L6 Strategic SEND Leader

Programme Overview

Through this Level 6 Improvement Leader apprenticeship, you will transform your SEND and Inclusion team from a reactive function to a strategic, proactive and evidence-driven team. You will enhance your leadership skills, develop your team and harness advanced data analytics and Lean process optimisation to drive meaningful and sustained whole-school impact. A key output of this programme is the planning and delivery of an Inclusion-focused improvement plan, directly tackling a challenge within your setting. The Strategic SEND Leader programme has been endorsed and approved by The Institute of Leadership, offering you a 2 year membership to their professional body. As a member, you will have access to additional learning and mentoring opportunities, digital credentials to share on social media and post-nominal letters after your name (MIoL). Delivered in partnership with ESF Apprenticeships (Ofsted Outstanding) and Real Training.

What Your Staff Will Learn

• Gain the knowledge and skills to lead a confident, high-performing SEND and Inclusion team — develop your emotional intelligence, coaching and leadership skills to support staff wellbeing and manage difficult conversations with sensitivity
• Transition from reactive management to strategic planning — look beyond daily demands and anticipate future trends in pupil needs, SEND policy changes and demographics
• Gain practical experience of high-level strategy and improvement tools — create a long-term vision for your department and optimise your SEND initiatives
• Plan, implement and review a high-impact, inclusion-focused Improvement Plan — address a real-life challenge within your setting throughout the programme
• Develop strategic leadership competencies — learn how to free-up time using "Lean" principles and develop competencies such as benchmarking and using data to make decisions
• Elevate your professional standing as a Leader — join a global community of 50,000 and solidify your experience with status as a Member of The Institute of Leadership

Entry Requirements

• 1
  Currently working in a SEND or Inclusion leadership role (e.g. SENCO, Assistant SENCO, Inclusion Manager)
• 2
  Must be employed in a school or MAT setting with support from your headteacher/line manager
• 3
  Be employed for a minimum of 16 hours per week in England
• 4
  Have the right to work in the UK and have been resident in England for the last 3 years
• 5
  Note: Applications are currently paused as the Improvement Leader apprenticeship standard is being reviewed nationally — register your interest to be kept informed

Benefits for Your School