Maria Woodcraft believes you never stop learning. She’s always looking for new ways to develop her skills as a teacher, because she knows that education is constantly changing.
That’s why she’s currently completing her second National Professional Qualification (NPQ) with Ambition Institute. She shares how her NPQs have helped build her confidence, develop new connections and use what you learn to improve outcomes for pupils. Her journey through the NPQ for SENCOs shows how the programme helps improve school-wide inclusion.
Why professional development matters
“I'm a big believer in lifelong learning. It's a real passion of mine trying to develop myself and learn new skills.”
Maria, a special education teacher at Lime Academy Hornbeam, believes that professional development is part of good teaching practice. “Things are constantly evolving and changing within education and I feel like it's important to always be developing yourself. That development makes sure we’re always providing the best quality education for our pupils.”
“I feel like we have a real responsibility to ensure that we’re keeping up to date with current changes, new thinking, new theories, and ultimately improving the outcomes for all the pupils we work with.”
Growing inclusion expertise with a second NPQ
Previously, Maria completed the NPQ for Leading Behaviour and Culture. “Because I was well supported on that course, I felt ready to take on another NPQ. This time I wanted to do one specifically about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), which is an area of education I’m most passionate about.“
Maria decided to start the NPQ for SENCOs. This programme gives teachers the tools and confidence to lead SEND provision, champion inclusion, and help every child feel valued and understood.
“I’m passionate about inclusion and equitable outcomes for all pupils. I thought doing the NPQ for SENCOs would teach me how to be able to move to the next level of supporting learners. I’ve found out a lot of new theories and evidence. There’s engaging content around what inclusion is and different ways of approaching inclusion.”
Having a whole-school impact with evidence-based learning
“I’ve found it really beneficial. The NPQ has given me fresh ideas and new ways of thinking about what I do in my day-to-day practice.”
The NPQ for SENCOs is designed by SEND specialists and experts from across the sector. “On the course, we engage with evidence and examples which are big discussion points for everyone. It makes us think about how we operate. We take what’s relevant to our own contexts and apply it in the way that best suits the pupils we work with. The NPQ is a significant commitment but it’s worthwhile because it’s rooted in evidence, it’s up to date and the evidence is so beneficial to engage with.”
The programme has helped Maria have a wider impact in her school, giving her the knowledge and confidence to implement good SEND provision. “It taught me about the importance of building a whole-school culture based on high expectations for everyone. I learnt a lot from the reading and assessment part of the programme. It’s helped me adapt how I see things and think about how I can impact situations to create positive outcomes for everybody involved.”
Making meaningful connections
From the start Maria has connected with other teachers from all sorts of schools. It’s been an opportunity to share ideas and pick up new approaches that she can use straight away.
“We had a conference at the beginning where we met and networked with people from so many different contexts. You had people working in SEND settings, people in mainstream settings who are training to be SENCOs, and people already in positions of leadership. It's a great opportunity to meet people from a variety of schools.”
“If you have a specific challenge you’re facing, you can talk with someone on the course who might have tried something different in the past that worked. I hear about wonderful ideas from different schools that we could adapt and introduce in our school. That's been helpful to me.”
“I’ve been working with someone from a secondary school, someone from a primary school and my colleague in the trust who's from a SEND setting. It’s been a lovely opportunity to focus in on challenges that we face in our current contexts and problem solve together. We got ideas from them, and I would hope that they got ideas from us too. It’s been a really nice opportunity to share and get some fresh eyes on things that we may be finding challenging.
Improving outcomes for pupils
“Each pupil is individual so it’s important to personalise the learning for each child. Looking at what their skills are, and thinking about what I can do to help develop their confidence is a huge part of what I do. It’s about making sure they're happy and they enjoy their time at school. It’s important for them to learn valuable life skills which will be beneficial to them as they develop and grow.”
“The course is so well structured and it’s been really beneficial to me professionally. It’s motivating to know that you’re learning new skills but it can also have a wider impact in your school. Everything you learn works together to improve outcomes for the pupils, which is the whole reason why these professional development opportunities are so important.”
