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SEND link governor/trustee role description

Use our role description to learn how to act as the governing board’s SEND specialist and champion the needs of pupils with SEND at board level.

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26/02/2024
Pupils-learning hands covered in coloured paint

The law requires governing boards to use their ‘best endeavors’ (do everything they can) to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) get the support they need.

Statutory guidance, the SEND code of practice, is clear that boards should appoint a link governor/trustee (or a sub-committee) to lead on the board’s monitoring of support for pupils with SEND. However, the board itself retains collective responsibility.

In practice, SEND link governors and trustees work closely with the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) in their school or trust.

This important role means acting as the governing board’s SEND specialist and championing the needs of pupils with SEND at board level. SEND governors/trustees will need to focus their time on understanding how SEND provision works in their own setting.

Our role description covers the purpose of the SEND link governor/trustee role and duties that include:

  • working with the SENCO
  • understanding and monitoring effective SEND practice
  • supporting the governing board to monitor SEND provision

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