Archive: September 2020

Many schools have been thinking about how they manage transitions sensitively and kindly for their pupils and staff. Recent evidence provided by Optimus Education and the Education Endowment Foundation has revealed the importance of providing teachers and senior leaders opportunities to continue their professional development (CPD) to help support pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs. Over the past months, the education support team at our sister company, Dyslexia Action, has been working on new CPD courses to allow professionals to develop and enhance their current skills and understanding of Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH).  This week, they launched their first CPD SEMH course, The Emotionally Connected Classroom, with the first cohort beginning on 18 November.

The Emotionally Connected Classroom

This Level 5 unit aims to provide an understanding of the impact of emotions on the thinking brain and its implications for learning. It aims to provide an introduction to key elements of current research and practice in mentalisation theory (understanding the mental state of oneself and others) and emotional coaching. The importance of connectedness and relationships is emphasised throughout. For more information on this course, please click here.

How is The Emotionally Connected Classroom online course delivered?

The Emotionally Connected Classroom online course will be delivered on Real Group’s Campus Online learning environment. Campus Online offers you the flexibility to organise your time to fit around your professional and personal commitments.  It also saves you the time and expense of travel and classroom attendance.

Although the course is fully online, you will be supported every step of the way by an experienced tutor and have opportunities to read and contribute to the discussion forum on the course site. The forums help participants to learn, test out, develop, and refine ideas.

Participants joining Campus Online will be given access to a wide range of e-learning resources. These include presentations, articles, exercises, videos, and follow-up activities and tasks for participants to carry out.

Accreditation 

The Relating Classroom online unit has been submitted for accreditation which is due to be awarded by The CPD Standards Office in November 2020.

Progression 

The Emotionally Connected Classroom is part of Dyslexia Action’s Level 5 SEMH CPD Programme. Eight further units focused on SEMH are currently under development.

How do I register for the November cohort?

The Emotionally Connected Classroom is available to book for the 18 November cohort. To register, please access the Dyslexia Action online booking form here. Alternatively, please feel free to email Dyslexia Action or call on +44(0) 1784 222304 if you have any questions.

 
We have been listening carefully to what schools have been saying about how the beginning of the new academic year has been going, and we fully understand the additional challenges they are facing. As a result, our September cohort dates will be extended to Friday 18 September, in order to take the pressure off of educational settings and avoid as much as possible, delegates who wish to start this month from missing out. Please note, this booking extension does not affect the course submission deadlines.

This extension applies to the following courses and qualifications:

• National Award for SEND Coordination (NASENCo)
• International Award in SEN Coordination (iSENCo)
• MEd and SEND Programme (MEd SEND) – All modules
• National Professional Qualifications for Headship (NPQH), Senior (NPQSL), and Middle Leadership (NPQML)

How are the courses delivered? 

The courses are delivered online through our interactive learning platform, Campus Online with the support of an online tutor. An overview of Campus Online’s main features can be found here.

I would like to register for your September cohort, how do I proceed?

You only have to have completed our online booking form by the cohort deadline date of Friday 18 September (17:00 BST), which takes just a couple of minutes to complete. Once submitted, you will have until the end of the month to complete your registration and make the first payment. If joining our September cohort is not possible, it is possible to register to start your next course in January or in May.

Already booked?

The course start date will still be 15 September, so access to course materials will be granted to all delegates who are fully registered with the first payment made, through Campus Online, from this date.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. To book your course, visit our booking page.

Ensure your learning environment’s SEN Provision is prepared for the new academic year with Real Training

This coming academic year promises to bring with it challenges that are unprecedented in modern times. Pupils returning to their educational settings will be experiencing a mixture of excitement, anxiety, confusion and relief as things return to an albeit amended version of normal. According to numerous news reports, pupils with special educational needs have suffered more than most during the lockdown, and it has never been so important to ensure that SEN provisions are in place and ready to fire on all cylinders.

If your setting has aspiring SENCOs who want to take the next step in their career with the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) qualification, you’ve just recruited to the role, or if your existing SENCO wishes to update their skills and knowledge, then Real Training has the perfect solution.

