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Making Sense of Autism (AET) (PVI)
Dates:
Wednesday 15 October 2025 4.00pm - 6.00pm (Twilight)
or
Thursday 29 January 2026 9.30am - 11.30am
Cost: Free
Venue: Microsoft Teams
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
£0.00
Early Years Good Autism Practice and Using the Progression Framework - AET (PVI)
Dates:
Thursday 6 November 2025
or
Wednesday 11 March 2026
Times: 9.30am - 3.30pm
Cost: £60
Venue: Room G.3, New Parks House, Pindar Road, LE3 9RN
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:
Participants will:
-
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.
£60.00
Developing Play in the Early Years (AET) (PVI)
Date: Wednesday 14 January 2026
Time: 9.30am - 3.30pm
Cost: £60
Venue: Room G.3, New Parks House, Pindar Rood, LE3 9RN, Leicester
In this course you will consider the importance of play skills in the early years and develop understanding of how autism can impact upon a child’s play development. Strategies will be considered that can be used to support autistic children with their play development.
Course Outcomes:
Participants will:
-
Understand that autism is a difference, not a deficit.
-
Understand how the three areas of difference in autism may
impact on the development of play skills. -
Understand the importance of all adults working together to
support the child to develop play skills. -
Develop knowledge of how to support autistic children to develop
play skills. -
Create a plan to ensure progress in play skills.
£60.00
Developing Toileting in the Early Years (AET) (PVI)
Dates: Thursday 26th March 2026
Times: 1.00pm - 4.00pm
Cost: £30
Venue: Room G.3, New Parks House, Pindar Road, LE3 9RN, Leicester
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.
£30.00
Fun Time - EYST Settings PVI
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.
Dates: Thursday 30 October 2025
Time: 1.00pm - 4.00pm
Cost: £30
Venue: New Parks house
£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
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: Tuesdays 3 and 10 February, Wednesday 25 February, Tuesdays 3, 20 and 17 March 2026
Cost: £180
Venue: New Parks House
Who is this course for: The setting’s special educational needs
co-ordinator (SENCO)