Special Educational Needs Coordination National Award
Study a range of issues related to special educational needs and inclusion, engaging with a broad conceptual base of current SENCo practice and enabling you to better support pupils or learners with SEN(D).
Overview
| Course length: | 1 year part-time |
|---|---|
| Start dates: | September 2023 February 2024 September 2024 |
| Location: | Edge Hill University and Online study |
| Subject(s): | Education and Teaching |
| Faculty: | Education |
| Department: | Primary and Childhood Education |
As a serving SENCo, this National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination (NASC) has been developed to provide you with a rich, critical and broad-based understanding of the theories and concepts surrounding inter-professional working with children and young people experiencing barriers to learning. It will help you further develop your practice as a committed, responsible and creative professional, capable of critical thinking and practical action and support you in enhancing whole-school provision for pupils who have Special Educational Needs or disabilities. SENCos who are newly appointed must achieve the award within three years of taking up the role. Over 2,000 SENCOs nationally have benefited from the expertise of the Edge Hill SEN team.
Course features
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Professional accreditation
What you'll study
The taught element of the course will comprise two modules, one per semester, which provide elements applicable to special educational needs, inclusion, understanding barriers to learning, leadership, and collaborative working.
How you'll study
You will study online and will be required to attend four face-to-face sessions during the programme.
The face-to-face sessions will be held on our Ormskirk campus.
How you'll be assessed
The programme will be assessed via two reflective portfolios (one in each module). These will include practice-based assessment tasks and a critical reflection of 2,500 words. You will also be required to collate a portfolio of evidence in relation to the 49 SENCo Standards.
Who will be teaching you
You will be taught by well qualified and experienced tutors with expertise in the field of special needs.
Entry criteria
Entry requirements
You must have a degree (or equivalent). No specific subjects are required. You must also hold either Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status or Early Years Teacher Status, or equivalent, and be employed in the post of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) within a school or setting. Please note, if you hold QTS you must also have completed your Early Career Teacher induction period.
Eligible schools and settings include maintained schools (including special schools), non-maintained special schools, city technology colleges, academies, free schools and pupil referral units.
If you wish to study on modules where distance learning is required, you must have access to a PC with a suitable broadband connection which provides good internet access, as well as having a secure postal address. All participants joining the programme will be required to meet the Disclosure and Barring Service’s (DBS) mandatory criteria of ‘Clearance to Work with Children and/or Vulnerable Adults’.
How to apply
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
If you join a full time undergraduate degree at Edge Hill University, we will guarantee you the offer of a room in our halls of residence for the first year of your course.
Discover our accommodation
Finance
Tuition fees
UK Part-Time
£2,820
for the course
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Financial support
Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students joining postgraduate courses at Edge Hill University.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please see our EU student finance page for further details.
Your future career
This award, which is accredited by the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN), has been described as ‘mandatory’ by the Department for Education for new SENCos working in the mainstream sector. It is also considered as a ‘strongly advised’ qualification by the Department for Education for experienced SENCos in the same sector. The qualification is therefore central to career progression for all serving SEN Coordinators in schools.
Course changes
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.
Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.
