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

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 an 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 iSENCO 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 that 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 from 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 speciality 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.

Discover the  Cognitive Abilities Profile (CAP) course.

Peter Willis – MEd SEND

Peter Willis, Assistant Head and SENCO at The Bewdley School & Sixth Form was kind enough to share his experiences of completing his MEd SEND through Real Training.

Achieving the Master of Education and SEND Programme (MEd SEND) 

To achieve the Masters’ qualification, our MEd SEND Graduate 2020 Peter Willis chose to study the following courses:

• National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCo) – 60 credits
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs – 30 credits
• Evidence and Pedagogy for Inclusion (EPI) – 30 credits
• Enquiry-based SEND Practice – 60 credits

Real Training SEND Programme – Teach Primary Awards 2019 Winner

Our masters-level SEND Programme has won the top 5 star award in the CPD category of the Teach Primary Awards 2019. We are delighted that the programme has been recognised as a valuable learning structure for education professionals in a primary setting, allowing them to gain effective and relevant practical skills and knowledge to support their students with additional needs. The professionals can also combine modules on the programme to achieve a range of postgraduate qualifications, which are validated by Middlesex University.

Are you looking to achieve an MEd in SEND in the future? 

If joining our MEd in SEND is of interest, there is still to apply for our 15 September cohort, a list of our modules and qualifications can be found here. Each module is delivered online and can be completed anywhere in the world. Each course comes with dedicated online tutor support through our bespoke online learning platform Campus Online.

Whenever you are ready to enrol for your a MEd SEND module, you can complete an online booking form here. Alternatively, do not hesitate to contact one of our courses advisers if you have any questions regarding the SEND Programme by calling us on +44(0)1273 358080 or email us on info@realgroup.co.uk. 
 

There is still time to book your place on our next CCET Campus Live Event!

Our Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET) next Campus Live Event will take place on 23-25 September 2020. Places are limited and filling fast, so book your place to avoid disappointment!

Campus Live is our online classroom environment and has been designed to accommodate all delegates through a variety of different work environments, ensuring you will always feel supported. The course has been designed with you in mind too, requiring nothing more from you than a computer or tablet with either Chrome, Firefox, or Opera browsers installed, an internet connection, a webcam, microphone, and speakers, or headphones. It also allows for plenty of comfort breaks to ensure the smooth running of the course for the ultimate learning experience.

Book your course today

Our CCET is open-access, meaning to be eligible to enrol, you only need to be working in or have access to an educational setting, and have access to psychometric tests for the duration of your study. If you do not currently have access to tests, you may be eligible for the Dyslexia Action Shop purchase scheme. This scheme is in place to enable those enrolled on the CCET course to access tests usually reserved for qualified practitioners, in order to complete their studies.

The Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET) will help you to understand how assessments using psychometric tests are developed, how to use them effectively, and how to interpret the results. The course instructs you on how to test appropriately, the available alternatives, and the best ways in which to use them.

The Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET) will enable you to apply for the BPS Test User Educational qualification and to join the BPS’s Register of Qualifications in Test Use – a publicly searchable database of competence that will bolster your professional reputation.

If you hold QTS or QTLS, completing this course will also allow you to take the Access Arrangements Course (AAC) to give you the opportunity to become your educational setting’s qualified exam access arrangements assessor. This, in combination with CCET, gives you the Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment, and Access Arrangements (CPT3A).

What our delegates say about our CCET course

“I have found this to be an enjoyable and informative course with high-quality resources and support. I would recommend Real Training.” – Ian Woollard, CCET Intensive

“Given the circumstances in which this course was completed, it was made very accessible and the support provided was excellent throughout. The delivery was excellent, with an open approach which allowed me to feel at ease and ask questions when needed.” – Lee Morgan – CCET Intensive

“Great course provider, the online element is great as enables you to work at your own pace, having access to tutors online great support and materials provided of high quality.” – Louise Dunn – CCET Intensive

“I would recommend Real Training to anyone looking for similar courses, the online platform is easy to use, clear, and provides all of the support materials needed.” – Vicky Bradley, CCET Intensive

If you are interested in booking your place on this, or any of our other CCET Campus Live Events, 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.

A recent review of our National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) by the Department for Education’s National Quality Assurance Agent (NQAA), Tribal Education, has found our courses “exceed expectations”, awarding us a mean score of 8.8 out of 10 across 15 areas assessed.

The comprehensive report covers all areas of the course delivery, from recruitment and admission to design of content. Tribal highlighted a number of areas in which Real Training excelled, with 11 of the 15 performance criteria achieving a score of 9 out of 10, and one scoring top marks.

Tribal were particularly impressed by our approach to ‘practice-led learning”; a philosophy we stand by as a way to allow our delegates to make an immediate impact in their educational setting:

“The ‘practice-led learning’ approach which underpins the design of the programmes is a key strength. The provider has used its expertise in online professional development to devise an approach which engages participants in practical school-based activities, which are reinforced through the online platform with structured learning experiences.”

