National Award for SEN Coordinators - PGCert

• The course is accessible with 10 taught days that can be fit around an existing job and personal commitments.
• This course fulfils the Statutory requirements of the 2014 Children and Families Act that all new-to-post SENCOs should receive a postgraduate qualification to equip them with the knowledge and skills to undertake this complex role. We are one of the accredited national providers, found on the National Association for Special Education Needs website (NASEN).
• We provide ongoing support with extensive electronic resources on and off-site and a university tutor and school based mentor assigned to each student.
• You will be working with a group of your peers and have the opportunity, should you wish, to use the credits gained on this course, towards an MA. 

Summary

The course meets the learning outcomes agreed nationally by the DFE and the SENCO Award providers’ group for the NASENCO qualification. The course content is informed by current SEN and disability legislation and underpinned by current theory and research led practice pertaining to Special and Inclusive Education.

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) play a vital role in leading the co-ordination of provision for children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities in schools. In September 2009 it became law for every new SENCO in a mainstream school to gain the Masters-level National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination within 3 years of taking up the post.

Note: The accreditation of prior learning is not permitted as part of the assessment for this programme.

Content

It will consist of 9 taught days and one further day at the university for tutorials, study and research. It provides professional development for new to post SENCOs to enhance the quality of teaching for children and young people with SEN and/or a disability and to improve provision and outcomes for them. Course teaching days always take place on Wednesdays at Roehampton. 

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) play a vital role in leading the co-ordination of provision for children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities in schools. In September 2009 it became law for every new SENCO in a mainstream school to gain the Masters-level National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination within 3 years of taking up the post.

Following new legislation around Special Educational Needs included within the Children and Families Bill 2014, the outcomes for the National SENCO Award have changed for the cohort 2014/15. This is to ensure the Award continues to reflect the role of the SENCO, within the changing national and local context of Special Educational Needs.

The National College for Teaching and Leadership has provided provisional learning outcomes for the NASENCO Award next year, focused on three areas:

A. Professional Knowledge and Understanding.

B. Leading and Coordinating Provision

C. Personal and Professional Qualities

Academic Support

Each participant on the programme will be allocated a tutor within the University who will have experience in tutoring and supporting participants from a range of university programmes, including those who are studying whilst working full time. Additionally, the SENCO host school will provide a school-based mentor to oversee and support the school based element of the training, and to mark the portfolio. The school-based mentor will also play a key role in supporting and advising the new to post SENCO.

Assessment

The assessment is in two parts, each of which must be passed and each of which is equivalent to 5000 words.

Part 1: A Portfolio of Evidence

The portfolio must comprise evidence to demonstrate meeting the SENCO training standards. The evidence should be drawn from practice-based experience and from learning through the programme. Reflective commentary on evidence provided must be included. A reflective reading log must be included as an Appendix. The Mentor Handbook must be included as an Appendix.

Part 2: A Report of a Reflective Practitioner Enquiry (5000 word report)

The report must be based on a practitioner led enquiry carried out in the school, which explores an area/issue of inclusive practice or provision in order to support improvement for pupils with SEN and/or a disability.

Modules

• High Aspirations for SEN/D: a focus on policy
• High Aspirations for SEN/D: a focus on classroom provision
• High Aspirations for SEN/D: a focus on whole-school and community provision

Compulsory and Required modules

Compulsory and/or required modules may change when we review and update programmes. Above is a list of modules offered this academic year.

Optional modules

Optional modules, when offered as part of a programme, may vary from year to year and are subject to viability.

Career options

The Award should enable SENCOs to develop and demonstrate the personal and professional qualities and leadership they need to shape an ethos and culture based upon person-centred, inclusive, practice in which the interests and needs of children and young people, pupils with SEN and/or disabilities are at the heart of all that takes place.

Our experience is that many students undertaking this award progress quickly to further promotion, especially to school leadership teams.

Visit the National Award for SEN Coordinators - PGCert page on the University of Roehampton website for more details!