Best Practice Network
Overview of the programme
Entry requirements and Accessibility
How is the programme delivered
Programme support and responsibilities
Qualification and unit summary
How will you be assessed
Building Your Learning Evidence
Assessment Evidence
Assessment Verbs
Bibliography
Resubmissions
Internal Quality Assurance
Appeals
Plagiarism and use of AI
Study Skills
Online Safety
Programme Support
Best Practice Network Policies
Best Practice Network is one of the UK’s largest providers of training, development, and support for education professionals. We share the desire of every practitioner, that every child, regardless of their background, should benefit from an excellent education.
In collaboration with our Delivery Partner Network, education professionals and the Department for Education, we design, develop, and deliver high-quality CPD and qualifications to aspiring teachers, practising teachers, school leaders, early years practitioners, teaching assistants and SENCOs.
Our vision is that every child can benefit from an excellent education, regardless of background, and that every education professional can grow and give their best.
The International Award in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion is suitable for educators supporting or interested in supporting children and young people with special educational needs. The course has been designed and created specifically for international schools.
Successful learners will achieve the Level 3 Award in Special Educational Needs and Working in partnership and accredited by the NCFE, Best Practice Network are proud to offer our customised qualifications and educational support both inside and outside the UK. Enabling individuals worldwide to access transformational learning experiences. Official recognition from NCFE enables Best Practice Network to demonstrate quality and rigour placed on our programmes.
Delivered through Canvas our unique provision for online learning. We are proud to offer the highest quality qualifications, content and learning experiences in these areas, with the aim of helping learners to master the skills they need in these growing sectors.
Inclusive education calls for a broad rights-based concept of education that encompasses anyone who might be excluded from or have limited access to the educational system within a country.
We look forward to working with you on this important programme. Achievement, access, and opportunity for children and young people with special educational needs are extremely important to us. Through this programme, we strive to support both practitioners and settings to close the gap and reduce inequalities in outcomes.
This qualification is designed for learners aged 16 and above. There are no specific recommended prior learning requirements for this qualification.
Entry is at the discretion of the Awarding Centre. Awarding Centres have a responsibility for ensuring that the qualification is appropriate for the age and ability of learners. The Centre needs to make sure that learners can fulfil the requirements of the learning outcomes and comply with the relevant literacy, numeracy and health and safety aspects of the qualifications.
Our aim at Best Practice Network is for all learners with additional support needs to have equal access to the programme and work towards meeting their full potential with our support.
We are able to support Learners with a range of learning difficulties/disabilities which include specific learning difficulties, autistic spectrum, ADHD/ADD, visual impairment, deaf and hard of hearing, emotional and behavioural difficulties, physical disabilities, severe and complex learning difficulties and mental health issues.
Please make this known to your tutor, so that appropriate support can be provided.
On successful completion of this award, you will have knowledge and understanding of:
▪ The role the educator plays in supporting the provision for special educational needs and inclusion.
▪ The importance of partnerships working and communication to support improved outcomes for children with special educational needed and inclusion.
▪ Increased awareness of statutory frameworks, international guidance and how historic changes, key trends and themes have influenced the provision special educational needs and inclusion within your country or region.
The International Award in Early Years Special Educational Needs and Inclusion will be delivered over a six-month period. The programme makes use of a blended delivery model consisting virtual learning of face-to-face webinars and events, online research and study.
Virtual Face-to-Face events via the blended delivery model. These events give participants the opportunity to learn from exceptional facilitators while fostering valuable connections with peers in the special education community.
Participants access online learning and support via our virtual learning environment (VLE) Canvas. Through Canvas, participants are able to access multimedia content and receive high-quality feedback from experienced assessors.
Canvas is the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and eportfolio is a place where you can showcase display your learning, discuss and receive feedback on your submissions and experiences that are happening during your learning process.
