News

What do you do?

‘I am a SENCO at a mainstream co-ed school with approximately 1,100 pupils.’

Why did you decide to study the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) with us?

‘I have to have this award to work in this area. I found Real Training on the Internet, rang them up and quite liked them. I then went to plead my case with the school and they helped me to pay for it.’

What was your favourite part of the course?

‘Funnily enough, I particularly enjoyed the bits on legislation and the reflective learning logs.’

What impact has it had on your professional life?

‘I’ve become a much more reflective practitioner. I was reflective before, but my thoughts were all over the place. Now, I can organise these thoughts and am proactive about changing and implementing things.’

What can someone who has taken these modules offer?

‘It will really help them to develop the right skills and competence in their legislation, research, processes and good practice guidance.’

Why would you advise someone to do this course?

‘Because it’s made a real difference to my understanding and practice.’

What do you do?

‘I’m a dyslexia specialist and work in a mainstream college with 5,000 students and 400 staff.’

Why did you decide to study the Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET) with us?

‘I wanted to enhance my existing testing skills and a psychologist at my college recommended Real.’

What was your favourite part of the course?

‘I liked the individual attention and the quick response actually. Whenever I had a question or something wasn’t clear, I would get an immediate response to help me progress. Most of this was online with a few days’ face-to-face.’

What impact has it had on your professional life?

‘It has clearly improved my report writing, the way of looking at different results when you’re assessing – all of that was very well explained and tweaked by the excellent teachers.’

What can someone who has taken these modules offer?

‘They will really be able to write reports, assess and test.’

Why would you advise someone to take this course?

‘It’s essential if you want to get the best out of your assessments and testing.’

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

I was keen to complete an online course as I have a toddler at home who keeps me very busy. I wanted something that would fit in with working part time and looking after my daughter so this seemed like the perfect option to me. I also liked the idea of being able to complete tasks in my own time and at my own rate, meaning I could make the most effective use of my time, including nap times and evenings! When researching possible courses, I was interested in the different modules and was encouraged by the fact I would not be required to attend a university campus as I thought this may be quite tying.

What was your experience of learning with Real Training?

I have received brilliant tutoring from Joan. She always responds to emails quickly and in detail and is always happy to help and offer suggestions. I really appreciate all the support I have received! Thank you! I enjoyed taking part in a placement as that gave me strong links with other local SENCos. I also found the reviewing of provision within my setting to be extremely useful and beneficial.

I have been really happy with the quality of the programme. I have felt it all to be relevant to my role in school and I have enjoyed learning more about the various requirements of a SENCo. I have had a very positive experience with this course. I have been able to fit this around working part time and looking after my toddler. I have enjoyed developing my own understanding and feel very lucky to have been able to do so at my own pace and from the comfort of my own home.

Thank you!! It’s been a long journey and I’ve finally reached this end…I hope to take additional courses in the future as I have really enjoyed completing this one (more so than I anticipated), but for now…rest!.

How has the course(s) helped make an impact at school?

I have reviewed provision in detail as a result of the tasks in this course. I have also increased in confidence and feel more confident when speaking with staff about their roles which has resulted in more effective provision and outcomes for the children, especially those on passports (IEPs).

I increased the amount of support for children with SEMH needs following one of the assignments. I am keen to monitor and track the provision as the course has shown me that this is a key role in assessing the effectiveness of an intervention.

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

Creating links with another local school (placement task)

Increased confidence with own abilities and knowledge

Increased understanding of leadership responsibilities which has in-turn increased confidence too

I have an increased awareness of the role of SENCo and am much more confident in delegating roles and ensuring staff are completing their roles effectively.

Real Group Senior Educational Psychologist, Dr Joanna Wood has been examining what educational leaders can be doing to maintain motivation and their own wellbeing in these very trying times. During conversations with senior school staff, she observed that despite the compassion and good sense they were demonstrating in reflecting on the needs of the vulnerable children they support, they found it more difficult to answer questions relating to their own wellbeing. Although not being a surprise given how accustomed they are to putting the needs of these children above their own, as Dr Wood points out, it is a concern given the excessive “emotional labour” they are currently experiencing.

Dr Wood identifies four kinds of challenges school leaders are currently facing; loss (through both personal loss and also anticipated professional losses), uncertainty and the challenges this brings to strategic planning, role confusion in the form of home/school and family/work contexts, and system failure, through unavailability of tools and personal relationships at this time.

Happily, she identifies three areas that psychology can provide tools to help senior leaders “understand and process our responses to the current crisis.”

Models of grief

To become aware of the stages of grief that can help “make sense of the impact of uncertainty and unplanned change. These stages include shock/denial, anger/guilt/blame, depression and acceptance.

Positive psychology

Drawing from the principles of positive psychology and Martin Seligman’s PERMA model, Dr Wood points out that it is important to focus on what works well, not on what is wrong. These can include such elements as positive emotions, engagement (getting ‘lost’ in an activity), relationships, meaning (a sense of purpose) and accomplishment.

Motivation

According to Ryan and Deci’s self-determination theory, concentration and motivation are hard to come by at present. In order to remain motivated, Dr Wood suggests we need to feel competent at what we do, related and connected to others, and autonomous, in that we have control over our lives. These are important touch-points for leaders to re-focus energy on in order to remain motivated.

