Our sister company, Dyslexia Action, is holding The Dyslexia Guild Conference on Thursday 28 June at Aston University in Birmingham. If you are a professional in the education sector and you have an interest in Dyslexia and specific learning difficulties (SpLD), we would love for you to join us.
LEARN more about recent research and current hot topics such as the multilingual aspects of dyslexia, as well as the immediate and longer-term effectiveness of a speech-rhythm-based reading intervention and academic writing, by listening to our keynote speakers.
SHARE best practice by networking with over 150 education professionals with the same interest in dyslexia/SpLD, including our colleagues at Dyslexia Action.
DISCOVER the latest news and innovations from the world of SEN in the exhibitors hall, including an exclusive look at the new WIAT-III UK-T at the Dyslexia Action Shop stand.
Take a look at our conference programme for full details of what to expect from the day. You can also book to attend on Wednesday 27 June for an additional seminar, dinner and accommodation.
Book before 17 May and pay an early bird rate of just £95 if you are already a member or £125 for non-members. These prices are inclusive of VAT and cover the full conference programme for Thursday plus lunch and refreshments. If you wish to attend both Wednesday and Thursday, the rate is £247 (inclusive of VAT). To book now, simply complete our online registration form.
For more information before you book, please look at The Dyslexia Guild web page.
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Real Training now an accredited NPQ provider, supporting leadership in education
Following a tendering process we’ve been accredited by the Department for Education (DfE) as a provider of the new National Professional Qualifications (NPQs).
Why have the DfE changed the NPQs?
Having reviewed the ever-changing demands on educational leaders at all levels, the DfE have reformed the NPQs so that they:
- Prepare leaders more effectively for the range of leadership roles in today’s school system.
- Develop a strong and sustainable pipeline of talented, motivated leaders at all levels
- Put the best schools and organisations in the driving seat of leadership professional development.
- Focus on quality and diversity of provision.
Real Training is offering NPQs at three levels. These courses are suitable both for those currently in the relevant leadership role and those aspiring to move up into a leadership position.
All three courses are designed by education practitioners and educational psychologists to provide current, innovative and practice-focused training that will give school leaders the insight and tools they need to become highly effective leaders.
Launching these new NPQ courses alongside our established National Award for SEN Coordination, and the Masters in Leading Inclusive Education we’ve co-created with Middlesex University, we are continuing to develop new programmes – and constantly evolving existing ones – to foster a culture of outstanding leadership at all levels. And, as with all we do, this is with the aim of improving outcomes – for students, for education professionals and for schools.
NEW discount scheme accessible for all Real Training delegates
Following Real Group‘s 2017 acquisition of Dyslexia Action Shop, Dyslexia Action Training and Professional Development and the Dyslexia Guild, we are now able to offer an exclusive discount scheme. From now on, all current Real Training delegates will benefit from a 10% discount on all shop purchases.
The Dyslexia Action Shop is the first port of call for educators and parents to buy resources – everything from psychometric tests to books and games stocked.
Access your 10% discount today
To claim your 10% discount, you’ll need to complete the steps below and, once done, your saving will be applied to all purchases automatically.
- Register with Dyslexia Action Shop to create an online account.
- Contact the shop to advise us that your account has been set up and activated by calling +44 (0)1784 222339 or emailing shop@dyslexiaaction.org.uk. Your student discount will be applied to your account.
- Purchase the required assessment tests through shop@dyslexiaaction.org.uk.
We were delighted to watch our MEd SEND, PGCert and PGDip graduands graduate at Middlesex University on 12 July. Congratulations to all of our 290 graduates this year. We’re really proud of you.
We’re at stand B9 of London’s Autism Show at the end of this week (16–17 June).
This Friday, Dr Sue Sheppard speaks about challenges and opportunities in supporting the needs of students in schools: current issues and research.
Our very own Sue can be found at The Hub: Theatre 2 on Friday 16 June 2017 (12.50–13.10).
In the words of Dr Lorna Wing, Lead Consultant at the Lorna Wing Centre for Autism:
‘Sue combines her extensive psychological knowledge with considerable problem-solving skills to devise unique, creative paths for each individual. Her flexible and pragmatic approach is at the heart of her practice and ensures achievable outcomes in each context.’
