Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Senco hours

7 replies

JamesJaames · 26/07/2019 20:34

I'm doing some research and wondering what is a typical work pattern for a SENCo in a primary school, ie how many days a week, how many TA's allocated to SEN etc. Particularly interested in schools in Oxfordshire. Thanks!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Littlefish · 26/07/2019 22:45

There's no way to answer your question as it entirely depends on the size of the school, the area it's in, the percentage of child with SEND, the type of SEND, the number of EHCPs, the way the school is organised, e.g. mixed age or single age classes, the school budget etc.

pinksquash13 · 28/07/2019 16:05

Agree. How long is a piece of string.

spanieleyes · 28/07/2019 17:02

There is a guidance document, from the NUT, that sets out how they cnsider SENCO time should be calculated.

Formula for guiding Senco Essential Duties Time (per week) (NUT Charter 2006)

The following objective measures were used in devising the formula to act as a guide for allocating Sencos an appropriate minimum number of hours for their essential duties.

A) The notional SEN budget allocated to the school to the nearest thousand (eg, School X has a notional budget of £67,755 = 68 points)

B) A points allocation based upon the PLASC data as follows:

a) Number of pupils at School Action (x 1)
b) Number of pupils at School Action Plus (x 5)
c) Number of pupils with Statements (x 5)

(School X has 10 pupils at SA = 10 points; 5 pupils at SA+ = 25 points; 6 pupils with statements = 30 points making a total of 65 points).

Adding A + B = 133 points
Every 40 points = 1 hour so the Senco for School X is recommended 3 hours.

C) Pupil mobility – annual pupil turnover is both a major factor in, and an indicator of, the workload of Sencos. Thus an additional factor (based on a local authority’s annual mobility data) has been built into the formula thus:

Pupil turnover greater than 20% = 1 additional hour
Pupil turnover greater than 30% = 2 additional hours
Pupil turnover greater than 40% = 3 additional hours
School X has a pupil turnover of 34% and thus the Senco gains 2 hours making a total overall of 5 hours.

but this is just guidance!

Norestformrz · 28/07/2019 18:05

Zero hours
Zero TAs since Easter
Two pupils with dedicated 1-1 support
Above average SEN
By the formula I should have 2 days dedicated SENCo time and I know other schools where the SENCo role is full time with a similar number of pupils.

JamesJaames · 28/07/2019 21:15

Thanks very much @Spanieleyes - very helpful info.

@Norestformrz - seems to be a common theme at the moment. :(

OP posts:
HuntIdeas · 30/07/2019 11:55

@spanieleyes is that really correct? I assume the answer is 5 hours per week (or is it per day?)

A pupil with a statement is only awarded 5 points. If 40 points = 1 hour, that means an additional 7.5 mins per week per student with a statement - how is that long enough?

Our school has a full time “inclusion manager” but it is massive!

spanieleyes · 30/07/2019 12:46

It comes from the NUT and from 2006 so is obviously out of date but I haven't been able to find anything more current!
www.bathspa.ac.uk/media/bathspaacuk/education-/research/senco-workload/SENCOWorkloadReport-FINAL2018.pdf
makes for depressing reading!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page