The system is cloud-based so you can use it to access your programme online 24/7. Canvas is easy and intuitive to use. Depending on how your course is set up, you can use it to:
• Access your programme materials
• Submit assessments
• View your achievements and get feedback on your work
• Start discussions and collaborate with other students, lecturers, or tutors
• Access your reading lists where they have been enabled by your lecturer or tutor
Your account will be set up for you to access from your First Day of Learning and you will be given an overview of how to navigate around Canvas during your induction.
Accredited by NCFE an educational charity and one of the largest technical and vocational awarding organisations in the UK. Bringing together over 175 years of education experience and real insight into how people learn
The International Award in Early Years Special Educational Needs and Inclusion is made up of two mandatory units. To achieve learners must successfully demonstrate their achievement of all learning outcomes of both units as detailed in qualification specification.
This section provides details of the structure and content of these units within the qualification.
Following each unit summary is a detailed information for each unit containing:
• a unit aim – explains what is covered in the unit and the intended purpose of learning in a specific unit
• learning outcomes – describe the measurable knowledge that you need to understand and demonstrate as a result of completing the qualification.
• assessment criteria/scope of learning – what you need to show (evidence) that outlines achievement in each assessment task.
Unit 01 Roles and responsibilities of educators for the provision of Special Educational Needs and Inclusion
Unit 01 focuses on the roles and responsibilities of early years educators, particularly the Early Years Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), in supporting children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and promoting inclusion.
This unit covers the legal and regulatory duties, collaborative practices, and specific approaches needed to identify and support children with SEN. The unit will provide you with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to fulfil the role of an SEN educator, ensuring that children with
special educational needs receive the support they require to thrive in an inclusive educational setting.
Unit 02 covers a range of key approaches, including personalised provision, support for children with diverse linguistic backgrounds, fostering a positive sense of self and culture, and developing as a reflective educator. The unit is designed to equip educators with the tools necessary to create inclusive, supportive environments where every child’s needs are met.
By the end of the unit, you will be better prepared to advocate for children and their families, support those with Special Educational Needs (SEN), and tailor educational approaches to diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
The International Level 3 Award in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion is a unit-based qualification. The qualification is made up of two units which are assessed internally by Best Practice Network.
Internal assessment means that assessors in Best Practice Network are responsible for deciding how learners have performed against the standards for the qualification. This will be done by using assessment tasks that they have expertly devised and internally quality assured
1. Learners will need to meet all of the assessment criteria for knowledge, skills and competence included in the qualification using appropriate assessment methods to fully complete.
2. Assessment of knowledge-based learning outcomes may take place in or outside of a real work environment.
3. The principles and approaches to unit/qualification assessments, should be read alongside individual unit assessment requirements, where appropriate.
4. These principles will ensure a consistent approach to those elements of assessment which requires all assessment evidence presented for internal and external quality assurance to be written in English.
5. Simulation evidence will not be utilised as an assessment method for competence-based learning outcomes.
6. Given the nature of work with children, young people, service users and their families (if applicable), which may from time to time include sensitive situations requiring confidentiality/privacy. All documents should be amended appropriately to ensure safeguard, confidentiality and data protection are adhered to.
7. The Centre will ensure that individuals undertaking assessor or quality assurer roles within the Centre conform to the assessment principles for the units they are assessing or quality assuring.
8. Within each unit, all Assessment Criteria need to be satisfied; and all units need to be passed to achieve the qualification. Units are graded as ‘met’ or ‘not yet met’
9. Internal quality assurance is key to ensuring that the assessment of evidence for units is of a consistent and appropriate quality. Those carrying out internal quality assurance must be occupationally knowledgeable in the area they are assuring and be qualified to make quality assurance decisions.
Your eportfolio will demonstrate all nine learning outcomes, by evidencing your work that best demonstrates your learning and contains the proof that you have attained, and can apply, the knowledge and skills defined in the Level 3 Award in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion programme.
Learning outcomes are the standard way this qualification specification asks for knowledge evidence. It shows that the aim of the connected assessment criteria is to measure a learner's understanding.
We encourage you to cover all assessment criteria through the ‘set assessment activities’ or you may use naturally occurring documents from your work role, or a combination of both.
✓ All evidence must be clearly labelled (titled) and dated.
