Special Education Needs and Inclusive Practice

The Foundation Degree in Special Educational Needs, Disability (SEND) and Inclusive Practice is a blended, work-based programme designed for those supporting children and young people with additional needs across the 0–25 age range. It is ideal for practitioners and volunteers working in early years, schools, colleges, specialist or alternative provision, as well as in youth, health, or social care settings.

The programme combines practical learning with live online teaching and occasional campus sessions. You will attend online classes twice a week in real time, with five in-person teaching days across the academic year, making it possible to continue working or volunteering while you study.

Over the two-year programme, you will build on your existing experience of working with children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), applying this experience to your studies. In your first year, you will explore approaches to learning for children and young people with additional needs and examine how your practice supports their learning and development. You will also reflect on your professional role, supporting your ongoing development, while studying key topics such as child development and social interaction to strengthen your practical knowledge.

In your second year, you will explore important topics such as inclusion, equality, and diversity, as well as ways to support the development of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. You will also examine different approaches to teaching (pedagogy) and develop skills in reflecting critically on your own practice.

Throughout the programme, you will have opportunities to work alongside students from related courses, such as those based in early childhood settings, schools, or youth work. This collaboration will help broaden your understanding of working with learners across a range of ages and settings and strengthen your future career prospects.