In this course, Matt Bromley explores three waves of differentiation and support: quality first teaching; in-class differentiation; and additional interventions.  He also examines the role of the teaching assistant in providing differentiated support to lower-performing pupils and those with SEND. As well as being useful for individual CPD for teachers, this course could form the basis of in-school departmental training.

This course is based upon 4 ‘P’ principles which enable children (and teachers) to find fulfilment in their working day. Born out of personal experience, it builds a framework for classroom learning in which children and teachers are able to explore their potential in a mutually supportive and positive environment. Developed within primary schools (although with the potential for secondary application), these principles can change the atmosphere of learning for everyone.

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In this course, which is the second of three courses on the subject of behaviour management, Matt Bromley talks about the importance of motivation and engagement as a means of preventing poor behaviour. As well as being useful for individual CPD for teachers, this course could form the basis of whole-school training or one to one coaching.

This course provides an accessible introduction to anxiety and provides useful pointers for any adult supporting a child with anxiety.  Common misunderstandings and misconceptions are addressed, we consider some potential pitfalls to avoid and we explore a range of simple, practical ideas for supporting anxious children.

Life can be pretty challenging for autistic children as they try to fit within a world that doesn’t always make sense to them on terms that don’t quite work for them.  Sometimes, anxiety, anger or sheer exhaustion can bubble over and result in challenging behaviour which is distressing both for the child and the adults supporting them.  There is a lot that we can do to change the environment rather than the child, but this course focuses in on how we can support autistic children to recognise and regulate how they’re feeling, to give them the best chance of managing alongside their peers because maybe the whole world needs to change, but until that happens, these simple ideas can change how the world feels for the child you’re supporting.

This course is suitable for any adult working with or caring for an autistic child or, to be honest, any child.  As with so much of the work we do for children special needs, these ideas are widely applicable and will do good (and certainly no harm) for any child but will do especial good with children who are (or might be) autistic.

When a child experiences the death of a loved one, the adults around them play a hugely important role both in supporting in the immediate aftermath and also of helping to support and guide the child towards the future.  This course explores what children most need from adults at such a difficult time and shares practical ideas for how we can step up and fulfil such an important role with confidence.

This course will explore some of the essential skills needed to help students store information in a way that it can be remembered retrieved and used when needed. The modules are sequenced to help you see the importance of making connections between nodes of knowledge, practising in unfamiliar contexts and encouraging learners to go deeper into topics. 

Self-harm is a topic that many people feel puzzled or scared by so this course aims to demystify it for you and help you to gain an understanding of the motivations behind self-harm and how we can use this understanding to support a young person to a place of relative safety.  There is no quick fix nor a one size fits all answer here, but this course will boost your confidence and give you some clear ideas about how best to support children or young people who are currently self-harming. This course has been developed by Dr Pooky Knightsmith, an internationally recognised mental health expert and author of “Can I tell you about Self-harm – a guide for parents friends and professionals” and “Self-harm and eating disorders in schools” which was based on her PhD research into the topic.

You’ve got one of those classes. You start to dread period 3 on a Tuesday (or most mornings if you’re in Primary or Early Years…) You feel like you’re losing control of yourself and any supposed learning that should be going on… All is not lost. You can turn these classes around. This course leads you through key strategies and actionable approaches that help you step back, re-evaluate, re-establish routines, relationships and a focus on learning – all whilst looking after yourself. The strategies have actionable points that help you actually implement them with your classes. This course is suitable as independent CPD for early career teachers, or as a guide for mentors and managers to use to support staff.

In this course, Matt Bromley shares three starting principles for effective remote learning and walks you through his top five tips for effective remote teaching. This course is a practical exploration of the features of virtual pedagogy and will help you ensure that the work you set pupils to complete at home is both manageable and meaningful. As well as being useful for individual CPD, this course could also form the basis of group discussions or training and is likely to be of especial interest to schools and colleges dealing with partial school closures due to the coronavirus pandemic. This course has been developed by Matt Bromley who has over twenty years’ experience in teaching and leadership including as headteacher, and is now a school improvement advisor, teacher-trainer and public speaker. He regularly speaks at national and international conferences on the subject of effective pedagogy and practice, and he is a regular contributor to a number of education magazines including TES and SecEd. He has experience designing and delivering webinars and other forms of remote learning. He is the author of a number of books on education including How to Learn and School & College Curriculum Design.

