SENCO: role and responsibilities

Get an overview of the role of the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) and their main responsibilities.

Last reviewed on 26 November 2025See updates
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Contents
  1. Make sure your SENCO is part of the SLT
  2. Adapt your SENCO's job description
  3. Overview of the SENCO role
  4. Main areas of responsibility 

Make sure your SENCO is part of the SLT

Ofsted expects your SENCO to have sufficient authority within your school’s leadership structure to make a positive difference for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), so it’s a good idea to make them part of your senior leadership team (SLT).

See page 15 of the State-funded Schools Inspection Toolkit.

Inclusion runs throughout Ofsted’s framework

By including your SENCO in your SLT, they will have a wider perspective of inclusion in your school, which will help them to make sure inclusion is a core part of key whole-school decisions. 

The whole-school overview and level of authority will also allow your SENCO to contribute to whole-school SEND and inclusion decisions, such as making sure that pupils that need additional help are effectively supported to meet the school’s behaviour expectations.

Kathryn Garnham told us this.

SENCOs