The report also focused on our delegate’s feedback to Tribal about their experience studying their NPQ with Real Training. They note that:

“Participants are highly positive about the level of support they receive, with some saying that it was ‘above and beyond’ what they had expected from an online provider… Tutors have recent experience as senior school leaders relevant to the programme they are supporting and are from schools deemed to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED. The engagement of professional partners who are serving headteachers, and leadership coaches with high levels of expertise, is noted to be of significant support by NPQH participants.”

This is borne out in our own delegate feedback analysis, where 93% of NPQ delegates rated the tutor support as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

They go on to detail the key factors that led to the decision to study with us:

“Participants report that the key factors in choosing Real Group as their NPQ provider are the ability to choose a programme which is delivered online and which is flexible in its approach and the reputation of Real Group as a training provider.”

We at Real Training are very proud of the reputation we have built for being ‘online by design’; our NPQs were designed from the ground up to be delivered through our Campus Online platform, not adapted in the face of external circumstances, in order to fit a square peg in a round hole. Because of this, delegates feel fully supported by tutors, administration and technical staff, while allowing full flexibility to fit around the oft-tumultuous lives of education professionals. In fact, our delegates have rated the online presentation of the NPQ courses with a score of 86%.

Tribal summarise the report by highlighting the areas of exceptional performance from Real Training:

•  “A unique provider with a strong history of bespoke online learning to provide accessibility for participants across England.”
• “Reflective leadership with a strong moral purpose, which ensures that the NPQ programmes are underpinned by the values of Real Group in developing future school leaders.”
• “The ‘practice-led learning’ design of the programmes to ensure online learning is integrated with, and relevant to, real-life school environments.”

We are delighted to announce that our Certificate in Psychometric Testing & Access Arrangements (CPT3A) course has been shortlisted for the 2020 Teach Secondary Awards in its CPD category! Last year, our MEd SEND Programme won the top 5-star award in the Teach Primary Awards in the same category, so we’re hoping to repeat the trick again this year.

It has been a challenging time for obvious reasons, but we at Real Training have managed to stay ahead of the curve, adapting the way we deliver the CPT3A course intensively through Campus Live, and also how we assess the delegates given they haven’t been able to be in the classroom. This shortlisting recognises these efforts, in addition to how we support a large number of educators, both in the UK and overseas in assessing for specific learning difficulties and making necessary access arrangements for examinations in their educational setting.

Our CPT3A course has allowed schools to take ‘in-house’ the services of assessment and access arrangements, freeing up the time of their educational psychologist, saving money, and expanding the professional capacity of the educational setting to allow the development of effective support for their most vulnerable students.

Fully conforming to the British Psychological Society and Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) standards and regulations for psychometric testing and access arrangements, our CPT3A course allows delegates to cover a wide variety of tasks within their setting, including choosing, administering and interpretation of psychometric tests, writing suitable and appropriate assessment reports for submission to examination boards where required and communicating their understanding of these reports to fellow professionals and across the school.

With the introduction of Campus Live, we have been able to continue the delivery of our intensive-style courses throughout the pandemic, enabling our delegates to complete the course quickly, in a face-to-face environment that would have been impossible otherwise.

For full details of these courses, as well as upcoming dates for the intensive events, visit our CPT3A course page.

We believe in supporting educators to improve the outcomes for ALL children, regardless of background, circumstance or challenge. If you believe in the same goal, get in touch with one of our course advisers on +44 (0)1273 35 80 80, email info@realgroup.co.uk or visit our website and we’ll be happy to help you and your educational institution achieve these goals.

Do you want to further your knowledge of SEND and expand your skillset? Real Training’s MEd SEND and Inclusion Programme can help you gain a postgraduate qualification through subject-specific SEND modules, delivered through Campus Online, allowing you to study in your own time, wherever you have access to the internet.

We understand that life often throws us unexpected challenges and that’s why flexibility is at the heart of all of the courses we offer. Our MEd SEND and Inclusion is no exception. Not only are you free to study at your own pace, but you can also tailor the course to fit your own specific needs. Our latest prospectus contains the full list of courses available, as well as information on how you can build your own study programme from the available modules and target areas of knowledge and practice that are most relevant to you, your setting, and the children in your care.

Put your existing masters credits towards our MEd SEND and Inclusion qualification

If you have already completed modules within the MEd SEND and Inclusion SEND programme, such as our popular National Award for SEN Coordination and the Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing with us, you will know that you already hold masters level credits that can be transferred easily into our MEd SEND programme. From here, you can contact one of our course advisors to check how many further emodules you would need to complete in order to attain your full Masters of Education qualification, taking your expertise and skills to another level.

If the credits were achieved with another provider, you may be able to transfer them into our SEND Programme.

Simply email us now to request a copy of our Accreditation for Prior Learning (APL) forms.

Our next cohort begins on 15 September 2020. To register for this cohort, please visit our online booking form. Because it takes time to process your application and payment, we strongly recommend completing the form as soon as possible.