During this course we walk through a simple framework for promoting a truly inclusive environment that feels safe and nurturing for all children and especially those with special educational needs or social, emotional or mental health issues. Inspired by the 4S framework developed by Daniel J Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson for parents, we consider our role as adults working with, caring for or supporting young people with special needs and the small but meaningful changes we might make to the physical, social, emotional and cognitive environment to enable them to thrive both now – and in the future as every positive experience helps to create and strengthen neural pathways; laying the foundation for future positive experiences. This course was developed for SENDCos (special needs leads in UK schools) and so the course will be of especial interest to anyone supporting a child or children with special needs or emotional wellbeing issues.  However, there is much of interest here for anyone who works with or cares for a child. The ideas are widely applicable and highly adaptable and you’ll be able to readily apply them to your work and life. This course was developed and delivered by Dr Pooky Knightsmith who has a PhD in child and adolescent mental health and has spent many years as a governor at a range of special schools and who has led many training events for staff and parents supporting children with SEND. A version of this course was originally part of an online SENDCo training event commissioned by the Girls Day School Trust in the UK.

  During this course we are looking to demystify ADHD and ASD.  We get to grips with the neurobiological underpinnings of each condition and learn where there is commonality and difference both in the biology and also in the behaviours we might observe. We go on to explore what SEMH is and isn’t and how it links to SEND before taking a step away from the labels, diagnoses and neuroscience to remember that we’re here to talk about living, breathing little people. A version of this course was originally part of an online SENDCo training event commissioned by the Girls Day School Trust in the UK.

The art of organising and running effective meetings is one that can be learned and there are simple changes that you can make right away that will enable your meetings to take less time and have more impact.  In this course we walk you through the key things to consider and help you build the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to make your meetings more meaningful. This course has been developed and delivered by Dr Pooky Knightsmith who has had a wealth of experience running meetings well (and badly!) as a company director, a trustee and a chair of governors.

In this course, which is the first of three courses on the subject of behaviour management, Matt Bromley offers practical, sensible advice on how to manage student behaviour in the classroom. He shares seven easy-to-implement strategies and emphasises the importance of establishing good routines to limit the amount of time spent off-task. As well as being useful for individual CPD for school leaders, this course could form the basis of in-school training sessions for new staff as well as provide a useful reminder of some effective behaviour management strategies for more experienced colleagues struggling with particular cohorts.

During this course, you’ll learn about how the cycle of school avoidance develops, and the part we may unwittingly play in that, as well as exploring a range of simple steps that you can take, alongside families, to support children to return to school and engage regularly and meaningfully; helping school turn from a place of fear to a place of safety for the child. We also explore the steps we can take to spot the early warning signs and prevent a school avoidance cycle from developing as well as exploring some universal strategies that we can employ to make school feel like a safer and more inviting place for every child. The course has been developed and delivered by Dr Pooky Knightsmith, an internationally respected child and adolescent mental health expert who has worked closely with a range of schools and local authorities to develop their approach to emotionally based school avoidance.

**UPDATE - over 3,000 people completed this course whilst it was free for a week and the feedback was fantastic. You can still access this course via site membership and can be ended anytime.   In this course, Matt Bromley walks you through a five step framework for managing attendance.  These simple strategies are easy to grasp and provide the perfect springboard for developing your policies and practice in school in order to reduce absenteeism and lateness.  This course is a great refresher for more experienced staff and a comprehensive introduction for those newer to post. As well as being useful for individual CPD, this course could also form the basis of group discussions or training and is likely to be of especial interest to governing bodies, boards or trusts. This course has been developed by Matt Bromley who has over twenty years’ experience in teaching and leadership including as headteacher. He regularly speaks at the School Attendance conference and writes for Attendance Matters Magazine.  He is a school improvement advisor, teacher-trainer and public speaker.  He is the author of a number of books on education and regularly writes for the education media.

This course is about being able to use assessment for learning as an ongoing tool to gain insight into the pupils’ understanding. It’s comprised of 10 different techniques that can be easily slotted into any lesson for any year group to make learning collaborative, engaging and most importantly visible. It uses very simple structures to support instant diagnosis where misconceptions or lack of experience means the learning is not pitched accurately and lesson time is lost. For children who are demonstrating a deep understanding these structures enable the teacher to instantly challenge the learning further. No more lesson observation criticising progress of pupils or lack of challenge again!