Specialist Teacher for VI and MSI

At Suffolk County Council, every role is a chance to create positive change. We're not just a local authority; we're a team of dedicated individuals working together to improve lives across our diverse communities. As our new Specialist Teacher for Vision Impairment (VI) and Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI) you'll have the unique opportunity to see the direct impact of your work on the people and places that make Suffolk special. Your contributions will help build a brighter future for all. If you're passionate about making a real, tangible difference, it's time to reimagine your career with us. Join Suffolk County Council and turn your passion for positive change into action.
Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities
When you join the Vision Impairment (VI) and Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI) Team as a specialist teacher, we'll support your development from the start.
You will:
- support Children and Young People (CYP) and their families, as well as schools and settings to meet the needs of CYP with a vision or multi-sensory impairment
- ensure a focus on enabling and empowering school and setting-based professionals to meet the needs of their learners
- liaise with and facilitate joint working with families and with other relevant partners and agencies to review progress and to secure the learner's success and inclusion
- work in partnership with schools and settings; modelling best practice and demonstrating and sharing a variety of resources, impactful approaches, and strategies to enable the learners' access, progress, and inclusion
- promote inclusive classrooms through target setting, supporting school staff and delivering effective and high-quality training
- work collaboratively with the other services within the Specialist Education Services (SES) and the wider Inclusion Service.
As part of the SES, you will be responsible for managing a caseload, including attending meetings, and writing visit notes and inclusion plans. As well as working with CYP, families and professionals in schools to promote good practice, you will liaise with other teams within SES, as relevant, to raise awareness of inclusion for CYP on caseload. You will update your own knowledge and qualifications through continued professional development. You will be responsible for delivering training to schools at individual and cluster level and contribute to training at county level., The Sensory and Physical team offers a comprehensive range of services including Deaf Services, Vision Service, Multi-sensory Impairment Service, and support from Intervenors and Specialist LSAs. Our team comprises qualified teachers, Sensory Support Practitioners, and medical professionals with diverse experience across mainstream and specialist provisions, covering pre-school, primary, and secondary expertise. We also collaborate closely with a Habilitation Specialist as part of our extended team.
As a well-respected and friendly group, we are dedicated to supporting children and young people with vision impairments, aiming to promote their independence and sense of self. Our supportive environment fosters collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous professional development. Working with individuals from birth to 25 years old, we have the unique opportunity to witness and support their growth and development over time. Our work spans various settings, including educational institutions, homes, and community environments, with some time allocated for office or remote work. We are passionate about our mission and committed to providing tailored support to enable our young people to become independent adults.

Empowering Everyone
We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report

be an experienced teacher (holding QTS) with experience of working with learners who have SEND, and specifically VI or MSI, although this is not essential
- evidence a commitment to continuing professional development
- have excellent interpersonal skills, working well with CYP, their families, and school staff as well as a multidisciplinary team of colleagues
- have good written communication skills for report writing and the production of training materials
- have good personal organisation skills, excellent time management and the ability to work as part of a team
- have the ability to advise and guide school staff on a range of issues relating to inclusion and provision, to meet the needs of learners with VI and MSI.
You can view a full list of requirements in theJob and Person Profile (docx). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.