Here are what our delegates have said about our SEND Programme 

“I greatly enjoyed the course. I appreciate that the tasks and assignments that I have been asked to complete directly relate to my own school experiences and have a further application in supporting my school to develop next steps.  I feel Real Training is doing an excellent job.” – Richelle Pearce, Social, Emotional & Mental Health Difficulties 2020 delegate

“The resources were fantastic and gave me the opportunity to read about so much of the research done on Dyslexia and how to support children effectively.”– Charmalyn September, Dyslexia: Leadership and Intervention 2020 delegate

“My tutor was amazingly responsive. She answered my questions thoroughly and graded my assignments very quickly. I would (and have) highly recommend Real Training.”- Ruth Haske, Speech, Language & Communication Needs 2020 delegate

“I am so impressed! I’m a new student. I previously studied my PGCE through Moodle. This exceeds by far! So intuitive, well laid out, so many resources. I am just….amazed! Thank you.” – Sadie Moseley, Cognition & Learning 2020 delegate

Eugene McFadden – NASENCO, intensive CPT3A

Eugene McFadden completed his intensive CPT3A course in 2017, and two and a half years later, joined Real Training again to begin his National Award for SEN Coordination qualification in January 2020, just as the enormity of the global pandemic was beginning to make itself clear.

Here is his story so far.
 

How did you find out about Real Training and the CPT3A course?

I became an assistant SENCO 3 or 4 years ago maybe, and I needed to do the access arrangements course because no-one else in the school was trained. I was speaking to one of the other SENCOs who said, “You’ve got to do the Real Training one – it’s a lot quicker when you do the intensive course.”

Because work is very busy and I have kids, I thought I’d rather have one, intensive hit. It was a really, really good course. It just worked really well. It was really professionally done, really well tailored to what was realistic and what we needed to do.

You’re now studying NASENCO with us. Tell us about why you chose Real Training for this qualification.

I was looking around at other NASENCO courses, which looked mind-numbing, and then I saw Real Training’s course. For one, it was cheaper than local council’s one, and the fact that it’s all online and flexible. Some [school] weeks are 60 hours, so fitting things in is a bit of a nightmare, but with a course like this, I can think “oh, I have an hour to myself, I’m just going to hit it hard and do something.” The access to the big database is really helpful as well. I really like the bar at the top*. It’s actually really, really positive when you’re really busy.

How has your experience with the online NASENCO course been versus your expectations, and versus your intensive experience with CPT3A?

The intensive works really well with CCET as you’re learning to do one specific skill in testing, so you really want that intensity. This (NASENCO) is a bigger-picture thing. You need to step back and digest more. I have a two-year old who doesn’t sleep through the night yet, so I’d find myself rocking her to sleep at 2am reading things I’d downloaded. It gives you a chance to just think, make the notes and everything. A lot of the bigger articles I ended up printing out, to put in a folder where I can take it home and read it at my leisure.

What parts of the NASENCO course have you found particularly interesting so far?

There’s the wider reading; you’ve got the Lamb report, you can see how one thing informs another, which is actually really important. It’s interesting to have a timeline of when things happened and why. We’re kids of the 80s and things were very different back then. It’s good to have that time to just think and take it apart.

Have you been able to put anything in particular into practice already?

Well, ironically, I’ve been interviewing people for HLTA jobs through Google Meets. It’s been interesting to be having discussions with them, and having interviewed successfully, I’ve got someone to train up. I thought about how my training on the NASENCO course has informed me  and have been giving them reading to do from that course, which is quite helpful. So yeah, it’s definitely been having an impact. It’s interesting because I’ve been reading about outreach work into primary schools, because we’re quite a big MAT, and we’re going to have some primary schools placed in our secondary school for a few weeks for summer term 2. I want to incorporate that as my primary placement.

How has the current lockdown situation influenced your studies?

It’s actually given me more time to do it! It’s difficult, because the first few weeks were just trying to set things up, and I’ve been into school a fair bit as well running things on certain days, especially for some of our higher-needs kids. But the days when I’m home… the first few weeks were difficult, trying to get my head-space around being at home and working while at home with kids running around.

Once I got the hang of it, I thought I’d set aside a day here and there, turn the emails off, and crack on with the NASENCO course. There’s always someone knocking on the door with a problem [when you’re in school]. My quality of life has actually improved – I’m not working 60 hours a week and have time to spend with the kids.

What are your hopes and expectations for the rest of the course?

Definitely to get it done – that’s the first thing! Definitely start to use what I’m learning to move forward. I’ve already kind of moved forward. I’ve been on a journey with my TAs (I’ve got TAs and HLTAs), and I’ve been on a journey with everyone’s practice board [a reflective practice of how staff are working with SEN pupils], tweaking that practice, fine-tuning it more and more. It’s good, because a lot of the things I’ve come across I already believed or knew or learned about already, so it’s nice to have those things reinforced.

My focus has been on wave 1 teaching, and I’ve brought the SEN team so far, and now it’s all about raising all teaching and learning – the best input for an SEN kid is going to be in the classroom, the teacher teaching them right – it’s now given me that confidence to start addressing the bigger picture. It’s like “that’s gone all right, now we need to start doing this…” A rising tide raises all ships!
 

* Campus Online holds a comprehensive online library containing all of the reading necessary for completing the courses. Additionally, access to EBSCO online journal databases allows for further reading to expand knowledge and understanding of the course material.