Grow Your Own Staff

Grow Your Own Staff with Sunningdale School’s SEND Teacher Training Programme!

Are you a senior leader in a SEND school struggling to find skilled staff who can confidently teach your pupils? Are you looking to develop a team of teachers with the expertise to meet your school’s unique needs? Do you want to provide a career progression route for your talented staff, helping them become fully qualified teachers?

At Sunningdale School, we faced similar challenges. After discussions with other SEND school leaders, we realised we weren’t alone. In response, we partnered with other specialist schools and Northumbria University to create a unique, school-led teacher training programme for postgraduates passionate about working with children with special educational needs.

About the Programme

Our programme offers two distinct pathways:

Ages 3 to 7: Focusing on the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.

Ages 5 to 11: Focusing on Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

Trainees spend the majority of their time in specialist schools, with a six-week placement in a mainstream primary school. From Monday to Thursday, they work in classrooms, and on Fridays, they attend formal training at Northumbria University or at Sunningdale School’s SENhub Training Centre. Trainees are fully integrated into school life, attending staff meetings, professional development days, and receiving ongoing mentorship from experienced teachers.

Why Partner with Us?

Our programme is designed to meet the Teachers’ Standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) while also providing bespoke training to prepare candidates for the unique challenges of SEND teaching.

Benefits for Your School:

Tailored Training: Graduates leave with the skills and confidence to excel in SEND education.

Progression for Staff: Many trainees are already employed in SEND schools and seeking a pathway to becoming qualified teachers.

Bursary for Schools: Partner schools receive a bursary of £1,000 to support the mentoring process, along with hands-on support from our Lead School Direct Mentor.

All of our previous students have successfully qualified and secured teaching positions, often within their host schools.

About Sunningdale School

We are an Outstanding specialist school for children aged 2 to 11 with severe, profound, and multiple learning difficulties. Our vision is simple: “Be More…” – we believe every child should achieve more in ways that matter to them and their families.

Entry Requirements

Candidates must:

Hold an Honours degree (2:1 or 2:2).

Have GCSEs in English, maths, and science (grades 9 to 4 / A* to C).

Be passionate about working with children with special educational needs, with relevant experience in education or care.

An enhanced DBS check is also required.

Application Process

Candidates apply through the Department of Education’s Find Teacher Training webpage. After an application is received, partner schools can invite shortlisted candidates for an interview. The interview process includes a teaching observation, assessment tasks, and an interview, involving Northumbria University, the host school, and Sunningdale’s lead mentors.

Join Our Partnership!

We’re looking to expand our partnership with other SEND schools. As a partner, you’ll help create a supportive environment where trainees can grow into exceptional SEND teachers.

If your school isn’t already part of a School Direct programme, this is an opportunity to take part in an exciting initiative to grow your own talented staff!

Information Events at Sunningdale

We regularly host Teacher Training Information Events at Sunningdale School. These events offer potential candidates a chance to meet our team, learn about the programme, and tour our school. For details on upcoming events, visit our SEN hub website’s Events and Courses page.

Contact

Please contact Jane Shaw our SENhub manager to find out more. Jane’s email is jane.shaw@sunningdaleschool.com