SEN Learning Support Lead

The SEN Success Center is a personalized learning support center designed for students who do not fit the traditional school model but do not require placement in a specialized SEN center. We serve students with mild to moderate learning differences — bright, capable learners who simply need a different path. Through a blended hybrid model that combines structured online learning with hands-on support, small group instruction, life skills development, and lifelong learner habits, we build individualized pathways that give every student a voice in their own education.

This role leads the SEN support provision of the center. The successful candidate will also play an active role in developing and shaping the center's safeguarding frameworks and operational policies, ensuring they are purpose-built for this unique learner population. As a founding team member of this growing center, this individual will have the opportunity — and responsibility — to help build, refine, and champion the systems, structures, and culture that make personalized SEN support truly work.

The successful candidate will be a forward-thinking educator who thinks outside the box, partners deeply with students, families, and online teachers, and champions personalized, future-ready learning from Grade 5 through high school.

Key Responsibilities

Assessment, IEP/Learning Plan Development & Progress Monitoring
● Oversee the identification and assessment of students with additional learning needs, coordinating with center-based specialists and, where appropriate, external evaluators.
● Lead the development, implementation, and quality assurance of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), ensuring they are strengths-based, measurable, and co-produced with students and families.
● Monitor each student's progress against IEP/ILP goals through regular data review, adjusting learning accommodation and pathways accordingly.
● Design and maintain personalized learning roadmaps that integrate online coursework, small group instruction, life skills development, and real-world application.

Team Leadership & Collaborative Practice

Manage SEN learning support staff, providing instructional coaching, professional development, and performance guidance.
● Work alongside the center's education team as a collaborative partner — fostering a shared commitment to student-centered, flexible learning.
● Partner with online educators to coordinate, align, and support each student's blended learning experience.
● Champion Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Response to Intervention (RTI) principles across all center activities, adapting consistently to the diverse needs of learners.

Safeguarding & Child Protection
● Uphold and embed the center's Child Protection Policy across all SEN support practices, ensuring all staff are trained and aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. ● Act as a designated point of contact for safeguarding concerns related to students in the center.
● Maintain a culture of safety, trust, and well-being in which every student feels seen, respected, and protected.

Family & Specialist Partnerships
● Cultivate transparent, collaborative, and culturally responsive partnerships with families throughout the assessment, planning, and review cycle — treating parents as essential partners in their child's learning journey.
● Coordinate referrals to and communication with external specialists (e.g., occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, psychologists), ensuring continuity of support between the center and home.
● Maintain accurate, confidential, and organized SEN records for all enrolled students.
● Facilitate regular student-led or family-involved review meetings that give learners an active voice in shaping their own goals and pathways.
● Occasionally facilitate parent workshops to build family capacity in supporting their child's learning at home and beyond.
● Participate occasionally in center marketing and outreach events, representing the SEN Success Center's mission and approach to prospective families and the wider community.


Requirements

Requirements and Qualifications
● Bachelor's degree in Special Education or Education is required; a Master's degree in Special Education, Learning Support, or Educational Leadership is strongly preferred.
● A recognized teaching license or equivalent professional qualification (e.g., U.S. state teaching license, PGCE, or international equivalent).
● A postgraduate qualification in Special Educational Needs Coordination (SENCO/SEND) or equivalent is highly desirable.

Experience
● Minimum five years of teaching experience, including at least three years in special education, learning support, or inclusive education settings.
● Demonstrated experience in a SEN Coordinator, Learning Support Lead, or equivalent leadership role.
● Strong background in IEP/ILP frameworks and inclusive, differentiated assessment practices.
● Proven experience working with students from Grade 5 through high school.
● Experience in or strong understanding of blended/hybrid and online learning environments.
● Demonstrated ability to support the development of life skills, executive function, self-advocacy, and lifelong learning habits in students with learning differences.
● Experience working collaboratively with parents, students, and multidisciplinary teams in a student-centered environment.
● A forward-thinking mindset for students who need a non-traditional approach.
● Familiarity with online curriculum platforms is an advantage.

Language
Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in Arabic is a distinct advantage in the Abu Dhabi context.

How to Apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit the following to [email address]:
● A current CV
● A cover letter (no more than two pages) outlining your learning support philosophy, your approach to working with students who need non-traditional pathways, and relevant experience with blended/hybrid learning
● Copies of teaching qualifications and license(s)
● Contact details for two professional referees, including at least one current or recent line manager

The center is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students and expects all staff to share this commitment. Pre-employment checks will be conducted in accordance with UAE requirements