Over the last two years, the growth in Schools, Academies, Colleges and Private Training Providers using Open Awards qualifications to support SEND learners, has resulted in outstanding learner success and progression into further learning and/ or employment.
In the first half of the 2021/22 Autumn Term, Open Awards will be focusing on our SEND provision, to ensure that it continues to develop, expand, responds to, and reflects the needs of our stakeholders.
To facilitate meaningful dialogue, we are introducing roundtable discussion/ focus groups that will meet termly. The purpose of each focus group is to invite meaningful feedback on what we, at Open Awards, do within the different areas relating specifically to our SEND providers and learners and identify an action plan for improvement.
There will be five main focus groups:
- Assessment Design
- Marketing and Communications
- Online Learning
- Curriculum Planning
- Offender Learning
Each group will consist of a representation from the following specialisms:
- Further Education
- Schools
- Training Providers
- Employers
- Others (eg parent/ carer/ learner/ learning disability specialist/ third sector organisation)
We are looking for volunteers from each specialism and would welcome Expressions of Interest for membership to any of the four main groups.
If you would like to be involved in shaping the future of Open Awards SEND provision, please email [email protected] or [email protected] for further information.
In addition to the focus groups, we are introducing a range of wider initiatives designed to inform and support those engaged in SEND provision.
These will include:
- Bi-monthly SEND Networking– with a focus on supported internships, apprenticeships and employability
- Quarterly SEND newsletters – with news items and case studies of best practice
- SEND in Offender Learning
If you would like any further information, please contact Open Awards on 0151 494 2072 or [email protected].