How SENCos Can Lessen Their Workload
With so many competing demands on their time, what can SENCos do to keep on top of their workload? James Bowen has a few suggestions…
- by James Bowen
Whenever I ask SENCos to name the single biggest challenge they face in their role, the answer is nearly always the same – time.
The reality for most is that it feels as though there’s simply too much to do, and not enough time available to do it in. National policy changes, such as the shift from Statements to Education Health and Care plans, have only exacerbated the issue and there are few who would argue that their workload has decreased in recent times.
Most SENCos, especially those in primary, also retain significant teaching responsibilities and in many cases will have a class of their own. Juggling the competing demands of each role can be an enormous challenge. So how can this seemingly impossible balancing act be made slightly more manageable?
Prioritising
In order to succeed as a SENCo, one of the first things you have to do is accept the uncomfortable truth that you will not be able to get everything done. This can be a hard message for those who take great pride in completing their to-do list, but the reality is that it just won’t happen (at least not if you plan on sleeping at some point).
Instead, you need to prioritise and focus your time on those things that will have the biggest impact or are statutory requirements. The problem with being a SENCo, though, is that often everything can feel like a priority.
A useful tactic is to look at each task and ask yourself, ‘What will happen if I don’t do this?’ Not completing a statutory assessment application for a child will clearly have significant consequences; not getting round to filling in a survey you’ve been asked to complete by the Local Authority, less so. You have to be ruthless and prepared to let some lower priority tasks fall by the wayside.
As a SENCo, you will be one of the most in-demand people at your school. Whether it’s a parent wanting to meet with you, a teacher needing some advice or a teaching assistant needing a one-to-one chat, it can often feel as if everyone wants a piece of your time, and that they all need it right now. If you’re not careful, you can end up frantically dashing from one person to the next in order to satisfy their competing demands. To alleviate this, schedule specific times during the week when you will be ‘available’, and ensure everyone knows about them. This is especially important if you also have a class of your own to manage.
Consider holding a weekly drop-in ‘SENCo surgery’ for your fellow teachers – a set time when they can come and talk to you about any issues they need your support with. It can be equally useful to allocate time in the week to meeting with parents and carers. For this to work, however, it’s crucial that you have the support of those responsible for booking such meetings, such as the school’s office staff. You don’t want to appear inflexible, of course, and there may well be occasions when it’s necessary meet parents outside of your agreed times – but having such allocated slots will allow you to retain an important degree of control over your very limited availability.
One of the most useful things I used to do as a SENCo was hold a monthly ‘parent / SENCo coffee morning’. This not only helped in terms of communication and building relationships, but also allowed me to discuss multiple minor issues or queries within a small group setting, thus negating the need for lots of individual meetings at a later date.
Help with admin and planning ahead
There is a great deal of administrative work associated with being a SENCo, and a seemingly endless number of forms to fill in. Some of these forms will require your expertise and input, but many will simply be about gathering information or data, which isn’t the best use of your time.
Instead, ask if there’s someone else in the school who could shoulder some of this administrative burden for you. It could be someone in the office team, or an assistant appointed specifically to carry out the role. If you do not already have such support, it’s worth raising the issue with your line manager or headteacher. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that SENCos should receive “Sufficient administrative support to fulfil their responsibilities”.
As a SENCo I was always incredibly busy, yet there were still certain times of the year that were worse than others. The second half of the summer term, for example, is always a real pinch point, what with all the work that’s needed around planning transitions. Planning ahead is therefore vital.
At the start of the year, try mapping out all the different tasks you know you will have to do across the three terms. Look for any opportunities to reschedule certain jobs in order to spread your workload out more evenly. Be sure to share any important SENDrelated deadlines with the rest of the staff, so that they know well in advance what you will need from them and when.
If there are going to be clear peaks in terms of your workload, consider asking your line manager or headteacher if you can have some additional release time. If you can show why you’ll need it and can give them plenty of notice, you’ll be far more likely to get a positive response.
The bottom line
Whilst I hope some of the above advice will prove useful, I do want to stress one very important point – that it’s simply not possible to do the job of a SENCo without having dedicated time to do so.
Again, the Code of Practice is very clear on this. You should expect to have time away from your teaching role, if you have one, to fulfil your responsibilities as a SENCo. You can have the best time management skills in the world, but without specific time set aside for you to do the job, you will not be able to do it – and nor should you be expected to.
Due to the different size and context of each school, there is no agreed set amount of time that the job should involve. But if you feel you have insufficient time to properly complete your duties, you should have a conversation with someone at your school.
Meetings, meetings, meetings
If there’s one thing that’s certainly true for sencos, it’s that there’s no shortage of meetings for you to attend.
Whilst it will indeed be crucial for you to attend some of these meetings, such as an important annual review, there may be some where it might be better to send someone else on your behalf. Could a senior TA perhaps attend that LA update meeting and report back to you? Not only will that help you, it will be great for their professional development. Again, it’s about prioritising and asking yourself which meetings it’s critical for you to personally be at.
About the author
James Bowen is the director of NAHT Edge and a former subject leader, SENCo and deputy headteacher; for more information, visit nahtedge.org.uk
