PGCert National Award For Special Educational Needs Coordination (Nasenco)

The course is designed to critically engage with current thinking and ideas about inclusive and specialist education and is designed to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding required to be a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo). The course fulfils all the requirements for achieving the National SENCo Award. The 2015 Special Educational Needs Code of Practice stipulates that for SENCos new to the role, it is mandatory to gain this award within three years of taking up the role.

The course covers inclusion and leadership within special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and it draws upon current legislation and national and international research.  

The course will enable you to study and research current and relevant issues concerning a range of special educational needs and disabilities and to develop your knowledge of inclusive pedagogy and practice. 

It will allow you to develop the skills to reflect critically on your own practice and current research. It will also enable you to contribute to school development and strategic vision concerning SEND and inclusion.

The NASENCo qualification is also offered as a distance learning (DL) option via UEL’s virtual learning environment, Moodle (in addition to and separate from the on campus version of the course). Teaching on the course will be carried out exclusively by distance learning, supported by online group discussion and independent study. 

Students will be able to access our state-of-the-art library and online resources to support their learning and professional development, just as if they were studying on campus. 

Online interactivity and assessment tools

The lists below demonstrate key features of Moodle and how students would be engaging with their learning:

Discussion forums 

Blogs and text chat sessions 

Online presentations

Moodle workshops

Directed reading and reflection

Collaborative and research activities

Formative assessment tasks 

Self-directed activities include: Assignment preparation

Background reading

On-line activities

Group work

Portfolio

Directed reading

Self-formed study groups

Discussion with other students online 

NASENCO PORTFOLIO A key aspect of the course is the NASENCO Portfolio. This is where you gather evidence of your work in schools to meet the learning outcomes of the National SENCo Award 

To help you complete this portfolio, you will be given specific tasks between sessions, alongside workshops where you can discuss your progress and any areas where you feel you need further support. You are required to identity someone in your setting to take on the role of mentor in order to support you to fulfil the NASENCO Portfolio learning outcomes.

You will have one year after being awarded your Postgraduate Certificate to complete the NASENCO portfolio, and you will have continued support from your tutor during this time.