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Successful first year for Marjon’s SEND programme

Released: 09.03.22

Marjon’s PGCE Primary Education with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) course has had a successful first year, with new opportunities on the horizon as we welcome new schools into our network.

Trainees on the course are now working with the following schools:

  • ACE - Plymouth 
  • Bidwell Brook -Totnes
  • Brook Green -Plymouth 
  • Combe Pafford School- Torquay 
  • South Brook - Exeter 
  • Longcause Community Special School - Plympton  
  • Milford School - Plymouth 
  • Nancealverne School - Penzance
  • Mount Tamar, Plymouth 
  • Oaktree - Truro - Cornwall 
  • Mayfield school - Torquay 

Trainees have a school placement in a special school as well as a school placement in a mainstream school. The PGCE SEND qualifies trainees to teach in either a mainstream school or a special school. The special schools in the southwest have been keen to work with Marjon and our trainees. 

The course running as a pathway within the general PGCE primary teacher training programme. This allows trainees to complete all the aspects of a general primary PGCE and then have a series of enrichment sessions specialising in SEND and inclusion throughout the year. For example, looking at specific barriers to learning or curriculums used to support children with SEND, such as the government’s Engagement Model. The model is used by teachers as an assessment tool for pupils working below the standard of national curriculum tests.

Lecturer for the Marjon Teacher Education Partnership, Ruth Benton said, “The students on our SEND specialist pathway are just about to begin their final placement in school. They have had a successful year with a range of university sessions enriching and deepening their understanding of teaching strategies and adaptive support for children with SEND.

“These specialist sessions sit alongside the general primary initial teacher education meaning that trainees are equipped and confident to teach in mainstream or SEND schools and support children of all needs to make great progress. The SEND schools we have worked with have really valued having trainees on placement and we are looking forward to developing these partnerships even further.”

Teachers from special schools and alternative provision coming in and working with the trainees helping them with planning, behaviour and drawing up support plans using real case studies.

There is also the SEND conference, bringing online experts from the SEND field as guest speakers. The schools offer a range of experiences and ages, and the trainees are working with experienced practitioners within SEND. One of our SEND trainees went on residential to Slapton as part of her placement with a group of SLD children and had a fantastic time seeing the children in a different environment. 

Marjon has been titled ‘the place for postgraduate study’ after being awarded No. 1 uni in UK for contact with staff, assessment, and education-based courses (PTES, 2021). To find out more about the course, book on to our next open day

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