To summarise, Dr Wood offers some useful tips to help leaders navigate the complex waters of the current lockdown:

• Focus on what you can control
• Remember you can’t look after everyone
• Try to tune into your own emotions in a safe way (journal writing, for example)
• Notice unhelpful negative thoughts and replace them with positive self-talk, such as “It will pass” or “this is outside of my control”
• Don’t be afraid or ashamed to seek help if needed
• Stay connected socially where possible
• Consider distractions and new challenges, such as self-development, but don’t feel pressured to do so.

If you would like to find out more about our Educational Psychologists and they work they do under Real Psychology, please visit us our website.

The original article can be found on the TES website here.

Why did you decide to study with us?

As Head of Inclusion for an international British curriculum school in Dubai, the education and qualification provided by completing this course will help improve provision and support in the ever-changing and progressive private educational sector I work in.

What was your experience of learning with Real Training?

The course has exceeded my expectations – both in person and the online modules.  Throughout the duration of the course, the instructors have consistently proven themselves as consummate professionals but warm in their approach. They have also consistently demonstrated expertise and extensive knowledge of the content and its importance in the realm of education; they do so in a manner that is thoughtful and supportive. They organised varied content with real-world application and taught us the intricacies of such ethical work and practices and how to maintain those high standards.

How has the course(s) helped make an impact at school?

In a sector that is continuously evolving, it is imperative to stay on the proverbial edge of new assessment and understanding of the unavoidable biases within it, which this course helps us to understand, analyse, breakdown, and ultimately for the better of our students, avoid.

My school’s headteacher was excited for me to pursue this course as she knew the benefits for our students would be long-lasting and imperative to their accessibility in GCSEs.

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

This is the first course since achieving my professional special education licensure (degree) that has had such a far-reaching impact on my career.  It is the bridge between the information I have learned to access and sharing that information appropriately, responsibly, and in an ethical manner that meets high professional standards.

Why did you decide to study the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) with us?

Real Training was recommended to me by a colleague, I researched other providers but preferred the Real Training platform and I had previously studied with Middlesex University.

What was your experience of learning with Real Training?

I love the campus online platform and my tutor was fantastic – he was very supportive and gave me lots of encouragement along the way.

Strands 1 and 2 were very useful, however, I enjoyed Strand 3 the most. I loved completing the Masters assignment in Strand 3 – the topic is something I feel passionately about and it was therefore a task I really enjoyed.

How has the course(s) helped make an impact at school?

Changes I have implemented in the department have already seen impact with student engagement and behaviour.

I also introduced a number of interventions during the course and we have some new assessment tools for next term. Over the course of Strand 2 I identified that SEMH was an area that the school that needed to provide more provision for and this year I have trained one of the SEND team to lead the department on supporting for our students with SEMH issues. Following discussions with other delegates from the National Award for SEN Coordination with Real Training, my department is now also running The Boxall Profile to assess our students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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

I was very concerned at the start of the course as I had not completed any formal assignments for a number of years and had concerns I would struggle with the Masters level writing.

I now feel more confident regarding SEND but also in my ability to study and succeed in further Masters level modules/courses. I am now looking forward to starting my next Real Training course the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL).

Applications for the 15 May cohort are now closed. To register for 15 September, please do get in touch with our course advisers here.

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, some of our delegates who are booked onto our courses beginning in May have found themselves with an unexpected amount of time on their hands, and have expressed an interest in using this to gain early access to our May MEd in SEND cohorts.

Those who are enrolled onto the MEd in SEND programme will be able to start their learning journey with us as soon as they are fully registered. There is, however, one module currently not available for an early start – Dyslexia Professional Report Writing – and this is due to the fact that the module is heavily focused on in-setting assessment and testing, though we are currently working on creating a flexible solution to address this.

How can I gain early access to Real Training May MEd in SEND cohorts?

This early start offer also applies to new bookings so if you, or any of your colleagues, are interested in booking onto our May cohorts, as soon as you are fully registered, you will gain access to the complete course content in order to allow you to get ahead while you have the opportunity to do so. This extra time will not be deducted from the end of the course – it is intended as a free extension as a gesture of goodwill, bearing in mind the current global situation. To find out more about the modules currently available for early starts, the links to the web pages are below:

• Autism Spectrum Conditions.
• Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET)
• Cognition & Learning 
• Dyslexia – Leadership and Intervention.
• Enquiry-based SEND Practice
• Evidence and Pedagogy for Inclusion 
• International Award in SEN Coordination (iSENCo)
• National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCo) 
• Psychology for Education 
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs.
• Speech, Language and Communication Needs.
• Severe, Profound and Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities.

If you are interested in booking onto our May cohorts, you can book your place here. If you have any questions with regards to anything relating to any of our courses, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us. 

After months of careful planning, Real Training are very excited to announce the launch of Campus Live, with the Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET) Campus Live Event!

