Lucy Wayman – CPT3A
Lucy from Bristol, UK, works as a freelance maths tutor for students not in the school system, she is also a dyscalculia assessor within Constellation Education.
Lucy has a special interest in ADHD, ADD and autism. She has recently completed her Certificate of Competence in Education Testing (CCET), and will soon be completing the Access Arrangements course (AAC), for the Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment and Access Arrangements (CPT3A).
What made you choose the Real Training course over other options?
It was a great blend of live online teaching and self-study. Having three full days of group teaching was really useful at raising the issues, meeting other people in the same situation and covering the main features of the course, with the opportunities to discuss and collaborate with other delegates.
What was your experience of learning with Real Training?
The three days of teaching were incredibly enjoyable, and very full on. You really felt like every minute was accounted for and designed with a purpose. I came away from those days much better informed about psychometric testing, clear about the assignments I had to do, and enthused about getting my independent study done.
How has the course helped make an impact at school?
Combined with my dyscalculia training, I feel confident about carrying out psychometric testing, and more importantly, being able to interpret results in a way which will help my students.
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?
I will complete the rest of the CPT3A course and look to gaining my APC so that I can both assess for exam access arrangements, and assess and diagnose dyscalculia.
Lastly, what are looking to do within your setting, since completing the course?
Review the efficacy of testing that is currently in place and try to streamline the process, while improving usefulness of the tests done.
If you would like to know more about Lucy Wayman, connect on LinkedIn. For more information on CPT3A, click here.
Aaron Pape – CPT3A
Aaron currently teaches Sociology at a Sixth Form College in Bexhill-On-Sea. Aaron completed the Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment and Access Arrangement (CPT3A), which he was enrolled onto by his workplace. Aaron was happy to study with Real Training as his colleagues stated to him that it provided all the necessary elements to obtains the qualification needed.
What was your experience of learning with Real Training?
Real Training provided very good provision of guidance in how to navigate around the website and how to access the resources available to the delegates. The tutoring was also of a good standard, guiding myself on where to improve certain aspects of my work but also allowing myself to steer the ship of my own learning. Some of the tasks required were of a challenging nature, which was very good for academic and professional practice. The course met my expectations and I would recommend it to those wishing to pursue a career within the realms of SEN or access arrangements.
How has the course helped make an impact at school?
Particularly with the AAC, it has allowed me to complete a Form 8 to the appropriate JCQ standards, which has helped the college with completing access arrangements.
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?
I am now aware of the immense testing and research that is undertaken to compile these psychometric tests. It has helped me in further my educational development early on in my career. I hope to further my knowledge in the subject area and help those members of staff who may have questions about exam concessions and JCQ regulations.
Lastly, what are the top 3 things you are looking to do within your setting, since completing the course?
1. Educating staff members of the requirements of exam concessions.
2. How to implement and write effective normal ways of working testimonials.
3. As a teacher myself, being more vigilant in students who may be entitled to exam concessions.
Catherine Burton – CPT3A, AAC
Catherine Burton has worked in education for over twenty years. She currently works in a Catholic Secondary School in West Yorkshire. Catherine has a keen interest in SEND, especially in Autism and Dyslexia.
Catherine studied the Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment, and Access Arrangements with us.
What made you choose the Real Training courses over other options?
After doing extensive Google research, I chose Real Training. I was impressed with how clear and easy to navigate their website was. There was lots of background information about the group and clear information for each training course they had to offer.
What was your experience of learning with Real Training?
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Real Training. My course tutors were incredibly helpful and patient. Even though they worked part-time, I always received replies to any queries on the same day I sent them. Talk about going above and beyond! It had been a while since I had done any training, but at no point did I ever feel unsupported. The customer care team were also excellent. I had a technical issue, which was entirely my fault, and it was dealt with quickly and efficiently.
How has the course helped make an impact at school?
The SEN department had gone through a complete staff change prior to my starting my role, as the previous two qualified assessors had retired. The school had to ‘buy in’ an assessor for the class of 2022 students because their Access Arrangement Applications had not been processed. My qualification has had a significant impact on the school. The knowledge I have gained has allowed me to audit the current documentation, resulting in four students now having Access Arrangements in place. We have also had several parents challenging the school about what support their child should get. The knowledge I have obtained has allowed me to advise the SENCO on what is and isn’t allowed. We now have two other staff members undertaking the course.
How has the course helped develop you as an educational professional and what do you hope to achieve with your new knowledge/skills in the future?
Having worked in education for over twenty years, I thought I had a fairly good understanding of the evidence needed for Access Arrangements and how applications are made. The course allowed me to increase my prior knowledge and ‘fill in’ the blanks, giving me a comprehensive understanding of the process from beginning to end.
