National Award Special Educational Needs Coordination

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).

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      Overview

      Covid-19 - Special Educational Needs Coordination Essential Information

      View essential information and videos about the changes to teaching and learning and campus facilities from September 2020
      Course Length: 1 Year Part-Time
      Start Dates: September 2021, February 2022, September 2022, February 2023
      Subjects: Education and Teaching
      Location: Venues Nationwide

      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.

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      In Depth

      What will I study?

      The taught element of the course will comprise two Level 7 modules, one per semester, which provide elements applicable to Special Educational Needs, inclusion, understanding barriers to learning, leadership, and collaborative working.

      How will I 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 in central locations such as Edge Hill University, London, Solihull, North Yorkshire and Gateshead (subject to numbers).

      How will I 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 me?

      You will be taught by well qualified and experienced tutors with expertise in the field of special needs.

      Modules

      Expand All

      PBM4015Excellent Teaching and Learning in Inclusive Learning Environments (30 credits)

      Excellent Teaching and Learning in Inclusive Learning Environments provides knowledge and understanding of the range of specific issues related to Special Educational Needs and Inclusion and will provide a broad conceptual base from which to develop outstanding practice as a SENCo. You will investigate, evaluate and reflect upon current educational attitudes and policies that will support efforts to develop highly effective practice in inclusive education.


      Assessment: Coursework: 100%.

      PBM4016Developing Excellent Consultative and Collaborative Working Practices (30 credits)

      Developing Excellent Consultative and Collaborative Working Practices emphasises the centrality of human relationships to developing highly effective professional interaction. The module encourages you to take responsibility for your own learning and follow a systematic and supported route of inquiry and further independent study that will help you to develop your own professional practice. The module enables you to analyse collaborative processes and examines how to develop these to foster effective inclusive practices.


      Assessment: Coursework: 100%.

      Timetables

      You can expect to receive your timetable at enrolment. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day or evening of the week.

      Disclaimer

      Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes 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 accrediting 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.

      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 Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) 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; you must also have 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’.

      Recognition of Prior Learning

      Edge Hill University recognises learning gained elsewhere, whether through academic credit and qualifications acquired from other relevant courses of study or through recognition of an individual’s professional and employment experience (also referred to as ‘experiential learning’). This may include credit or learning undertaken at another university.

      Previous learning that is recognised in this way may be used towards meeting the entry requirements for a programme and/or for exemption from part of a programme. It is your responsibility to make a claim for recognition of prior learning. For guidance, please consult the University’s academic regulations (sections C7 and F3.1) or contact the faculty in which you are interested in studying.

      Career Prospects

      What are my career prospects?

      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.

      Finance

      Tuition Fees

      Tuition fees for UK students enrolling on this National Award in academic year 2021/22 are £2,040 for the entire 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

      For comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students joining postgraduate courses at Edge Hill University in academic year 2021/22, together with details of how to apply for potential funding, please view our Money Matters 2021/22 guide at www.edgehill.ac.uk/postgradfinance2021.

      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 should ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please see www.edgehill.ac.uk/eufinance for further details.

      Apply

      How to Apply

      There is an online application process for this programme.

      Please choose the application form for your preferred intake date and mode of study.

      Visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/applydirect for more information about the application process.

      Visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/applydirect to access the relevant online application form and to find out more about the application process.

      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.

      Get in Touch

      If you have any questions about this programme, please contact:

      If you would like to talk to the programme leader about the course in more detail, please contact:

      Course Changes

      Expand All This page outlines any material changes to course content, programme structure, assessment methods, entry criteria, and modes of study or delivery, implemented in the past two years.

      31st January 2020 - Change to Fee Structure

      While the overall cost of studying this programme has not changed, tuition fees will now be charged on a full programme basis (i.e. £2,040) rather than on a per credit basis (£34 per credit for 60 credits).

      Covid-19 - Special Educational Needs Coordination Essential Information

      Special Educational Needs Coordination Course Statement

      The face-to-face sessions that would usually take place at venues in central locations such as Edge Hill University, London, Solihull, North Yorkshire and Gateshead will be delivered online for the duration of courses commencing in Spring 2021.

      Teaching and Learning at Edge Hill University in 2020

      In this video Pro Vice-Chancellor, Lynda Brady, answers your questions and explains how teaching will work when you join us at Edge Hill University in September.

      Campus Facilities at Edge Hill University in 2020

      In this video Pro Vice-Chancellor, Lynda Brady, explains how we’re preparing the campus for your arrival in September and the facilities that will be available.