PGCE Primary Special Educational Needs, Disabilities and Inclusion (SENDI) Specialist with QTS course preparation

To help you feel prepared for your PGCE Primary Special Educational Needs, Disbilities and Inclusion (SENDI) Specialist with QTS studies, we’ve put together a list of key department contacts and how to connect with them, where you can expect to learn and other tips on how to prepare for your transition to postgraduate study. Read on to find out more.

Important: Placement guidance

Edge Hill is an English Teacher Training institution which trains teachers for the English system. In order to widen our students’ experience, and to enhance their employability, we’re sometimes able to provide Professional Practice placements outside England, in Wales, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland. It should be noted that such distance placements aren’t guaranteed, and the government requirement is that all students complete the majority of their training in England. While we’re delighted to welcome students from all over the world onto this programme, it should be noted that we’re training primarily for the English school system. Where distance placements are possible, they’re normally offered for the developmental placement, which takes place after the Christmas break.

Trainees aren’t expected to arrange their own placements, however, if there’s a school where you’re already known, and which you think might agree to offer you a placement, then you could forward a Placement Allocation Form (PAF), which will be sent out later this summer. Schools are guided to return these forms to our Partnership team. Where PAF placements are sought, we strongly encourage trainees to prioritise KS1 (ages 5-7) placements as these are in greater demand. All students will require one KS1 and one KS2 placement. Both placements must be in different schools.

Our Partnership team will usually source your professional practice placements for you, however if you’ve got strong links to a school where you’d like to undertake a Professional Practice Placements, please let us know. You can do this by completing our Professional Practice Allocation Form (PPAF). We’re always happy to consider these schools and have a set process in place to do so.

If you intend to submit a PAF form to a school in Northern Ireland, please be sure to clarify the age range of the class you’ve sourced. Terminology to describe age phase differs between Northern Ireland and England, for example KS1 equates to Primary 2 and Primary 3 (P2 and P3) in Northern Ireland.

How to prepare for your transition to postgraduate study

At Edge Hill, we host specialist UniSkills workshops for anyone who is returning to learning. This is for you if you’re returning to study a postgraduate degree, no matter how long you’ve been away from education. We’ll contact you when session dates have been announced and provide you with details about how to book your place.

We know that you’re aware that you’ll be putting in hard work to study for your course when you arrive. But it’s not just academic skills that you’ll be using once you’re here. And there are a few skills that you might want to refresh now so that you’re a pro when it comes to the start of your studies in September.

• Time management – you may have conflicting deadlines as well as other personal activities to consider. So you’ll want to make sure that you manage your time well so that you can do everything you’d like to do. But, there may be times when you can’t do it all but managing your time well will help you to prioritise which activities are necessary and which you have to miss out on.
• Critical thinking – it’s important to show your true understanding of the topics you cover in lectures. And for some of this, you’ll need to critique the work you’re studying in a professional, academic manner. You may already be completing tasks like this in your current studies, so university will be a chance to enhance these skills. Don’t be afraid to share your opinions.
• Teamwork – some modules may require you to work with others on your course to complete tasks and discuss analytical findings.
• Independent work – in contrary to the above, it’s also important to be able to work independently. The majority of your work will need to be submitted individually so it’s important to take ownership of your learning. And if there is something that you don’t understand, make sure to ask your tutor.
• Self-motivation – you’ll be encouraged to work more independently which means that you won’t have a teacher that chases you up to make sure you’ve completed a piece of work on time. So it’s important that you hold yourself accountable and make the decision to put the work in.

Useful websites:

Over the summer, you can also prepare for your programme by keeping up to date with the latest developments in the Education Sector. We’ve listed some useful websites, but you should also try and find additional sites of your own:

• The Times Educational Supplement
• Ofsted website
• Department for Education
• BBC Education and Family News
• Initial Teacher Training Early Career Framework document

Materials you may need:

It’s a good idea to wait until you start your course to buy any books or specific equipment as your tutor will be able to provide more details about what is essential. And our library may be able to provide you with reading materials. But there are a few things you may want to consider.

• Academic diary – a staple to help you with your time management as well as upcoming tasks in both your academic and personal life.
• Notepads and pens – some people prefer to do this digitally rather than on paper, whichever you prefer, make sure you have the resources to complete any notes you’d like to take. If you like to write on a physical notepad, consider an A5 size so that it’s easier to carry around.

And of course, anything else that you like to use for your academic studies, like highlighters, flashcards and folders.

Useful contacts