With our upcoming CAP course on the horizon, we were delighted to speak with some of our previous course delegates about how using CAP has benefitted their practice. Dr Yehuda Marshall (consultant clinical psychologist) and Deborah Smith (specialist teacher) discuss cognitive profile analysis, and how the domain structure of CAP has deepened their understanding of a client’s strengths and weaknesses. Head to our People page to read the interviews in their entirety, or find them in the forthcoming issue 19 of The Send Practitioner.
In March, we were so pleased to welcome a new addition to the Real Group team: Mark Farthing.
As our new head of operations, Mark will be overseeing and managing many different elements of the business, to ensure that we continue to provide a consistently efficient and outstanding experience for our delegates as we grow. We spoke to Mark about his professional background and the effect he hopes his new role will have on the company.
What were you doing in your previous role, before joining Real Group?
‘Before joining Real Group, I was employed as a master scheduler at a company called Cummins. I worked in a few different roles during my seven years at the company, but that was what I was doing most recently. The role involved taking orders and then planning all of the production for the plant, on the basis of what the best plan would be for the lines to actually build the product.’
What is your background in terms of previous employment and education?
‘My role at Cummins has really been the central point of my career so far – which was based in manufacturing – but my degree was actually based in psychology and music technology. There wasn’t a particularly clear path for me in those subjects at the time, so I started to build a career in management: managing people, production lines, and professional staff as well, and also planning large portfolios of work.’
What particularly attracted you to the role within Real Group?
‘I’m really passionate about managing people and helping them to develop, it’s something that I really enjoy. As well as that, the role is very local to me, and Real Group is of course based in the field of psychology, which was a real draw – it’s very exciting to be part of that world again. I didn’t think that I would get the opportunity to be part of it because I didn’t pursue any postgraduate study.’
What is the main purpose of your role?
‘My role is still very new and will develop more over time, but I will mainly be managing the team and bringing an operational standpoint to the role. So, for example, I will be looking at data analysis, process improvements, mapping out our processes in the department, looking at our budgets and hourly costs – all things that I have experience of, which are quite important for us to know. I want to make sure that people are given the opportunity to progress in the way that they would like to and that they can see a clear path to the next stage of their development. It’s important that people have a vision of how they would like to progress because I believe that is how you get bigger and grow as a business.
‘I think it’s a very exciting time to be part of a business like Real Group, as we are in a massive period of growth in which the company is becoming a real, professional entity. We have to be very careful operationally as we move from looking after hundreds of delegates, to thousands. That is what I believe my role will be based around largely – looking at whether we need to increase our resources to facilitate that kind of growth. I haven’t been here very long so I have a lot to learn, but it’s a really good challenge to have.’
What have you particularly enjoyed since joining the company?
‘So far I have really enjoyed meeting and getting to know the team. Everyone I have spoken to has been so welcoming and nice and they are all really helping me to learn – so I feel like I have hit the ground running. It’s nice to work with people who have such a historical insight into the company, are open and willing to learn, and help others to learn. Some members of the team used to do multiple roles and as the company gets bigger that isn’t really viable anymore. My role – as I see it – is to ensure staff members take ownership of what is theirs, with a broader view of the business, and that is quite a fine balance to strike with people. It’s a good challenge to have, that we are looking at growth.’
Is there anything you are particularly looking forward to within your role at Real Group? Perhaps something you are planning on implementing or launching?
‘I am still very new to the role of course, but I am working on analysing course feedback at the moment which is very exciting; I really want to use that to its full potential. We know that we are already doing a great job, but it is important to calibrate yourself with that feedback constantly, so that we know how we are seen by our customers. We are making a lot of changes within the organisation and looking at those changes from an internal point of view, so we must make sure that we hear the customer’s voice and understand how they see things. We also have a lot of IT projects underway, which I am working to prioritise and make sure that we focus our efforts appropriately, as those projects affect marketing, operations, and our delegates.’
What are your interests outside of work?
‘I play saxophone in a band and we regularly play shows on weekends. I also go running every day and I play cricket as much as I can in the summer.’
By Edward Farrow
Towards the end of March, Professor Simon Baron-Cohen and Dr Sarah Hendrickx took part in two key interviews for April’s forthcoming gender and autism issue of The SEND Practitioner, while Dr Wenn Lawson penned an important piece on autism and gender dysphoria. Issue 19 will also feature an overview of Brian Lamb’s recent webinar for our MEd and SEND Programme delegates and an in-depth interview with Ruth Deutsch (co-creator of the Cognitive Abilities Profile).
It will publish towards the end of April.
Please do feel free to sign up if you’d like to receive it by email.