✓ All evidence must be: Valid; Authentic; Reliable; Current and Sufficient.
The following range of mandatory assessment methods will be accepted:
✓ Knowledge Based Written Questions and Answers
✓ Written Learner Statement or Written Assignment
✓ Written Scenario or Written Case Study
What is valid?
What is authentic?
The work is relevant to what has been assessed and is at the right level.
The learner must be able to explain and substantiate the evidence put forward. The work should be in your own words and contain a bibliography.
What is reliable?
What is current?
What is sufficient?
Any evidence must relate clearly to the learning outcomes and the use of examples within your written work can help to make it relevant to your region, area, and setting.
The work is still relevant at the time of assessment
Enough evidence must be produced to meet all the relevant learning outcomes in full. Sufficient does not mean a mass of evidence. It simply means collecting enough quality evidence to demonstrate competence
*Product Evidence- for the purpose of this qualification, will only be uses as supplementary evidence to the main assessment methods list above.
The following assessment verbs are used within the International Level 3 Award in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion.
Common command verbs used in our qualification, guides both learners and our centre standards. Some words can be used at various levels but as you move up, the depth of answer required increases.
Knowledge descriptor (the holder……)
Has factual, procedural, and theoretical knowledge and understanding of a subject or field of work to complete tasks and address problems that while well-defined, may be complex and non-routine.
Can interpret and evaluate relevant information and ideas.
Is aware of the nature of the area of study or work.
Is aware of different perspectives or approaches within the area of study or work.
Skills descriptor (the holder can….)
Identify, select and use appropriate cognitive and practical skills, methods and procedures to address problems that while well-defined, may be complex and non-routine.
Use appropriate investigation to inform actions.
Review how effective methods and actions have been.
Clarify Make something clear to someone by describing or revealing relevant information in more detail.
Demonstrate Show an understanding of the subject or how to apply skills in a practical situation.
Evaluate Examine strengths and weaknesses, arguments for and against and/or similarities and differences. Judge the evidence from the different perspectives and make a valid conclusion or reasoned judgement. Reference to current research or theory may support the evaluation.
Explain Provide detailed information about the subject with reasons showing how or why. Responses could include examples to support these reasons.
Explore Investigate, study, or look into to find out more about it.
Show Supply evidence to demonstrate accurate knowledge and understanding.
You are encouraged to list at least one source of reading within your assignments. Please note the set assessment activities are not academic writing assignments, so Harvard referencing is not required. A simple list of sources that you have referred to in the text or read to inform their written answer is sufficient along with the website link.
If your work is initially graded as ‘not met’ do not be disheartened. You will receive assessment feedback on which learning outcomes and assessment criteria are not met and what needs to be resubmitted. Any additional work that is resubmitted must be distinguishable from the original work to ensure it is easy to identify where the new work is. This could be a different font colour or font style.
On receiving a notification that your work has been marked and returned, it is important that you go into the eportfolio, access the relevant assessment criteria, click the blue ‘review’ button and read the feedback that your assessor has given. This will tell you what is missing if it has been marked as ‘not met’ or ‘partially met’ and will guide you on how to meet the criteria. If you need further clarification, you should contact your assessor through the eportfolio messaging system, who will where possible, give further explanation.
All assessments are subject to ongoing internal quality assurance processes. The purpose of quality assurance and standardisation is to ensure that all learners are treated fairly and equitably, and that interpretation of the assessment criteria requirements are applied consistently across all assessors
Best Practice Network are committed to providing a high-quality qualification and assessment experience and endeavour to treat all learners fairly and consistently. We are committed to a quality process that are based on impartial, evidence-based judgments. Awarding Centre appeals policy confirms the arrangements for complaints at Best Practice Network and confirms compliance with JCQ’s General Regulations for Approved Centres.
Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's ideas, words, images, creative works, or intellectual property without giving appropriate credit or authorisation Use trustworthy content and remember to give credit when using others’ work/ideas.
