Profession special educational needs head teacher

Special educational needs head teachers manage the day-to-day activities of a special education school. They supervise and support staff, as well as research and introduce programs that provide the necessary assistance for students with physical, mental or learning disabilities. They may make decisions concerning admissions, are responsible for meeting curriculum standards and ensure the school meets the national education requirements set by law. Special educational needs head teachers also manage the school's budget and are responsible for maximising the reception of subsidies and grants. They also review and adopt their policies in accordance to current research conducted in the special needs assessment field.

Would you like to know what kind of career and professions suit you best? Take our free Holland code career test and find out.

Personality Type

• Enterprising / Social
• Enterprising / Conventional

Knowledge

• Curriculum objectives

  The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

• Education law

  The area of law and legislation that concerns education policies and the people working in the sector in an (inter)national context, such as teachers, students, and administrators.

• Curriculum standards

  The governmental policies concerning educational curricula and the approved curricula from specific educational institutions.

• Learning needs analysis

  The process of analysing a student's learning needs through observation and testing, potentially followed by the diagnosis of a learning disorder and a plan for additional support.

• Disability care

  The specific methods and practices used in providing care to people with physical, intellectual and learning disabilities.

• Special needs education

  The teaching methods, equipment and settings used to support students with special needs in achieving succes in school or community.

• Project management

  Understand project management and the activities which comprise this area. Know the variables implied in project management such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.

• Disability types

  The nature and types of disabilities affecting the human beings such as physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional or developmental and the specific needs and access requirements of disabled people.

• Learning difficulties

  The learning disorders some students face in an academic context, especially Specific Learning Difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and concentration deficit disorders.

• Pedagogy

  The discipline that concerns the theory and practice of education including the various instructional methods for educating individuals or groups.

Skills

• Analyse staff capacity

  Evaluate and identify staffing gaps in quantity, skills, performance revenue and surpluses.

• Develop organisational policies

  Develop and supervise the implementation of policies aimed at documenting and detailing the procedures for the operations of the organisation in the lights of its strategic planning.

• Present reports

  Display results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way.

• Supervise educational staff

  Monitor and evaluate the actions of the educational staff such as teaching or research assistants and teachers and their methods. Mentor, train, and give advice to them if necessary.

• Cooperate with education professionals

  Communicate with teachers or other professionals working in education in order to identify needs and areas of improvement in education systems, and to establish a collaborative relationship.

• Assess financial viability

  Revise and analyse financial information and requirements of projects such as their budget appraisal, expected turnover, and risk assessment for determining the benefits and costs of the project. Assess if the agreement or project will redeem its investment, and whether the potential profit is worth the financial risk.

• Manage staff

  Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.

• Monitor educational developments

  Monitor the changes in educational policies, methodologies and research by reviewing relevant literature and liaising with education officials and institutions.

• Write work-related reports

  Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.

• Provide feedback to teachers

  Communicate with the teacher in order to provide them with detailed feedback on their teaching performance, class management and curriculum adherence.

• Guarantee students' safety

  Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.

• Use office systems

  Make appropriate and timely use of office systems used in business facilities depending on the aim, whether for the collection of messages, client information storage, or agenda scheduling. It includes administration of systems such as customer relationship management, vendor management, storage, and voicemail systems.

• Manage budgets

  Plan, monitor and report on the budget.

• Show an exemplary leading role in an organisation

  Perform, act, and behave in a manner that inspires collaborators to follow the example given by their managers.

• Assist in the organisation of school events

  Provide assistance in the planning and organisation of school events, such as the school's open house day, a sports game or a talent show.

• Apply for government funding

  Gather information on and apply for subsidies, grants, and other financing programmes provided by the government to small- and large-scale projects or organisations in various fields.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB