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Neuroinclusive Education Network (NEN) Early Years: Making Sense of Autism
Dates:
Autumn Term
- Wednesday 14 October 2026 - 3:30-5pm
Spring Term
- Wednesday 3rd March 2027 - 6:30-8pm
Summer Term
- Wednesday 21 April 2027 - 3:30-5pm
Venue: Online via Microsoft Teams
Who is this training for?
This is a raising awareness module for anyone working in early years settings. This includes teaching and support staff, office and ancillary staff, caterers, caretakers, transport staff and governors.
Gain a better understanding and awareness of autism and the way it affects children in early years.
Areas Covered:
- This course is an awareness –raising module for all practitioners with links to early years settings
- It provides an introduction to autism and some initial reasonable adjustments that need to be considered when working with autistic children
- It also provides input on the creation and use of a one-page profile for individual children.
Course Outcomes:
Participants will:
- gain understanding and awareness of autism and how autism can affect children in the early years
- know the importance of understanding the individual autistic child and their profile of strengths and needs
- be aware of potential barriers to learning for autistic children
- gain knowledge in order to begin to make reasonable adjustments in the way autistic children can be supported
This course will be delivered by the Early Years Support Team.
£0.00
Level 3 SENCO Award 2026/27
Dates: (12 full days) - you must attend all dates.
- Monday 5 October 2026
- Wednesday 14 October 2026
- Wednesday 28 October 2026
- Wednesday 18 November 2026
- Wednesday 25 November 2026
- Wednesday 9 December 2026
- Wednesday 6 January 2027
- Wednesday 20 January 2027
- Wednesday 3 February 2027
- Wednesday 24 February 2027
- Wednesday 3 March 2027
- Wednesday 17 March 2027
Cost: Free of charge
Venue: Eyres Monsell Children’s Centre, Hillsborough Road, LE2 9PT
Who is this training for?
Setting SENCOs qualified to at least level 3
Areas Covered:
This course has been developed by School Improvement Liverpool (SLI) to meet the DoE’s Early Years Level 3 SENCO Qualification Specification.
The course looks in depth and the role of the SENCO and offers opportunities for reflection and discussion with other SENCOs in Leicester City. Topics covered include
- Current legislation
- The graduation approach (assess, plan, do and review)
- Areas of need
- Observation and early identification
- Inclusion and historical context
- Partnerships with external agencies
- Partnerships with parents/carers
- Statutory assessment and Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
There will be an opportunity to visit a specialist provision as well as other settings.
Course Outcomes:
Participants will understand and develop the role of SENCO.
On successful completion of assignments participants will gain a NCFE CACHE L3 Award for Special Educational Needs in Settings
This course will be delivered by SLI accredited trainers from Leicester Early Years Support Team.
£0.00
Neuroinclusive Education Network (NEN) Early Years: Making Sense of Autism (PVI)
Dates:
Autumn Term
- Wednesday 14 October 2026 - 3:30-5pm
Spring Term
- Wednesday 3rd March 2027 - 6:30-8pm
Summer Term
- Wednesday 21 April 2027 - 3:30-5pm
Venue: Online via Microsoft Teams
Who is this training for? Nursery SENDCo and Practitioners
Gain a better understanding and awareness of autism and the way it affects children in early years.
Areas Covered:
- This course is an awareness –raising module for all practitioners with links to early years settings
- It provides an introduction to autism and some initial reasonable adjustments that need to be considered when working with autistic children
- It also provides input on the creation and use of a one-page profile for individual children.
Course Outcomes:
Participants will:
- gain understanding and awareness of autism and how autism can affect children in the early years
- know the importance of understanding the individual autistic child and their profile of strengths and needs
- be aware of potential barriers to learning for autistic children
- gain knowledge in order to begin to make reasonable adjustments in the way autistic children can be supported
This course will be delivered by the Early Years Support Team.
£0.00
Neuroinclusive Education Network (NEN) Early Years: Good Autism Practice (PVI)
Date:
Thursday 12 November 2026
Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm
Fee: £80
Venue: New Parks House, Pindar Road, Leicester, LE3 9RN
Who is this training for? Nursery SENDCo and Practitioners
Areas Covered:
- This course provides an overview of what autism is, describing the ‘four Areas of difference’.
- It provides strategies and activities to help practitioners to develop their practice when supporting a child with autism.
- It introduces the progression framework, an interactive assessment tool for children with autism.
Course Outcomes:
- Gain knowledge and understand about the four areas of developmental difference experienced by children with autism.
- Be able to recognise the strengths and needs of individual children with autism.
- Understand the importance of building positive relationships with and around the child.
- Understand how to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the Individual.
- Understand how to make the environment more accessible to children with autism.
- Develop practical strategies and techniques in promoting effective teaching and learning.
- Be familiar with the progression framework and be able to use it to measure progress and identify learning priorities for children.
This course will be delivered by the Early Years Support Team.
