Assistant SEN Officer

12 months fixed term contract

We have an exciting opportunity for an Assistant SEN Officer to join our SEND Team, supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

In this role, you’ll help coordinate resolutions for children with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, or going through an EHC assessment. This includes ensuring they the EHC Plans or correspondence/liaison with the parents is high quality, outcome-focused, and delivered in line with statutory requirements. You’ll work closely with families, schools, and professionals to ensure children and young people receive the support they need to thrive.

This is a varied and rewarding position, ideal for someone who is analytical, organised, compassionate, and passionate about making a difference.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the role

You’ll play a key role in supporting the new resolutions team, which will involve SEND casework and ensuring statutory processes are delivered effectively and on time. Working as part of a busy team, you’ll engage with a wide range of stakeholders and contribute to positive outcomes for children and families.

Tribunal processes

Investigating and writing complaints

Supporting the Resolutions Lead with building dynamic and robust systems within this new team

Monitor timescales and ensure complaint responses, statutory processes and communications are completed on time

Provide advice and support to families, responding to queries via phone and email

Maintain accurate records and update databases to support reporting and decision-making

Contribute to meetings, panels, and reporting requirements

Ensure safeguarding concerns are identified and managed appropriately

About you

You’ll be a confident communicator with a strong commitment to supporting children and families. You’ll be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, managing deadlines, and working collaboratively with a range of professionals.

Experience working within SEND, education, health, or social care environments

Experience working with families and building positive relationships

Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise workload effectively

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and data systems

Understanding of SEND, safeguarding, and relevant legislation (or willingness to learn)

Ability to work independently and as part of a team

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including

Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave

A wide range of flexible working opportunities

Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)

On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted

Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work

Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

Closing Date

Friday 5th June 2026

Interview Date

Tuesday 16th June 2026

Interview Process

1 hour in person interview at the Civic Centre, Reading (reasonable adjustments can be made)

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Disability Confident

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.