Assistant SEND Officer
We have an exciting opportunity for an Assistant SEND Officer, on a full-time, permanent basis.
At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependent on the needs of the service.
About you...
You will be dedicated to supporting all children and young people to learn, grow and reach their full potential in education. This is a varied and fast-paced role where no two days are the same. Whether you are working in the office alongside colleagues or from home on certain days, you will receive a full induction and ongoing support.
We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic, flexible, confident and reliable and who is seeking a rewarding role. Strong administrative skills and previous experience in similar positions are essential. The successful applicant should have a ‘can-do’ approach, good organisational skills and the ability to multi-task with a high level of accuracy. Excellent communication skills and discretion are essential.
This is your chance to make a lasting impact. We will support you to be at your best, so we can be at ours.
About the team...
It is an exciting time to join Bracknell Forest! We continue to invest in our SEND and Specialist Support service, reflecting the growing number of children and young people identified with additional needs.
Bracknell Forest believe that every child and young person should have access to high quality education, with the right support at the right time, so that they can achieve the best outcomes possible as adults.
We are a small but growing team who work closely together to ensure we deliver the best support to families of children and young people with SEND. Sometimes the work is challenging, but our creative, solution-focused and collegiate approach means the work is highly rewarding. Many team members have worked in the SEND service for several years while others are new to the service. We are friendly and supportive and share a passion for enabling vulnerable children and young people the best opportunities to achieve great outcomes and secure futures.
Key responsibilities...
As one of our Assistant SEND Officers, you will assist the teams by providing high-quality and effective administrative support, covering a wide range of activities.
You will be responsible for supporting SEND Officers to deliver statutory assessments of children and young people; requesting and collating evidence; liaising with families and professionals; creating and updating electronic records using Capita ONE (our case management system), Microsoft Word and Excel and other software.
You will draw on your excellent written and spoken English as the work involves significant amounts of writing emails and letters and working with families and professionals in-person, in virtual meetings and on the phone.
You will also:
- Provide high quality confidential support in relation to coordination, administration, and implementation of all aspects of the SEND team’s work.
- Ensure email and telephone communications are responded to swiftly, and that accurate records of all communications are maintained centrally, issuing high-quality written correspondence at all times.
- Responsible for information management, including maintaining and updating documentation on shared systems including Capita ONE, with due regard to data security.
- Making arrangements for meetings, workshops and other events as required.
- Collate the timely preparation and circulation of meeting papers, action notes and following up on action points.
- Coordinate and provide administrative support in delivery of the team’s response to Freedom of Information (FOI’s) and Subject Access Requests (SARs).
Our benefits...
- 25 days* annual leave increasing to 28 days* after 3 years’ continuous service, with the opportunity to buy up to 10 and sell up to 5 days*.
- Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.
- Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility).
- Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
- Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing.
- Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club.
*(pro rata for part time)
Find out more about all our benefits or see the candidate pack.
Our values
At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.
Reasonable adjustments
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.
Interview date
Interviews will be held on 18th August 2025.
Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate in their application all essential requirements as listed in the job and person specification.
We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.
Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.
Want to ask us a question?
For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:
Christina Skipper, Senior SEND Officer, 01344 355068.
Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.
We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.
Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.
No agencies please.
Equal Opportunities
Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
How to apply
Please apply online via the link provided.
Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.