As an EdTech company, we have always placed flexible, online and blended professional development at the heart of everything we do. This CCET Campus Live Event offering is a valuable addition to our repertoire, allowing delegates to benefit from the advantages of the ‘intensive’ CCET programme, without the need to travel. Like our intensive courses, this takes place over the course of three days, and covers the vast majority of the theoretical work, along with some parts of the practical assignments. The only difference is it is brought to wherever you are, by expert trainers, through the Campus Live platform.

What is Campus Live?

Campus Live is a browser-based solution that requires nothing to download, no software installation, and is optimised to deliver excellent video quality regardless of internet speed. It is as fully interactive, as if you were in the room with the psychologists, with the ability to ask questions, work in groups, get one-to-one help and get access to all the course materials you need, live within the online classroom environment. There is also the ability to screen-share and collaborate with fellow delegates, interactive whiteboards and a live chat feature, ensuring your experience is fully immersive.

How is this CCET Campus Live Event delivered?

To reassure, the course content is no different from our normal intensive courses and requires nothing different from you as a delegate. All you need is a computer or tablet with either Chrome, Firefox or Opera browsers installed, an internet connection, a webcam, microphone and speakers or headphones. Of course, if you do happen to encounter any technical difficulties, our IT support team will be on hand throughout the course to swiftly get you back on track.

Campus Live has been designed to accommodate all delegates through a variety of different work environments, ensuring you will always feel supported. Equally the course has been designed with you in mind too, allowing for plenty of comfort breaks to ensure the smooth running of the course for the ultimate learning experience.

Our Certificate of Competency in Educational Testing (CCET) qualification

Our Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET) is an open-access course, meaning to be eligible to enrol, you only need to be working in or have access to an educational setting, and have access to the psychometric tests for the duration of study.

CCET allows schools to bring expertise in psychometric testing to assess children and determine their strengths and specific learning needs ‘in-school’, and in turn allows schools to work more effectively with their educational psychologists and make better use of their time.

With our CCET qualification, among other things, you will be able to identify, administer and analyse tests within an educational environment, understand how to write and interpret reports, understand the legislative and policy framework, as well as being able to identify and overcome barriers to learning. Other benefits to the school include:

• Access to a wealth of practical resources, academic research, and interactive materials
• Access to discounted educational tests and other resources
• Development of effective support for the most vulnerable children in your school

If you do hold a qualification to teach, and would find it useful to be qualified to carry out access arrangements in your setting, you could enrol on the Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment and Access Arrangements (CPT3A). This course combines CCET and the Access Arrangements Course (AAC) to give you the opportunity to become your educational setting’s qualified exam access arrangements assessor.

If you are interested in booking on this ground-breaking course, you can book your place here. It is ‘training as usual’ here at Real Training, so if you have any further questions, either in relation to the course or the Campus Live platform, please don’t hesitate to contact us here. 

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, some of our delegates who are booked onto our courses beginning in May have found themselves with an unexpected amount of time on their hands, and have expressed an interest in using this time to get ahead on their course before the official start date. In order to support delegates in these uncertain times, we are doing exactly that – those who are enrolled onto the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO), International Award for SEN Coordination (iSENCO), or National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) will gain early access to our May cohorts to start their learning journey with us as soon as they are fully registered so that they can make the best use of their time, while they have it.

Can anyone gain early access to our May cohorts?

This offer is not only available for existing bookings, but it is also available to anyone else who may be looking to start a course during this period of school closures. You may be finding that some of your teaching staff are looking to take advantage of this time for professional development. If they are interested in enrolling in our May cohorts, as soon as they are fully registered, they too will gain access to the complete course content straight away in order to allow them to get ahead while they have the opportunity to do so. This extra time will not be deducted from the end of the course – it is intended as a free extension as a gesture of goodwill, bearing in mind the current global situation.

If you or your staff are interested in booking onto our May NASENCO, iSENCO or NPQ  cohorts, you can book your places here . If you have any questions with regards to anything relating to any of our courses, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us, either by emailing us or by giving us a call on +44 (0) 1273 35 80 80.

We have heard from the Department for Education (DfE) that funded places will be available for all our NPQ courses from 1 April 2020 until the end of the current academic year.

Funded places for all NPQ courses are available for leaders and aspiring leaders in:

• Maintained schools, academies, free schools and PRUs in category 5 and 6 areas
• All schools in a MAT which includes at least one category 5 or 6 school
• All schools in a Diocese which includes at least one category 5 or 6 school

Whether you’re thinking of taking the next step in your career or simply looking to develop your leadership skills in your current role, our online and inclusive National Professional Qualifications (NPQ’s) offer you a flexible route to achieve these high-quality qualifications approved by the Department for Education (DfE). Book now to secure your fully-funded place.

Please note: Places within a school, cluster, MAT or Diocese are not limited – so if you have colleagues who you think may also be interested, please don’t hesitate in forwarding this information to them.

Our NPQ courses are available at three school leadership levels – middle leaders (NPQML), senior leaders (NPQSL) and headship (NPQH) – please take a look at our dedicated pages online for more information on programme content, funding rules and what you can expect from our leading-edge, inclusive leadership programmes. If you have any questions, please call us on +44 (0)1273 35 80 80 to speak to one of our expert advisers or email us here.