Early Years Specialist Teacher
This role is to be a Specialist Teacher within Cheshire West’s Early Years Specialist Teaching Service.
The post holder will play a key role in supporting children aged 2–5 with emerging or identified SEND, working across a range of early years settings to model high‑quality inclusive practice and build practitioner confidence. The role involves delivering specialist teaching, undertaking assessments, advising on provision and pathways, coordinating interventions, and working closely with families, settings, and multi‑agency partners to ensure timely identification, effective support, and smooth transitions for young children with complex needs.
Working collaboratively with a dedicated team, the role involves:
- Providing specialist advice, guidance, and support to schools and early years settings to promote inclusive practice.
- Undertaking detailed assessments, planning and delivering tailored programmes, and monitoring progress.
- Supporting and directing Specialist Support Assistants to ensure effective, inclusive practice and high-quality provision.
- Supporting transitions between phases and advising on deployment of resources and strategies.
- Delivering training to build practitioner confidence and capacity in mainstream and specialist settings.
- Liaising with multi-agency partners and contributing to service development initiatives.
The successful applicant will be an experienced practitioner with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), substantial experience of supporting young children with SEND, and a deep understanding of early childhood development, current SEN theory, safeguarding frameworks, and inclusive early years approaches. They will demonstrate excellent communication, problem‑solving, and collaborative skills, with the ability to work sensitively with families and practitioners across diverse early years settings. A strong commitment to ongoing professional development and reflective practice is essential.
This hybrid role requires flexibility to work across Cheshire West and Chester, including schools, council offices and home working.
Cheshire West and Chester Council is a place where everyone can Thrive – through our core values of Teamwork, Honesty, Respect, Innovation, Value for Money and Empowerment.
This role is to be a Specialist Teacher within Cheshire West’s Early Years Specialist Teaching Service.
This pivotal role supports the inclusion of children and young people with cognition and learning needs across the borough. Demand and complexity of need continues to grow nationally, and Cheshire West is committed to promoting highly inclusive practice in all schools and settings.
As a Specialist Teacher, you will work directly with pupils aged 2–5, their families, Early Years settings, schools, and partner agencies to ensure early identification, access to high‑quality inclusive practice and improved outcomes. The role involves delivering specialist teaching, undertaking assessments, advising on provision and pathways, coordinating interventions. You will work closely with families, settings, and multi‑agency partners to ensure timely identification, effective support, and smooth transitions for young children with complex needs.
The role also involves:
- Supporting Early Years providers and schools to implement effective developmentally appropriate strategies and deploy resources.
- Delivering training to build practitioner confidence and capacity.
- Liaising with multi-agency partners and contributing to Early Years SEND service development.
- Promoting Quality First Teaching and inclusive approaches aligned with the SEND Code of Practice and Equality Act 2010.
The successful candidate will:
- Hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and have substantial experience supporting young children with SEND.
- Demonstrate excellent communication and collaborative skills.
- Have a thorough understanding of early childhood development, SEN legislation, safeguarding frameworks, and inclusive Early Years practice.
- Be proactive, well-organised, and committed to ongoing professional development.
If you are passionate about improving outcomes for young children with emerging or identified SEND, and you want to make a meaningful difference during the most crucial years of development, we would love to hear from you.
Grade is Teacher’s Pay and Conditions MPS/UPS + SEN2 (This post will be offered on MPS starting at £32,916 ranging through to UPS at £51,048, plus SEN Allowance that ranges from £2787 - £5497) depending on experience.
We will be offering two informal drop‑in sessions for anyone interested in the role -this will be an opportunity to learn more about the position and ask any questions you may have. if you are interested in these sessions please contact: terri.hughes@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
Please note that this job is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
To find out more information about what it is like to work for Cheshire West and Chester Council including our rewards and benefits please see www.cwcrecruitment.co.uk
No candidate will meet every single requirement - if your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we'd love to learn more about you!
Cheshire West and Chester Council are committed to equality and diversity in employment. Please see the Equality Policy for more information.
Cheshire West and Chester Council have adopted a Local Living Wage for our employees which means that all employees will receive a minimum of £12.60 per hour for all contracted hours.
For any technical enquiries please email Sourcingteam@ecwip.co.uk and quote job reference number in all correspondence.