Real Training’s NASENCO course – Fully-supported distance learning

Given the unique situation learning environments find themselves in at the beginning of this new academic year, we understand that having staff members, particularly from the SEN  departments, take time out of school to study might be less than desirable. Through our proprietary training platform, Campus Online, and our extensive tutor base, delegates have access to all of the course material and full tutor support wherever they have internet access. There are no face to face sessions to attend at a local college or university. 

In addition, with the exception of the course end date, there are no internal deadlines for course assignments, meaning delegates can dip in and out of the course as and when their schedule allows. There is only one, two-day external placement, so the majority of assignments can be done within your setting, which carries the additional benefit that positive changes can be implemented even before the course is completed. We believe this offers a uniquely flexible qualification that has a minimal impact on the delegate’s work and home life, and in turn, a minimal impact on their educational setting.

What our NASENCO delegates say about our cours

Don’t just take our word for it though. See what our delegates think of us below.

In 2020 so far…

• 98% of our delegates rated Real Training’s NASENCO course as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
• 95% rated tutor support as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
• 98% rated the extent to which the course met their developmental priorities as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

“I have enjoyed this course and found it hugely beneficial.” – Bridget Marshall

“This course has been made to support busy SENCos and professionals, with the understanding that learning can be done smoothly and concisely through the role.” – Julia Findlay

“An amazing course. I loved how accessible it was. I could work in the evenings/ weekends/ holidays etc. It fitted around my workload easily as there are no formal deadlines apart from the one a year on from when you start. As everyone’s workloads are different this is ideal. There were no university visits so no time off of work. The website was easy to use and navigate around. My Tutor was fantastic, and always available for support. I would really recommend booking a course with Real Training.” – Laura Phillips

Our September cohort closes on 18 September

If you have someone in your setting for whom you believe the NASENCO qualification is relevant, all they need to do is complete our online booking form by 5pm on Friday 18 September to be included in our September cohort. We don’t require payment at the time of booking; to start this month, we simply require completed application forms and an initial payment by the end of the month.

If you have any questions regarding the course and eligibility for staff members, please don’t hesitate to contact us either by email at info@realgroup.co.uk or by phone on +44 (0) 1273 35 80 80.

Ensure your learning environment’s SEN Provision is prepared for the new academic year with Real Training

This coming academic year promises to bring with it challenges that are unprecedented in modern times across the world. Pupils returning to their educational settings will be experiencing a mixture of excitement, anxiety, confusion and relief as things return to an albeit amended version of normal. According to numerous news reports, pupils with special educational needs have suffered more than most during the lockdown, and it has never been so important to ensure that SEN provisions are in place and ready to fire on all cylinders.

If your setting has aspiring SENCOs who want to take the next step in their career with the International Award for SEN Coordination (iSENCO) qualification, you’ve just recruited to the role, or if your existing SENCO wishes to update their skills and knowledge, then Real Training has the perfect solution, wherever you are based.

Real Training’s iSENCO course – Fully-supported distance learning, tailored to international needs

The requirement of the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) to have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or Qualified Teacher Learning & Skills (QTLS) status can be a hurdle to gaining the skills and knowledge the course affords. In addition, the NASENCO course focuses on UK-based legislation which isn’t always directly relevant to international settings.

This is why Real Training has developed the International Award for SEN Coordination (iSENCO). We took the time to consult with international schools and experts to tailor the course to meet the needs of those working in an international setting. As a result, iSENCO encompasses localised legislative frameworks, the impact on learning of third culture kids, the intersection of academic vs social language in EAL students and much more. For this reason, iSENCO is a much more relevant course to those working in an international setting. Crucially for many of our delegates, there is no requirement to hold QTS or QTLS status to enrol on this course, opening up the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in SEN to more educators.

In addition, with the exception of the course end date, there are no internal deadlines for course assignments, meaning delegates can dip in and out of the course as and when their schedule allows. If your setting is a multi-level school, then all of the assignments can be done within your setting, which carries the additional benefit that positive changes can be implemented even before the course is completed. We believe this offers a uniquely flexible qualification that has a minimal impact on the delegate’s work and home life, and in turn, a minimal impact on their educational setting.

What our iSENCO delegates say about our course

Don’t just take our word for it though. See what our delegates think of us below.

