experience of SENCOs and makes specific requirements of the SENCO to be either:

• A qualified teacher.
• The headteacher or acting headteacher — this situation is generally rare and will occur mainly in small primary schools.
• A SENCO already in the position for at least six months before the regulations come into force, who has shown a reasonable prospect of becoming a teacher within two years of the regulations coming into force.
  
  

For further information contact the Training and Development Agency or talk to your line manager or headteacher.