Katie Lohan – CPT3A
Katie Lohan has been working in SEND for ten years and is currently based at an international School in Oman. Since joining her current school as a SENDCO working for students in early primary phase, she has done lots of work in literacy difficulties, speech and language, speech delay and engaging the children in picture communication.
She spends a lot of time working with parents of children experiencing SEND, helping them navigate the systems and empowering them with knowledge which is not readily available in the Middle East.
Katie studied the Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment and Access Arrangements with us.
What made you choose the Real Training course(s) over other options?
When researching a course to undertake to gain qualifications for assessing, Real Training came highly recommended from many sources. As I am in Oman, a face-to-face course would not have been an option for me.
The flexible nature of the Real Training course was a huge advantage for me as a lot of courses available have live classes at times that don’t line up with our time differences. The option to complete at my own pace was a huge positive also due to a busy workload and online school delaying some of the sections for me. It was easily accessible at all times.
What was your experience of learning with Real Training?
From the very start, Real Training were great to deal with. I received my training manual in very quick time by the courier and was able to get started right away. The material in the manual was very well laid out and using it along with the online resources was great. The videos in particular I found very useful. The sample submissions and other downloadable documents were of great help also. The personal aspect to the course in terms of tutor feedback was excellent and one of the highlights for me. The feedback given was always constructive and supportive and well placed to guide and support. The forums where you could communicate with other participants was good also. It was comforting to read other’s thoughts and questions as often they were similar to mine. Campus Online was a very user-friendly platform and was always functional with no technical issues. This was reassuring when studying fully online. It was easy to navigate and well laid out section by section.
Across the board, the Real Training team must be commended for their commitment to its participants and the quality of courses.
How has the course helped make an impact at school?
Since completing the course I have successfully undertaken a schedule of different assessments to include the YARC, CTOPP2 and DASH. This was only possible through the experience gained in the CCET course. I have also put through a number of online applications for Access Arrangements for our GCSE students. The AAC section of the CPT3A was excellent in guiding me through the process.
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?
As the only trained assessor in my school, it has been a great opportunity for me to develop in many skills particularly in assessing students of all ages. It has given me a lot more confidence in my assessing across the school. I hope to develop a coherent system of record keeping and assessment pathways for the school. Due to the school having no SENDCo up to now, this is something I will endeavour to achieve with the new qualifications to support me.
Emma Sison – CPT3A Intensive
Emma Sison currently works as a Deputy Examination Manager within a mainstream secondary school and sixth form in Suffolk, which has 1500 students. She has recently completed the CCET intensively with us and is now starting the AAC component of the CPT3A qualification.
When asked what her specific interest areas are within SEND, Emma explained that she is fairly new to the role but passionate about working alongside the school SENCO to support their students. We had a chat with Emma to see how she found her time on CCET and what her plans are once she has obtained the full CPT3A.
What made you choose the Real Training course over other options?
I originally found out about Real Training once I had been asked to do the qualification, and it was recommended by a few of my colleagues. It worked really well being able to complete it online and have it fit around my current work situation. The time they give you to complete the course is enough to give you the flexibility and work at your own speed.
I also found it was really useful to be able to do the online aspect and chat with others in the same or similar situations.
What was your experience of learning with Real Training?
The whole experience with Real Training has been amazing! Angela was fantastic at booking me onto both courses and answering all the questions I had.
The online platform for the intensive course and the module page was also great – easy to navigate and the resources were well put together. The tasks following the day course integrated all the learning into a great practical element, which tied everything together nicely. Being able to do the online training and be split into smaller groups for work was also useful, as it almost provided that face-to-face interaction.
I have now attended the one intensive day for AAC (currently working on this) and the three days for CCET. Both presenters and tutors were great, very responsive, and the feedback given was clear, relevant, and really useful for me going forward.
I honestly cannot thank the whole Real Training team enough for their support and commitment to everyone on the course. On top of this, it has given me a better understanding of SEND and what is involved in terms of AA.
How has the course helped make an impact at school?
Despite not having completed the full CPT3A, I have already been able to push for more test kits to be purchased and streamline the process a little bit with our SENCO, who is already a qualified EAA assessor. Once I am fully qualified, this will help a great deal.
As a non-teaching member of staff, I hope to be able to assess students as and when they are brought to my attention and ensure that support is in place early on in their studies.
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 been great to be learning again. The course has taught me a lot and given me the confidence to conduct educational testing.
I look forward to putting my qualification to use and conducting Access Arrangement Assessments in school. There are already talks for me to oversee AA in other secondary schools in our Trust too, which will be interesting for me to do.
Tina Thompson – DPRW and CPT3A
Tina currently works as an Academic Support Teacher and Assessor for Access Arrangements. The role is within an Independent Senior School based in Bedford. She has a special interest in Dyslexia.
Tina recently completed the Dyslexia Professional Report Writing module with us at Real Training.
