Whether it is an aspiration, you are brand new to the role, or you are already an experienced SENCO, the one thing we all want from our professional development is for it to have a positive impact on ourselves and more importantly the pupils we work with.
Therefore, finding the right professional development course is crucial, which is never an easy task with a sea of online, blended and face-to-face options.
The recent Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) meta-analysis of remote professional development found it to be effective in improving a range of outcomes, including practitioner knowledge and skills and improving outcomes for pupils.
The EEF also found that instructional design principles play a much bigger role in outcomes than whether professional development is delivered face-to-face or remotely.
Practice makes perfect
And that is where Real Training’s unique practice-led learning cycle comes in. At the heart of Real Training courses is a learning model devised by educational psychologists. This model is designed to bridge the gap between “knowing” and “doing” (Pfeffer and Sutton, 2000), through focussing on practical activities which are then supported by theory, reflection and case studies.
Throughout the National Award for SEN Coordination, SENCOs are able to draw upon previous experience and learning as well as their current competencies to create a truly personalised learning journey.
SENCOs can also carry the 60 master’s level credits they achieved from NASENCO into our SEND programme and work towards a postgraduate diploma or even a full MEd in SEND.
The flexible SEND programme allows them to learn and specialise in specific areas of SEND they are interested in. With modules like “autism spectrum condition” and the “certificate of competence in educational testing”, the programme covers a diverse area of SEND in the education sector.
Our discussion forum and 1:1 tutor support allow you to share reflective practice and collective problem-solving with experienced professionals and peers who you trust, creating a dynamic powerful learning experience.
Experience
Not only was Real Training one of the first professional development organisations in the UK education sector to fully deliver online, with level 7 training to support teachers, we have also been continuously refining and improving our programme’s content and delivery method.
We’ve consistently listened to our delegates to make sure our NASENCo course - and our other programmes - didn’t simply lead the way in online delivery, but remain at the cutting edge of engaging, tailored training.
In the 2018-19 academic year, we launched new modules that were developed as a result of us listening to customer feedback and monitoring the needs of the ever-changing education sector in the UK and worldwide.
The new modules include a unique qualification developed for SENCOs and inclusion managers working in international settings.
This qualification combines key skills and knowledge required for all SENCOs, with expert guidance for SEN professionals facing unique and specific challenges in international education, such as local legislation and culture, the impact on learning of third culture kids and language challenges for EAL students.
Our central “evidence and pedagogy for inclusion” module gives educators the opportunity to gain an even deeper understanding in one SEN focus area, developing professional practice in real-world situations through reflective activities, improving practice beyond the remit of the course.
Asynchronous
Those of us on the ground in school all know the feeling of dashing out of the classroom to get to a meeting. With the asynchronous design of Real Training’s NASENCo course, you can tailor a learning journey that works for you and your setting.
Whether you prefer to tackle information on a small scale but often, or set aside a chunk of time, flexibility is built-in with delegates and tutors working together to set target dates for assignments that fit around your priorities in school.
Impact on practice
With a focus that goes beyond the national NASENCo learning outcomes on the development of broader skills such as critical thinking, research and academic writing, in addition to specific SEND topics, the goal is for you to leave not just with the National Award but also as an evidence-based practitioner that uses theory to drive action.
One year on from completion, delegates have told us about the impact both on their setting and their colleagues:
- “I feel more confident in my role. I feel I have a deeper understanding of SEND and it has made me become better at asking questions to understand individual situations better.”
- “I feel confident suggesting new ideas to the senior leadership team and trying new things out. Also, conducting action research on new interventions has been brilliant.”
- “The course has helped me to become more effective as a SENCO mainly through valuing educational research.”
- “It has allowed us to refer to much of the research that I read and used this to inform our policy and practice.”
