An Interview with Ceri Matty

Ceri Matty – NASENCO

Ceri Matty has always had an interest in SEND, since she started her teaching career 18 years ago. It became more profound when her son was born in 2008 and as he started his school journey, his SEND needs became clear. He has had an EHCP since Year 2 (now in Year 9) and a diagnosis of ASD.

His journey, as well as Ceri’s own teaching, led her progressively into more depth in the study of SEND. This enabled her to better meet her students’ needs in class as well as ensure her son gets the very best support from his school.

Ceri studied the National Award for SEN Coordination with us.

What made you choose the Real Training course over other options?

As a full-time middle leader (not the named SENCO) and a parent of two, Real Training was the obvious choice for me. The delivery solely online meant that I could work flexibly around my work/life, whilst still achieving the same accreditation as a course that had face-to-face delivery. It came highly recommended on SEND teaching support groups I follow. The use of the online network, whereby you can share your thoughts, ask questions and offer support was fantastic and I actively encourage anyone using Real Training to utilise it.
 

What was your experience of learning with Real Training?

When I initially started, the course felt overwhelming. However, after reading advice from other delegates I quickly found that the organisation of the course and units were incredibly well structured. This was because the structure allowed me to work at my own pace and equally provided lots of links to online resources, articles and relevant legislation etc.

My tutor was fantastic, available for email or telephone support when required, and checked in when I had not logged in for a couple of weeks to see if I needed support. The course, once you get through the initial introduction unit, is incredibly easy to navigate. Tasks are progressive and provide a great mix of theory and practical opportunity. Strand 2 and 3, take time as you have to plan, implement and review projects within your setting, so I actively encourage delegates to look at these relatively early to plan into your year of study. As I work full time, I found it easiest to keep the actual assignment write-ups to the school holidays and use my face-to-face time to enhance my practical skills within the workplace.
 

How has the course helped make an impact at school?

Without hesitation, the support from the leadership team has been essential in the impact and outcomes. However, the knowledge that you develop enables you to motivate and enrich the learning of all staff within the school setting, which in turn enables them to support pupils with SEND. This ensures quality first teaching is at the forefront. SEND provision has and will continue to change based on the needs of those students in your setting – the course has made me realise that SEND is on an ongoing journey and I feel equipped with the tools and knowledge to ensure that the impact is not short term, rather sustained.
 

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?

It has helped me develop a much higher depth of knowledge and understanding of SEND and will allow me to continue to develop within the school setting and beyond, ensuring that we continue to meet the needs of all our SEND students.