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Our Programmes

Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND)

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SEND is the umbrella term for all school children who experience significant difficulties in learning in comparison to the majority of others of the same age, or hinders the pupil from making use of general facilities.

Red Kite offers high-quality specialist ‘With SEND’ training programmes designed for entrants to the teaching profession who aspire to teach in special schools, become Special Educational Needs Coordinators in mainstream schools or simply want to acquire an additional skill set.


Our SEND Courses

Primary 5-11 with SEND

This high-quality programme is designed for entrants to the teaching profession who aspire to teach in special schools or to become Special Educational Needs Coordinators in mainstream schools. 

The programme is delivered by serving SENDCos and professionals based in special schools.

The programme is sufficiently flexible to allow trainees to access learning on-line; to train within their locality; and to tailor the year to meet their needs. Trainees will experience placements in mainstream and special school settings.

In addition to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), trainees will achieve a PGCE from the University of Leeds. This evidence-based research will support trainees’ critical thinking about behaviour and barriers to learning related to teaching children with learning difficulties.

By the end of the programme, trainees will be equipped to complete their NQT induction in mainstream and special school settings.

The course provides a broad range of teaching experience across Key Stages 1 and 2. 

In the Primary year groups, creativity is at the heart of our teaching, both in the core subjects of English, Maths and Science, and across the full breadth of National Curriculum Primary subjects.

You’ll enjoy working with many inspirational teachers from across the partnership, showing you how they continuously strive to improve practice in the classroom, and enable progression across the full range of Primary year groups. You’ll also develop inspirational and innovative techniques to enthuse and engage young people.

English with SEND

This high-quality programme is designed for entrants to the teaching profession who aspire to teach in special schools or to become Special Educational Needs Coordinators in mainstream schools.

We want to inspire you to instil your love and knowledge of English in future generations.

At Red Kite, you’ll learn how to teach English in a way that motivates, embeds and helps to retain knowledge, helping children to enjoy the subject while developing their grammar, writing skills and reading strategies for each key stage through to GCSE and A’ Level.

Why is literacy so important? What is the best strategy for teaching Shakespeare? You’ll discuss questions like these alongside fellow trainees, with guidance from your specialist English teachers.

You’ll learn inspirational and innovative techniques for enthusing and engaging young people in a curriculum of rich texts and poetry, while teaching the skills to confidently analyse and compare different works.

You’ll also master lesson planning and learn how to manage a classroom using your voice, plus other valuable skills to create the right classroom culture.

In addition, your training will include a major focus on preparation to teach in special schools or as Special Educational Needs Coordinators with specific training on:

  • SEN policy and legislation
  • Inclusive practice and understanding the pupil as a learner
  • Differentiation
  • Behaviour management, including de-escalation techniques
  • Communication, including the use of assistive technology to support learning and teaching
  • Knowledge and experience of special school curricula
  • Detailed understanding of barriers to learning
  • New models of assessment

The programme will be delivered by outstanding practitioners from across our mainstream and special school partnership. Trainees will experience placements in both mainstream and special school settings. If you are currently working in a special school you may be able to have a placement with them but we also have placements in special schools from across our region.

Biology with SEND

This high-quality programme is designed for entrants to the teaching profession who aspire to teach in special schools or to become Special Educational Needs Coordinators in mainstream schools.
 
You will learn how to teach Biology in a way that inspires and nurtures fascination in the living world, developing the well-rounded scientists of the future all within the 11-16 age range. Our courses also include post 16 enhancement where you will develop your understanding of post 16 teaching.
 
On the course, you’ll work in schools with exceptional teachers to develop your subject knowledge in everything from genetics to ecology and evolution. You’ll also spend time learning how to teach Chemistry and Physics to Key Stage 3, broadening your skill set to be able to teach secondary Science.
 
By the end of the programme, you will have worked in five different science departments. Trainees will be equipped to teach in both mainstream and special schools, and will also gain the foundations of special educational needs to consider training further for a special needs coordinator role, having had specific training on:
  • SEN policy and legislation
  • Inclusive practice and understanding the pupil as a learner
  • Differentiation
  • Behaviour management, including de-escalation techniques
    Communication, including the use of assistive technology to support learning and teaching
  • Knowledge and experience of special school curricula
  • Detailed understanding of barriers to learning
  • New models of assessment
The programme will be delivered by outstanding practitioners from across our mainstream and special school partnership. Trainees will experience placements in both mainstream and special school settings. If you are currently working in a special school you may be able to have a placement with them but we also have placements in special schools from across our region.

Chemistry with SEND

This high-quality programme, offered in partnership with Red Kite Teacher Training, is designed for entrants to the teaching profession who aspire to teach in special schools or to become Special Educational Needs Coordinators in mainstream schools.
 
You will learn how to teach Chemistry in a way that will inspire a love of the study of matter and the properties and reactions of substances, helping students to understand the world around us, all within the 11-16 age range. Our courses also include post 16 enhancement where you will develop your understanding of post 16 teaching.
 
On the course, you’ll work in schools with exceptional teachers to develop your subject knowledge in everything from particle theory and atomic structure to chemical changes, reactions and analysis. You’ll also spend time learning how to teach Biology and Physics to Key Stage 3, broadening your skill set to be able to teach secondary Science.
 
