An Interview with Sadie Wilkinson

Sadie Wilkinson – CCET Intensive

Sadie Wilkinson currently works as a Science Teacher and is on secondment in the SENCo role. Earlier this year, she completed our Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing qualification and is now completing Access Arrangements Course. Working in a selective secondary school in Lincolnshire, Sadie has always had an interest in SEND.

Her sister attended a special needs school and Sadie has worked in one since completing her Human Biology Degree. Looking to the future, Sadie hopes to undertake the National Award for SEN Coordination course, expanding her knowledge of SEN. Below, Sadie tells us a little bit about her time studying with Real Training, so far.

What made you choose Real Training over other options?

I had been looking at completing the CCET and AAC courses for a while and did my research into the costs and how to go about completing these courses. Real Training was a provider that came up a number of times during my research, and I was intrigued by what they had to offer. After reading up on how Real Training delivers the courses, what was included, and the costs, I knew it would be the right choice for me.

Furthermore, recommendations from people on a forum I am part of also helped me decide to choose Real Training. It was important for me to know I could complete the work whilst in full-time employment – another factor in my decision.

In terms of course content, the ability to identify different tests and know which ones to use and when was vital. Everything I needed was available through Real Training.

What was your experience of learning with Real Training?

The course exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed the 3-day intensive online option, where I had a chance to meet other people who were just as new to this as me. We were split into smaller groups at times and asked to complete smaller tasks together and then re-joined the whole group to give feedback. It wasn’t 3 days of just listening to the presenters. We could ask questions at any point, and the presenters were really helpful in providing us with the information.

Campus Online is so easy to use. The tasks are all laid out clearly, and you can see what you need to do and how you need to do it. All work is uploaded onto there, and you can contact your tutor at any time to ask for help. Feedback on your work is clearly given, and you can see what you need to do to improve if needed.

My tutor was extremely supportive. My work was marked promptly, giving me time to make any amendments where necessary. I really enjoyed the course and feel I learned a lot from it. I will be looking to complete further courses with Real Training in the future, and I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone else.

How has the course helped make an impact at school?

This course, and my completion of AAC, will make a huge impact on our school. Being the only member of staff holding this qualification at present, I will be able to promptly assess any students who require it without having to wait for the specialist assessor.

We currently pay for an external specialist assessor to come in and assess our students. Having me in school able to do this will greatly reduce the wait time and cost, and give the SENCo relevant information on these students as quickly as needed.

How has the course helped develop you as an educational professional and what do you hope to achieve with the new knowledge/skills in the future?

The course has given me a great deal of knowledge in educational testing. I feel confident in knowing which assessments to carry out and how to interpret the findings from these tests.

With my new knowledge and skills, I hope to be able to work alongside our SENCo department and support the school. Identifying students for assessment, assessing them, and then establishing how best to support these students through their years at our school is something I feel strongly about.