In 2020 so far…

• 100% of our delegates rated Real Training’s iSENCO course as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
• 100% rated Campus Online as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
• 92% rated the extent to which the course met their developmental priorities as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

“Excellent guidance from the team in terms of alternative projects when lockdown was instituted.The combination of theory, research and practical application is invaluable in gaining insight into SEN and inclusive practices. I think there is a healthy balance between theory and practical application, which was extremely important for me as I needed both aspects.” – Florina Froneman-Gerber

“For the first time I actually understand what I am aiming for in my job. All the practical tasks were applied in reality and really helped. The depth of understanding and a sense of what my job is supposed to be empowered me and transformed the way I carry out my job. It is the first training I have done which actually trains you for the job you do. Definitely do it. It’s the best course I have ever taken and I have completed a degree, Masters, a Grad Dip, an AMBDA, a PGCE, and now this!” – Sarah Brown

Our September cohort closes on 18 September

If you have someone in your setting for whom you believe the iSENCO qualification is relevant, all they need to do is complete our online booking form by 5pm on Friday 18 September to be included in our September cohort. We don’t require payment at the time of booking; to start this month, we simply require completed application forms and an initial payment by the end of the month.

If you have any questions regarding the course and eligibility for staff members, please don’t hesitate to contact us either by email at info@realgroup.co.uk or by phone on +44 (0) 1273 35 80 80.

We have some exciting new developments relating to our acclaimed Cognitive Abilities Profile (CAP) course, taking place in 2020.

As you will be aware, many activities and all kinds of communication have been turning increasingly to online media not only as forms of social communication but as important channels for learning, sharing and working.

As a result, for 2020, the Cognitive Abilities Profile (CAP) course will now be delivered via four webinars on the following dates:

• 27 October – 10am – 12.30pm
• 29 October – 10am – 12.30pm
• 3 November – 10am – 12.30pm
• 5 November – 10am – 12.30pm

How will this benefit participants? People undertaking the forthcoming CAP online course will be able to:

• Join from anywhere in the world, without encountering the costs – and current risks – of travelling 
• Take the course at a more measured pace, with a blend of pre-recorded videos   which can be viewed and reviewed at times convenient to you.
• Each pre-recorded video will be followed by a live session, giving you time to reflect, digest and prepare your questions ahead of the next live session. 
• Even more flexibility. Missed a live session? You can go over it yourself . Want to watch a case study again?  All live sessions will be recorded and made available for participants to view and review for a limited period of time following the course.   
• Network more effectively with other participants, to share experiences and ideas without the worry of catching the train at the end of the day. 
• Benefit with more one-to-one Q&A time with Dr Ruth Deutsch who will deliver the CAP online training.

The sessions will cover the following material:

• The principles, key questions and concepts of dynamic assessment and how they apply to CAP.
• The different models of cognitive processes and the seven functional domains of cognitive abilities.
• The contents of the CAP toolkit and how to use this to develop informed and effective interventions.

Launching CAP online

Not only do we believe that a CAP online model of delivering our renowned CAP training programme will be of even greater benefit to participants, but also that CAP is a uniquely adaptable tool for socially-distant times.

The limits of standardisation in a non-standard world

Traditional forms of ability assessment face considerable issues in terms of reliability when not being able to be conducted face to face. When the assessor and the student cannot be in the same room, standardisation and the absence of a controlled environment are challenging.

CAP consultation does not require direct work with a student. Indeed, during the past few months Real Training has made available some of the CAP materials for special online use by practising psychologists and specialist teachers so that they can conduct effective consultations and collaborative discussions whilst social distancing. The feedback we have been getting has shown that the CAP is indeed a flexible working tool.

Thus CAP lends itself not only to social-distance use, but the CAP training course can be fully delivered without face to face learning. This is something of a specialty for Real Training. We have been delivering online courses successfully since 2004, so you can be confident your online learning experience will be seamless and fully-supported.

For a whole decade CAP has found a place as a unique, and powerful tool in the armoury of educators and psychologists, but in the current circumstances and the manifold uncertainties surrounding us, it has become even more important. For instance, whilst we know that schools in the UK and around the world are intending to return to a version of ‘normal’, this could change. And even with a return to face to face lessons, educators and students may wish to limit as far as possible proximity with non-school-based staff, including parents and carers who would be part of CAP consultations.  Professionals trained in CAP will be able to continue to support all students – including the most vulnerable – regardless of the situation, helping them to achieve their personal potential.