By the end of the programme, you will have worked in five different science departments. Trainees will be equipped to teach in both mainstream and special schools, and will also gain the foundations of special educational needs to consider training further for a special needs coordinator role, having had specific training on:
  • SEN policy and legislation
  • Inclusive practice and understanding the pupil as a learner
  • Differentiation
  • Behaviour management, including de-escalation techniques
  • Communication, including the use of assistive technology to support learning and teaching
  • Knowledge and experience of special school curricula
  • Detailed understanding of barriers to learning
  • New models of assessment
The programme will be delivered by outstanding practitioners from across our mainstream and special school partnership. Trainees will experience placements in both mainstream and special school settings. If you are currently working in a special school you may be able to have a placement with them, but we also have placements in special schools from across our region.
 

Mathematics with SEND

This high-quality programme is designed for entrants to the teaching profession who aspire to teach in special schools or to become Special Educational Needs Coordinators in mainstream schools.

At Red Kite, you will learn how to teach Maths in a way that motivates and helps children to enjoy the subject while enabling students to learn how to make mathematics meaningful, interesting and fun for the 11-16 age range. Our courses also include post 16 enhancement where you will develop your understanding of post 16 teaching.

Our specialist Maths teachers have years of experience and strategies to use in the classroom. They’ll work with you to plan your lessons to make sure you’re answering the BIG questions and using key words, so students become familiar with them and what is expected of them in response.

You’ll also master lesson planning and learn how to manage a classroom plus other valuable skills to create the right classroom culture.

By the end of the programme, you will have worked in five different science departments and will be equipped to teach in both mainstream and special schools. We will provide you with the foundations of special educational needs to consider training further for a special needs coordinator role, having had specific training on:

  • SEN policy and legislation
  • Inclusive practice and understanding the pupil as a learner
  • Differentiation
  • Behaviour management, including de-escalation techniques
  • Communication, including the use of assistive technology to support learning and teaching
  • Knowledge and experience of special school curricula
  • Detailed understanding of barriers to learning
  • New models of assessment

The programme will be delivered by outstanding practitioners from across our mainstream and special school partnership. Trainees will experience placements in both mainstream and special school settings. If you are currently working in a special school you may be able to have a placement with them, but we also have placements in special schools from across our region.

Physics with SEND

This high-quality programme is designed for entrants to the teaching profession who aspire to teach in special schools or to become Special Educational Needs Coordinators in mainstream schools.

At Red Kite, you will learn how to teach Physics in a way that inspires curiosity in how things work, encouraging students to question the physical world around us, and experiment to find the answers all within the 11-16 age range. Our courses also include post 16 enhancement where you will develop your understanding of post 16 teaching.

On the Red Kite Secondary Physics course, you’ll work in schools with exceptional teachers to develop your subject knowledge in everything from temperature and changes of state to electricity, forces and magnetism. You’ll also spend time learning how to teach Biology and Chemistry to Key Stage 3, broadening your skill set to be able to teach secondary Science.

By the end of the programme, you will have worked in five different science departments and will be equipped to teach in both mainstream and special schools. We will provide you with the foundations of special educational needs to consider training further for a special needs coordinator role, having had specific training on:

  • SEN policy and legislation
  • Inclusive practice and understanding the pupil as a learner
  • Differentiation
  • Behaviour management, including de-escalation techniques
  • Communication, including the use of assistive technology to support learning and teaching
  • Knowledge and experience of special school curricula
  • Detailed understanding of barriers to learning
  • New models of assessment

The programme will be delivered by outstanding practitioners from across our mainstream and special school partnership. Trainees will experience placements in both mainstream and special school settings. If you are currently working in a special school you may be able to have a placement with them but we also have placements in special schools from across our region.


Start your application here


Red Kite 2021 (16)SEND course structure 

The training has all the same features and benefits of a standard Red Kite course, but if you chose a ‘With SEND’ course, your second school placement, from January to June, will be in a special school and will involve some additional SEND training from Special Needs Co-ordinators and other experts from within the Red Kite training family.

The content is sufficiently flexible to allow you to access learning on-line, to train within your locality and to tailor the year to meet your own personal needs during your placements in mainstream and special school settings.

The evidence-based research used in the course will support your critical thinking about behaviour and barriers to teaching children with learning difficulties.

In addition to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), on completion of the course you’ll be awarded a PGCE from the University of Leeds.


Entry Criteria

Applicants should be qualified to degree level, 2:2 or above (or in their final year of University with a predicted 2:2 or above).

Secondary applicants should have a degree relevant to the subject they want to teach. We consider related A-Level qualifications where your degree is not directly related for our Maths and Physics courses.

All applicants are required to have a GCSE/O'level/iGCSE* at grade C/4 or above in Maths and English.

Primary applicants also need a GCSE/O'level/iGCSE* (or equivalent) at grade C/4 or above in Science.

*or international equivalent

Experience of being in a school and/or working with young people is preferred and will be beneficial during the application process. You can contact us to arrange school experience.

You must be eligible to study in the UK. We are unable to sponsor student route visas.

Red Kite Education

Red Kite Teacher Training is part of Red Kite Learning Trust, a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with company number 7523507, registered office address: Red Kite Office, Pannal Ash Road, Harrogate, HG2 9PH

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