University of Bedfordshire
Education (National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination) PgCert
University of Bedfordshire

Course modalities offered
  • online
  • Oct 1, 2024 Part-time - 1 years
  • On campus - h Bedford Campus
  • Oct 1, 2024 Part-time - 1 years

Key Course Facts

Course Description

The National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination (NASENCO) is a legally required qualification for all new Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs).

This course will support you to improve your knowledge of current legislation, theory and practice in Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provision in schools/colleges and your skills in meeting those needs.

This course will assist you to fulfil your leadership role as outlined in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice for 0 to 25 years (DfE, 2014):

  • Overseeing the operation of the institution’s SEN policy
  • Coordinating provision for SEND
  • Liaising with the relevant designated teacher where a looked after pupil has SEN
  • Advising on a graduated approach to providing SEN Support and effective deployment of the institution’s delegated budget and other resources
  • Liaising with families of children with SEN, other schools and relevant external professionals/ agencies
  • Liaising with potential next providers of education and consulting young people and families to ensure a smooth transition is planned
  • Working with the headteacher and school governors to ensure that the school conforms to the Equality Act (2010)
  • Ensuring that the institution keeps records of young people with SEN up to date.

You will be able to tailor the three assignments to fit your, and your institution’s, needs.

Why choose this course?

  • Study on a course designed for to develop SENCOs’ professional attributes and knowledge, understanding and skills, to enable you to fulfill the leadership role set out in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice for 0 to 25 years (DfE, 2015).
  • Explore course content highly relevant to mainstream and special school practitioners alike, focusing on issues related to literacy difficulties and dyslexia in schools, and how potential barriers to learning can be removed
  • Develop your understanding of concepts, theories and approaches to literacy difficulties, including dyslexia, and inclusion in schools, and on your potential for influencing change
  • Gain insight into the learning of dyslexic and other pupils/students who experience difficulties in literacy development/specific learning difficulties, and ways in which learning might be more effectively supported
  • Benefit from a qualification that could be used as the basis for a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) claim into an MA Education course (Level 7).

There are six assessments, three for each of the two units that comprise the award. The first assessment in Unit 1 requires application of personal understanding of current legislation to individual contexts and critical reflection on the extent to which current school/institutional practice is inclusive and compliant with the law. Assessments then focus on critical application of assessment theory to individual learning and behaviour needs, the design, development, and implementation of an individual plan linked to needs, and critical analysis of the effectiveness of this, with implications for future plans. **Assessments in Unit 2 relate to institutional level:** analysis and reflection on current school/college policy in SEND and inclusive practices; analysis of areas for improvement in institutional SEND provision; the design, development, implementation, critical evaluation, and reporting on a small-scale practitioner research project focused on achieving the desired improvement.

Entry Requirements / Admissions

Requirements for international students / English requirements

IELTS academic test score (similar tests may be accepted as well)

    • 5.0
    • Foundation / Pathway Courses
    • 6.0
    • Graduate Degrees
    • 6.0
    • Undergraduate Degrees

For information on postgraduate funding, please visit: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/postgraduatestudy/postgraduate-fees-and-funding
Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Education (National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination), PgCert, if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

Applicants should have a good undergraduate degree at Honours level, or equivalent. In addition applicants will need to have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and be practising teachers working in the area of special educational needs provision in schools.

Costs

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

Source: Own research based on surveys and university data

University Rankings

Positions of University of Bedfordshire in top UK and global rankings.

See all 16 university rankings of University of Bedfordshire

About University of Bedfordshire

The University of Bedfordshire is a publicly funded university located in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, England. One of the main campuses, in Luton, is home to the university’s Business, Media, Art & Design, Science, Computing, Law, Psychology, and Social Sciences schools. The Bedford campus is just a twenty minute walk from the town centre, and is home to the Primary Education, Secondary Education, Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, and Tourism schools.

List of 306 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of Bedfordshire - Course Catalogue

Student composition of University of Bedfordshire

Total number of students enrolled at University of Bedfordshire by level Academic year 2021/22 - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on February 2022
undergraduates:
10090
postgraduates:
3170
Total:
13260
Number of students enrolled in courses of subject “Education Studies”: Academic year - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on February 2022
Source: Academic year 2021/22 - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on February 2022
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Where is this programme taught

Bedford Campus
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