Blog | Develop competent, committed, capable and confident Early Years SENCos

Developed in collaboration with educators, training organisations, SEND professionals and practitioners within the PVI Sector - SIL’s Early Years SENCo Award has been meaningful and relevant from day one.

Early Years Education Partner, Natalie Anderson, explains how SIL’s unique train-the-trainer model has helped other Local Authorities achieve greater depth for their EY SENCos and build a long-term network of support, since 2018.

"SIL’s successful Level 3 Early Years SENCo Award has proven to inspire SENCos from across the PVI sector, and we’re proud that over 3000 practitioners have now completed our programme.

Recent graduates have told us that: “The programme relighted my passion” and that “it has given me more confidence and knowledge”

This is of course the aim of all training programmes - but what if you could access SIL’s impactful model and upskill staff and practitioners in your area at the same time?

Although there are different routes to achieving the Early Years SENCo qualification, SIL’s Early Years SENCo Award train-the-trainer programme allows LA consultants, advisors or trainers to access SIL’s unique approach, sector knowledge and ongoing support.

Early Years SEND expertise remains a high priority across the UK, with The DfE SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan: Right Support, Right Place, Right Time (2023) maintaining that:

“Reform is not possible without a strong and capable workforce with robust leadership”

Within this plan, there is also a commitment to increasing the number of Level 3 qualified EY SENCos nationally.

The SIL award is broad. As well as covering the DfE qualification specification, it also enables SENCos to build their own support networks and encourages partnership working with other professionals, with guest speakers and visits from within their own LA. Trainers are able to utilise their own knowledge of high-quality SEND provision in their area.

In addition to the wealth of knowledge practitioners gain through the qualification, SIL’s EY SENCo Award has a huge emphasis on the process SENCos go through  - empowering them to become competent, committed, capable and confident.

“The SENCo award has changed my way of thinking…. The support we give children and families within our setting can change lives and improve life chances”.

As a trainer, being a part of this journey is a hugely rewarding experience in itself, and as an accredited SIL EY SENCo Award trainer, you will join a team of over 40 specialists, across 30 LAs.

You will have access to termly network meetings, where trainers across the UK meet and discuss successes and share ideas for overcoming any challenges experienced.

SIL is responsive to information shared by trainers – ensuring materials remain of quality and relevant to all learners. Current trainers are supported to match the course content to their own local context.

Train the trainer supports trainers to utilise the knowledge of professionals within their own LA and also around LA-specific guidance, local procedures and processes.

This will help trainers and their EY SENCos build a network of long-term support – celebrating and sharing local knowledge, best practice and support. Existing trainers tell us that these networks are often maintained over a long period and continue to be beneficial, even years after the initial training."

How can SIL support Early Years SENCos in your area?

If you’re still undecided, here’s what some of our existing Local Authorities have said about the SIL train-the-trainer model:

“Best training, I have ever been on”

“This four-day training programme has inspired me and made me think about how important the role of SENCo is within the PVI sector”

“I just can’t wait to start delivering the training across our LA”

If you’d like to know more about this exciting training opportunity and how to become an accredited SIL Early Years SENCo trainer in your Local Authority, please get in touch!