Learners are expected to uphold the principles of academic integrity, honesty, and responsibility in all academic activities. AI should be viewed as a means to enhance learning and critical thinking skills. Learners are encouraged to consult with their tutors if they have any questions about the appropriate use of AI tools.
Study skills are the skills you need to enable you to study and learn efficiently – they are an important set of transferable life skills. You will develop your own personal approach to study and learning in a way that meets your own individual needs, it isn’t magic! But as you develop your study skills you will discover what works for you, and what doesn’t.
Getting organised is an important first step to effective study. Our page covers the basic organisation skills you need to consider – fundamentals such as where and when to study and the importance of developing a network of contacts who can help you when you need it.
Make successful learning your priority:
• Attend all face to face and webinar training sessions as planned
• Work with us to plan your programme with regular SMART targets and strive to meet these
• Complete all assignments to the best of your ability and submit them in on time
• Do not attempt to take someone else’s work and submit it as your own (plagiarism
Let your Assessor know if:
• You are getting behind
• You need help understanding something
• You need assessor support
• You are struggling to cope
• You have health concerns
• You have problems at work or home and need extra support/time
Learners may set up individual groups on social media platforms however Best Practice Network are unable to regulate these spaces so please be aware that information may be incorrect, and we cannot police any language or behaviour. Support between apprentices is encouraged, however, if you have any questions please get in contact directly with your tutor.
Use the services provided to manage your digital footprints and ‘think before you post.’ Content posted online can last forever and could be shared publicly by anyone.
Understand how to report to service providers and use blocking and deleting tools. If something happens that upsets you online, it is never too late to tell someone.
Virtual classroom learning will be led by two tutors. They are sector experts and have a wealth of experience and knowledge to share with you. They can signpost you to appropriate support if required but are responsible for supporting you with, for example, IT issues.
Dedicated assessors can offer tailored support to all learners, ensuring that everyone reaches their full potential The assessor will provide feedback on your eportfolio submissions. Ongoing submissions, assessment and assessor feedback take place within the eportfolio where there is a ‘button’ that enables you to ‘contact your marker’ (the assessor) if you need to do so. Where you have provided sufficient evidence of assessment criteria, the assessor will assess as ‘met’ and you need no further support.
Where the submission is assessed to be ‘not met’ the assessor will provide you with supportive feedback to help you understand what you need to do meet the criteria this time.
Please note that all assessors aim to provide prompt feedback on your submissions and resubmissions. We anticipate that the average will be 4-6 days, however it can take up to 10 days.
Learner Support is essential to a successful learning experience, and staff at Best Practice
Network work hard to ensure that learners have access to the best possible guidance and support systems. The team can help with many aspects of support from additional learning, enrichment, and personal development, to mentoring and welfare.
A range of policies have been included within this handbook, full details of all our policies can be found on the BPN website.
Best Practice Network is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children, young people, apprentices, and vulnerable adults and demonstrates this by taking all reasonable steps to protect them from physical sexual, or emotional abuse or neglect. Please see the Safeguarding page for further information.
Best Practice Network is fully committed to promoting, maintaining, and supporting equality and diversity in all aspects of its work. BPN aims to create an environment where all individuals have the opportunity to achieve their full potential and gain a feeling of self-esteem and respect for and from all others. BPN expresses its opposition to all forms of inequality and discrimination. Please read our Equality and Diversity policy here.
The Plagiarism Policy including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) outlines the guidelines and consequences related to plagiarism and applies to all employees, contractors, freelancers, interns, volunteers, and any other individuals associated with Best Practice Network. Please read our Plagiarism Policy including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) here.
Best Practice Network is committed to ensuring that its practices are fair and transparent, conducted according to agreed policies and procedures. Best Practice Network has adopted the following appeals and complaints policy. No apprentice, applicant or candidate shall be prejudiced or disadvantaged by using this policy. Please read our Complaints and appeals policy here.
The Code of Conduct is designed to ensure that learners contribute to a safe and successful learning environment by defining the professional behaviour and conduct that Best Practice
Network expects of its learners. The Code of Conduct is underpinned through our core values and defines what we stand for and how we do things. Please read our Learner conduct policy