David Mansfield

In over 18 years I have obtained valuable real life experience and skills in education, that I deem to be required to forthfill the role successfully, in the fast changing world education. My present job title of 3 Years is Assistant SENDCo however included in this time period I am presently SENDCo in charge since September 2022. In March 2023 I successfully guided my present school through JCQ inspection with no future inspection needed and more recently Ofsted inspection in April 2023 to a grading of Good, where it was highlighted that there was a strong ethos of SEN throughout the school, this included teaching staff being supported and guided by SEND team.

This role see the line management of 12 AP this included deployment, inset training, staff appraisals. Supporting the SEN register that includes the supporting of 136 students and their families by being their point of contact, I am regularly chairing EHCP, MSP reviews, reintegration meetings to support the whole school behaviour.

I also regally attended multiagency meetings and are a part of local planning meetings, Safe guarding meetings including TAS meetings overseeing the running of SEN department, another part of the role the school’s access arrangement assessor. I hold the Level 7 Certificate of Psychometric Testing Assessments & Access Arrangements (CPT3A) qualification

The role of Assistant SENDCo has also enabled me to put in place alternative pathways to aid inclusion of students who are struggling access the main curriculum on offer.

Since September I have met this new challenge of the dual role SENDCo and Assistant SENDCo with enthusiasm and desire, I have faced challenges with staff recruitment, rising SEN, I have implemented strategies that help students build resilience and help them spend more time learning in lessons with the step out system.

I have made change on how the SEN team deliver interventions, so the student does not face the barrier of being weeks behind the learning of their peers in any subject.

I have put in place further support for our ITT students, where they are buddied up with a member of the SEN team and follow their timetable, so they get to experience all areas of SEN around the school not just their department.

The new responsibilities have enabled me to liaise closer to Teaching and Learning leaders as we collaborate together to create new efficient Teaching tools to help support the learning in class. I am continually developing effective strategies and effective working relationships with those who present the most challenging of behaviours by working closely with Heads of Years and Behaviour Team.

I have gained priceless experience of preparing and putting new systems in place under the pressure of Ofsted inspection cycle, this includes future proofing of Pupil one page profiles and modernisation of provision maps.

The role has given me opportunity to further expand my experience working with external agency, this includes Social Workers, Educational Psychologists, Educational Improvement Teachers, and Local Authorities (this includes being one of the named professionals on thethe Wakefield Local Authority EHCP review panel.

To support my application I can also call on a wealth of experience from my previous Pastoral and Teaching experience that has spanned my career working in educational settings over the past 18 years.

This includes experience as Key Stage 2 class teacher at Hall Cliffe Primary School, this saw me undertaking pastoral duties that included preparing reports and being presenting them at student annual reviews.

I worked regularly and closely with Designated Safeguarding Lead whilst chairing meetings around the student’s well-being and their needs, these meetings included other members of staff who I line managed. This role also gave me the experience of delivering National curriculum framework Key Stage 1 and 2 this includes the teaching of Religious Education, Geography, literacy, Numeracy, Science, Art, Computing, PSHE, Design and Technology. My role also included being Religious Education coordinator in this role I complete schemes of works, subject audits and subject action plans for future improvements to the curriculum. Being the Religious Education coordinator has given me the opportunity to plan whole school events based around Religion.

I would complete reports for parents every term I also produced reports for local authorities about student progress this was done every term. The role of teacher also enabled me to chair meetings based around the students with colleagues and therapists. This role also gave me the opportunity to be a part of local authority meetings that involved outside agencies. Undertaking opportunities to improve my expertise in the field of education I completed regular school cpd and other training opportunities that relate to improving my overall pastoral and teaching practice. I recognise these opportunities by partaking in critical reflection of my teaching practice and pastoral role. The role also enabled me to evaluate student progress through the whole school marking policy this includes marking of students work and the editing of online trackers. I contribute to the school development as a part off the staff team. As class teacher I direct two teaching assistants in the creation of a safe and engaging learning environment that offers challenge and differentiation for all students.

At Minsthorpe, while also undertaking a PGCE in lifelong learning and having teaching and Pastoral responsibilities that included being a Post 16 tutor and Form mentor, Delivering Post 16, GCSE equivalent IGCSE, Maths mastery for years 7 to 11 and Post 16 BTEC Workskills / Public Services teacher, this gave me valuable experience liaising with offsite provisions and placements. I also had further responsibilities teaching Key stage 2 year 6 transition classes for my four years at Minsthorpe. My initial responsibilities as HLTA involved working closely with the SENCO and the Heads of Year at Minsthorpe overseeing establishing the SEMH intervention for student’s year 7 to 11 this included work with a high number of students who have ASD or MLD. This role involved the development of schemes of work for removals of barriers to learning, also this included data management tracking of students and developing of support plans for students. I also delivered PSD as an ASDAN qualification and have gained certification to do this. Due to my work being heavily involved with student who had varying SEMH issues this has enabled me to develop my teaching practice that promotes the high expectations of the students that helps them meet their full potential.

After completing my PGCE I took on the role of Functional Skills teacher at Meadowcroft in this role I had the opportunity to prepare and present informative reports to parents, whilst teaching Functional Skills English, Maths, ICT, Science and PSHE. I was also a form tutor, the students age range at Meadowcroft is 5 to 19. I was also one of the leads for Healthy School’s at Meadowcroft. The students who I regularly taught had a vast range of personalised complex needs that include ASD, SLD and MLD. This role also gave me responsibilities for creation of subject policies that I taught and the creation of long term, medium term and short-term planning that go with the subject policies. My role also required me to provide and update accurate data on student progress using school tracking systems.

Bridge Manager Outwood Grange, this was a pastoral role supporting the schools most vulnerable students and their parents in this role I also delivered Maths interventions this builds on to the wealth of experiences I have already acquired in delivering Numeracy that covers Key Stage 2 through to Post 16 students, I have also held the position of Cover Supervisor at Outwood Grange before taking on the more pastoral role of the Bridge Manager previous to my employment at Outwood Grange, I worked as Secondary teacher and Year Manger in schools across the Yorkshire region through Protocol Education this included gaining Learning Manager experience at Outwood Freeston for 6 weeks so I could learn OGAT systems and procedures, I used this role to bring me up to speed with the pastoral responsibilities that would be required for the commencement of my Pastoral role of Bridge Manger at Outwood Grange

For the first seven years of my career in education I have had the privilege of being a Learning Manager' at Wakefield City Academy. This role was an important part of my journey, as I was gaining priceless classroom experience in all aspects of teaching. During this time, I enrolled at university to undertake an Education and Training degree course with Humanities credits attached, in order to gain the relevant qualifications needed to help me reach my ultimate goal of being a fully-fledged teacher. In my role as learning manager I have also gained experience in teaching English, Science, ICT, Maths and Humanities across all abilities at both key stage 3 and 4. My teaching experience covered the planning of lessons, marking of work and liaising with parents/ guardians. The opportunity work in pastoral came as a form tutor and N.E.E.T Mentor has given me an invaluable experience of working in pastoral care with vulnerable students. In addition to my contracted role at Wakefield City, I created and run a successful Humanities club to help build engagement between students and that of the subjects History Geography and Religious education. Working at Wakefield City, I had the privilege to develop the first half of my career in education at one of the top performing schools in the country.