£80.00
Neuroinclusive Education Network (NEN) Developing Toileting in the Early Years (PVI)
Dates: Wednesday 9 June 2027
Time: 3:30-5:00pm
Venue: Online via Microsoft Teams
Who is this training for? Nursery SENDCo and Practitioners
Areas Covered:
- Early Years practitioners may find that supporting an autistic child with developing toileting requires an adapted approach. This module is intended to develop an understanding of why this may be in relation to the three areas of difference in autism and therefore how autistic children can be more effectively supported in the setting.
- The course will consider the development of toileting and develop understanding of how autism can impact on a child’s toileting
- Strategies will be considered that can be used to support autistic children with their toileting development.
Course Outcomes:
Participants will:
- understand the stages that children may go through to achieve more independent toileting
- understand that autism is a difference and not a deficit and that the three areas of difference in autism may impact on how an autistic child develops their toileting
- understand why it is important to work together with a child’s parents and carers to support toileting development
- understand the importance of a child-centred approach in agreeing how to most effectively support an autistic child to develop toileting
- understand the importance of adapting the environment and practice in the setting and at home to support an autistic child with toileting
This course will be delivered by the Leicester Early Years Support Team.
£0.00
Fun Time (PVI)
Date: Wednesday 28 October 2026
Times: 13:00pm - 16:00pm
Fee: £30
Venue: Room G.3, New Parks House, Pindar Road, Leicester, LE3 9RN
Who is this training for? Nursery SENDCo and Practitioners
Areas Covered:
This enhanced level course develops practitioners’ knowledge of promoting children’s social communication skills through the Fun Time approach and enables them to plan and deliver effective Fun Time sessions within their own setting. The course involves participating in a variety of Fun Time activities and songs.
Fun Time is part of a continuum of provision to develop children’s social communication skills, along with Play Interaction and Circle Time.
Play Interaction (1 child initially) - Fun Time (small group) - Circle Time (larger group).
Course Outcomes:
Participants will:
- be able to identify the key elements of the Fun Time programme.
- be able to deliver effective Fun Time sessions.
- learn strategies and games to promote children’s social communication skills.
- be able to assess and monitor children’s social communication development.
- reflect on and review their practice and identify areas for development.
This course will be delivered by the Early Years Support Team.
£30.00
An Introduction to SEND for Early Years Practitioners- PVI
Areas Covered:
This course considers the role and responsibilities of the practitioner in relation to special educational needs and disability (SEND). It provides an overview of the Code of Practice for SEND and The Graduated Approach, including the assess, plan, do and review cycle, and teaches how to develop SEND support plans or equivalent.
This course is for early years practitioners/keyperson, not for the setting SENCO
Course Outcomes:
- Be familiar with the ‘graduated approach’ described in the SEND Code of Practice
- Be aware of the practitioner's role in relation to SEND
- Be familiar with ways of identifying and assessing needs and recognise the importance of early identification
- Know how to develop and record plans for children with SEND
- Recognise the importance of working in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies
Date: Tuesday 18th November 2025
Time: 9.30-12.30
Cost: Free
Venue: Online (Microsoft Teams)
£0.00
Setting-based Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) PVI
CANCELLED
Areas Covered:
This course enables the SENCO to understand and develop their role and to be able to support practitioners in relation to SEND. Areas covered include considering key legislation and guidance, roles and responsibilities, identification of SEND, working with parents/carers and other agencies and statutory assessment and Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
Course Outcomes:
Participants will:
- Be able to take on the role of SENCO.
- Be familiar with the requirements of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice as well as local guidance, including ‘Inclusive Provision in the Early Years’.
- Understand the requirements of The Equality Act in relation to SEND.
- Be aware of roles and responsibilities in relation to SEND.
- Be able to identify and assess children who may have SEND and know when and how to refer children for further support.
- Have increased understanding of how to write plans for children with SEND, including setting and reviewing targets.
- Understand the importance of working in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies.
- Become familiar with the framework for a SEND policy.
Dates: 3,10 and 25 February, 4, 10 and 17 March 2026
Times: 9:30am -12:30pm
Cost: £180
Venue: New Parks House
Who is this course for: The setting’s special educational needs
co-ordinator (SENCO)
£180.00
Sensory Processing Differences in the Early Years (PVI)
Dates: Wednesday 10 February 2027
Time: 9.30am – 3.30pm
Cost: £60
Venue: Room G.3, New Parks House, Pindar Road, LE3 9RN
Who is this training for? Nursery SENDCo and Practitioners
Areas covered:
- In this course you will gain an understanding of the eight different sensory systems and how sensory differences can impact play and learning in the early years.
- Strategies will be shared that practitioners can use in their everyday practice to help to meet the sensory needs of children in the early years.
Course Outcomes:
Participants will:
- gain an understanding of a range of sensory processing differences
- learn to recognise and interpret children's behaviours that relate to sensory differences
- gain an understanding of the eight sensory systems
- understand the links between sensory differences and emotional regulation
- gain a wealth of strategies to support children with sensory differences
- reflect on and review their own practice, creating actions for the future within their early years environment.
This course will be delivered by the Leicester Early Years Support Team.