Course summary
How can outstanding provision be developed in schools for children and young people with SEN using evidenced-based best practice? The field of SEND is complex and constantly changing. This part-time course will give aspiring and practicing SENCo’s an in-depth understanding of effective policy, provision and practice to meet the diverse needs of children with SEND. You may be working as a SEND practitioner in a school, early years setting, college or alternative provision. You may or may not be a teacher, but you will be working with children and or young people who have additional needs. The course will address all the needs of a professional who is or wishes to develop a career in supporting and developing SEND provision. You will meet colleagues and develop professional networks with both practitioners and leaders in the field of SEN. Leeds Trinity University provides postgraduate training to professionalise the SENCo role, improve pupil outcomes and to invest in and retain current SENCos or those working with in SEND provision. This course is taught over a period of a year or across an academic year on four Saturdays and online between 3.30pm and 6.30pm on Thursdays approximately monthly between September and July. You will focus on both SENCo as a practitioner and SENCo as a leader across two modules. You will be asked to explore the reasons why a child cannot access learning and will develop innovative ways to remove barriers to progression for children and young people with SEND. You will develop skills to critically evaluate policy and provision to develop outstanding inclusive practice with children and care givers. You will also develop skills to understand each child’s needs and start the journey to becoming an expert in identification and assessment to allow personalised planning and support to be developed so no child is left behind in their educational journey. Celebrating strengths in children and planning for teaching methods that incorporate these will be explored in detail. You will develop:
- Professional knowledge and understanding that you as a SENCo will need.
- Expertise and capabilities that a SENCo needs to lead and coordinate effective provision.
- Personal and professional qualities that are specific to your role, and will be key in you making a positive impact on the ethos and culture in your setting will also be explored and developed.
Modules
On this part-time course, you will complete two modules: SENCo as a Practitioner This module will focus on your work understanding and implementing the statutory and regulatory framework. You will focus your work on the graduated approach and the four areas of SEN. There will be a significant focus on your personal and professional skills linked to child-centred approaches and developing the practice of quality first teaching to meeting these. You will develop a practitioner enquiry on a child within your provision and submit a portfolio based on your own provision and work within it. SENCo as a Leader This module will focus on developing your leadership skills to developing your school provision to improve outcomes for SEND. Leading in the SENCo role will be the focus of this module. You will learn best practice in collecting and using data. You will develop a deeper understanding about developing whole school provision for SEND. There will be content linked to the effective management of support staff and developing a coaching culture in your school to support teaching staff to develop effective practice in their classrooms. The SENCo as leader of CPD will also be an area of exploration to develop whole school improvement. You will complete a practitioner enquiry on leading and developing your own provision linked to your developing leadership skills in SEND and you will submit your second portfolio based on this work. Independent Learning There is an expectation that you will study and undertake independent learning outside of campus study days.
Assessment method
You will complete a portfolio of work-related tasks for both modules. These portfolios will be the assessment element of the course. The tasks included in each portfolio will help you apply theory to your practice in supporting children with SEND learning. The work-based tasks will be linked to evaluating a setting and documenting ways to improve it. This might be linked for example in how to identify a SEND. You might audit an aspect of the setting linked to SEND provision for example in SEMH interventions. Each task you undertake will be personalised to your setting and your interests.
Entry requirements
This course is open to anyone who works in an educational setting with children and young people with additional needs. Usually, applicants have an undergraduate degree. However, we do accept applicants who have extensive experience in the sector and can evidence this with a letter of support from their setting and a CV for experience and qualifications without a degree. These applicants will need to access additional support outside of our taught sessions. The letter of support from your employer needs to agree to support you in undertaking the work-based tasks as the tasks will be linked to evaluating a setting and documenting ways to improve it. Applicants with PRL will be considered. This course is only open to students who already have the right to live and study in the UK. For more information on entry requirements, email [email protected]
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Additional fee information
For information about our tuition fees please visit our website.
Provider information
Leeds Trinity University
Brownberrie Lane
Horsforth
Leeds
LS18 5HD