National Award for SEN Co-ordination provided by Edge Hill University

It is universally acknowledged within education that Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCos) play a vital role in leading and co-ordinating the provision for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities in school settings.

As a result, new regulations were introduced in 2009 by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) requiring all new SENCos to achieve the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination.

To this end, the Training and Development Agency (TDA) developed a framework of nationally approved training for teachers new to the SENCo role.  The training takes around a year to complete although SENCos have up to three years from the point at which they are designated as a lead SENCo in which to achieve the qualification.

A number of training providers were approved across the country to offer this national award, with Edge Hill University winning the bid to deliver it in the North West, in conjunction with various local authority and strategic partners.

Chris Joynson, Edge Hill's SENCo Partnership Development Officer, explains more: "The national SENCo award has been introduced by the TDA to enhance the practice and raise the profile of SENCos within maintained educational settings. By completing this award, new SENCos will be given the opportunity to reflect upon and improve their practice, learn more about the co-ordination of special educational needs and engage with a wide range of extremely useful reading."

The course offers SENCos the chance to achieve the TDA-designed standards at Masters Level via the completion of three modules.  Module one looks at learning and teaching in inclusive classrooms, module two is concerned with strengthening SEN support and the areas of evidence-based practice and impact assessment, whilst module three covers consultative and collaborative working practices and strategies.

"This course is for those who are the designated SENCo within maintained schools and who hold qualified teacher status," added Chris. "We are well placed to offer this award because it is delivered in partnership with local authority colleagues who have expertise in SEN and inclusion. All of our tutors have experience in special educational needs and, while the award is fully funded by the TDA for new SENCos, we can also offer it to experienced SENCos from our local authority partner areas free of charge if they have not already studied here at Edge Hill."

All students studying for the award are fully supported by online tutors and local mentors as well as a dedicated technologist and administrator.  Study help and assistance is embedded into the course via Edge Hill's virtual learning environment, Blackboard, whilst bespoke support can be offered to everyone, including those who have specific needs, such as dyslexia.

To complement this, all students have access to first class facilities such as a drop-in centre, the university library services, which includes a free postal loan service for up to fifteen books, and a telephone and online support network.

"At the moment this is a mandatory course for all SENCos who are new to the role," said Chris. "This means that new SENCos must engage with the qualification in order to comply with the new DCSF regulations and, once completed, they will hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Special Educational Needs. Within the course they will learn so much about the true role of a SENCo and understand fully what they have to do as part of that role.

"On top of this though, we anticipate that there will be many experienced SENCos who decide to undertake the award for their own professional development.  Students currently on the course have described it as ‘empowering', ‘supportive' and ‘essential professional development' and as the award comprises one-third of a Masters Degree, all students are given the chance to extend their studies to a full MA, which many employers really value."

For further information about the award, or to discuss any questions you may have, contact the course team via email at senco@edgehill.ac.uk