In previous years, Tina has also completed our Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment and Access Arrangements (CPT3A).
What made you choose Real Training over other options?
I initially discovered Real Training through a colleague who had completed a course. I was looking for a course I could study that would fit into my work pattern. Online learning seemed the way to go, and then I investigated how rigorous and professional the courses were at Real Training. I found only excellent reviews and made my decision based on that. I noticed there was a lot of support from tutors, a library with a vast selection of relevant resources, and plenty of guidance with assignments.
What was your experience of learning with Real Training?
I enjoyed studying the courses with Real Training; they were academically challenging, which I saw as a positive. If I needed additional support and guidance, it was easy to contact my tutor, and the help was always constructive, clear, and accessible. I found this gave me confidence in my own development. There was the opportunity for one-to-one contact either via Zoom or phone, which I found really valuable. Each course met my expectations in terms of challenge, professional development, and new learning. I particularly enjoyed the library resources and reading academic articles and journals, as they led to greater knowledge around subjects such as developments in Dyslexia.
How has the course had an impact on you professionally and your school?
The impact at school is linked to two developments. I am now able to assess for Exam Access Arrangements and complete diagnostic reports for Dyslexia. Additionally, these skills assist in informing support plans for students following assessments.
Karen Goulden – CPT3A and DPRW
Karen Goulden currently works as a Specialist Teacher for the Dyslexia Outreach Service, her main area of interest is Dyslexia. Currently based at a secondary school, Karen’s role entails devising support plans for pupils aged 5 to 18 from across Norfolk.
Karen has completed Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment, and Access Arrangements and Dyslexia Professional Report Writing with us, so we caught up with her to see what she had to say about both courses.
What made you choose Real Training over other options?
I have completed a range of courses over the last five years, but I find the Real Training courses the most practical and accessible. The layout of their online platform, Campus Online, is easy to navigate. Relevant support materials were available at every stage, and the information was always up-to-date. I also found it easy to monitor my own progress throughout the course, seeing what work had been completed and what was left to finish. This kept me focused and motivated.
What was your experience of learning with Real Training?
The courses have been very practical and completely related to my line of work. All tasks and assignments were relevant. My tutor was very responsive, and I loved the access to the library and chat forums. It was also helpful to be able to refer to the work of previous delegates for guidance.
How do you think the course will impact your school?
Obtaining my APC will give schools and parents confidence in the reports that they receive. Thanks to my time on both courses, I will also feel more confident about those reports. Furthermore, I have been able to share lots of information from the course with my colleagues, for example; the most relevant tests to use, the length of time we should spend on an assessment, and creating our own assessment framework.
How has the course helped developed you as an educational professional and what do you hope to achieve with the new knowledge/skills in the future?
Completing the course has improved my confidence in the work I do. Secondly, being able to share information with colleagues has led to greater consistency in the team’s report writing. It has certainly made me a more reflective practitioner. I look forward to obtaining my APC, but irrespective of this, my overall understanding in putting together all the elements involved in diagnosing Dyslexia has been improved.
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.
Lisa Pongpiriyaporn – SEND & Inclusion Programme
Lisa Pongpiriyaporn works as the K-12 ELL Coordinator at The KAUST IB School in Saudi Arabia. Explaining her special interests in SEND, Lisa said;
“Within a RtI framework, I’m interested in how schools create a robust tier 1 approach to differentiate and scaffold language and learning, reducing the need for tier 2 intervention. Current research around the science of reading and the impact of instruction on how children learn to read also interests me.
Alongside, culturally responsive design for English Language Learners and developing intercultural competence within school faculty. Our school is currently using Universal Design for Learning as an approach and planning for learner variability is interesting to me.”
Having completed Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment, and Access Arrangements, Cognition and Learning, and Psychology for Education at Real Training, we wanted to catch up with Lisa to see how she found her time.
What made you choose Real Training courses over other options?
Real Training offers a range of courses that suited both my professional goals and my preference for flexible study. I like to determine my own study pathway, as I balance many professional and personal interests. Studying with Real Training has enabled me to do this, which means the study can be enjoyable rather than stressful.
What was your experience of learning with Real Training?
The study platform is accessible and well-structured with excellent support and guidance from tutors. As courses are contextualised in my current professional setting, I am able to explore relevant areas in-depth. This has benefitted my study but also my understanding and knowledge of the current research connected with my role.
How have the courses helped make an impact at school?
The course has definitely supported my professional growth and enabled me to be a more informed instructional coach and leader of teams. As an ELL Coordinator part of a multidisciplinary student support team, I have a deeper understanding of my context and feel up-to-date with current research and evidence-based practices, meaning I feel better skilled to impact others.
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 increased and updated my knowledge and practice. I feel I can make better contributions and decisions at work. In the future, I aspire to lead a student support team.