Training and development
In this section, you'll find links to useful training and professional development opportunities available to support you.
Autism Education Trust (AET) training
Term |
Date |
Focus |
Spring 1 |
Fri 2nd Feb (9.30-4pm) |
Good Autism Practice (primary) |
Spring 2 |
Fri 15th Mar (9.30-4pm) |
GAP & AET Framework for Leaders |
Summer 1 |
Fri 17th May (9.30-4pm) |
Good Autism Practice (primary) |
Summer 2 |
Fri 12th July (9.30-4pm) |
Autism & Inclusion Understanding Anxiety |
To enquire or to book onto this training please contact University Centre, Shrewsbury on 01743 297168 or email cpd@chester.ac.uk
Behaviour management training
Safe in a crisis
While disruptive pupil behaviour can be a reality for many staff, crisis doesn't have to be. Pivotal MAPA is designed for schools to address today's realities so that staff can safely and confidently respond to a range of behavioural situations. The programme provides prevention and deceleration strategies, including Pivotal Scripted Interventions, decision making and behavioural risk assessment, managing behavioural risk using MAPA disengagement and holding skills, and post-crisis restorative conversations.
The management of actual or potential aggression for schools (MAPA)
Pivotal MAPA is BILD-accredited and has been specially developed by teachers, teaching assistants and others who work with children and young people.
Benefits for your school |
Benefits for your staff |
Benefits for your pupils |
Elevate standards through evidence-informed accredited training. |
Improve confidence and minimise anxiety associated with uncertainty during a crisis. |
Show positive role models who can manage difficult situations. |
Reduce school disruptions and use of restraint. |
Decrease risk of injury by reducing physical accidents. |
Provide guidance about making positive behaviour choices. |
Increase time spent on teaching. |
Establish a common, consistent language that improves staff communication. |
Develop coping skills using restorative practices. |
Support positive learning environments. |
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To discuss your training needs, phone 01743 254285.
ELSA training information for schools
The Educational Psychology Service offers training to develop an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) in your school. This is an excellent opportunity for schools to build their capacity and confidence in meeting the needs of children and young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties, as encouraged in the 2017 Green Paper on ‘Transforming Young People’s Mental Health Provision’.
The five-day ELSA training in psychological theory and intervention by qualified psychologists enables teaching assistants to plan and deliver individual and small group support programmes in schools to children and young people (4-16 year olds) with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Once trained, and receiving ongoing supervision from a psychologist, ELSAs can help young people with a range of social and emotional needs such as: self-esteem and confidence building, social skills, emotional literacy, friendship issues, anger management, behaviour, anxiety, low mood, loss and bereavement, bullying/conflict and relaxation techniques.
The training takes place yearly and the five days will be spread out so that TAs will need to be out of school for one day per week for five weeks. After this, TAs will then be supported with regular two-hour half-termly group supervision sessions by an educational psychologist to ensure their work is effective and competent. They will also be given an ELSA handbook and given membership to the online ELSA network, full of resources and support.
Please contact the Educational Psychology Service (office email: eps@shropshire.gov.uk, office phone: 01743 258414) to register your interest or if you have any questions.
No Worries
No Worries is a practical resource to reduce anxiety in children aged between 7-12 years (Primary) and 11-adulthood (Secondary).
The programme uses Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)and consists of 1½ days training delivered by the Shropshire Council Educational Psychology Service, together with an accompanying manual and CD.
The training will prepare delegates to run groups for between 6-8 young people, covering:
- Establishing the group.
- Signs and signals.
- Relaxation.
- Helpful versus unhelpful thoughts.
- Challenging unhelpful thoughts.
- Achieving your goal.
- Planning for success.
- You are not on your own.
This practical resource is designed to provide fun and experiential learning, giving young people skills they can use throughout their lives. Suitable for teachers, TAs ELSAs, Youth workers, Family Support workers etc.
Outcomes
Schools will:
- Have an understanding of basic CBT techniques
- Understand the physiological impact of anxiety on the body
- Understand the link between thoughts, feelings and behaviour
- Be able to help children provide alternative evidence for unhelpful thinking
- Be able to run interventions to reduce anxiety
- Be able to effectively evaluate the impact of the intervention
- Add to a county/national database on impact of the intervention
This course consists of 2 sessions (one full day and one half day).
The payment of £240 covers both sessions.
Book online via the University Centre Shrewsbury https://cpd.ucshrewsbury.ac.uk/
EPS attachment and dyadic developmental practice
Attachment and early developmental trauma
Level 1 training
Attachment training provides an understanding of early child development and the importance of nurture on the developing brain. It focuses on how to support teachers and key adults in understanding challenging behaviours and provides strategies to support children to regulate and manage their emotions more effectively. The training offers advice on establishing a key attachment relationship.
Emotional co-regulation
Level 2 training
Following on from the attachment training, this course provides staff with strategies to support children to regulate and manage their emotions more effectively. It uses the principles of Emotion Coaching and attachment theory.
Therapeutic working for key adults (DDP)
Level 3 training
This training is based on Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP). It is focused on facilitating the child’s ability to establish a secure attachment with their key adult. The programme actively communicates playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy (PACE). This training is aimed at key adults working with traumatised children. There is a requirement to have complete levels 1 and 2 prior to this training.
Contact the Virtual School for more information and upcoming training dates:
- Tel: 01743 250124
- Email: virtualschool@shropshire.gov.uk
EPS CPD courses offered through University Centre Shrewsbury
The new partnership between Shropshire Council and University Centre Shrewsbury provides an extensive programme of continuing professional development training for school managers, teaching staff, support staff and governors. This training is provided either through courses delivered at a range of training centres across the county, or via school-based training sessions which can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of the school (or groups of schools if necessary).
This area of the Shropshire Learning Gateway allows you to access the courses available and quickly see what is on offer.
Booking process
Please visit the University Centre Shrewsbury website in order to see the course catalogue, which follows to the online booking portal. Schools/providers should use this as their first point of booking. Please note payment will be required at point of booking
For further assistance in booking courses:
- Tel: 01743 297168
- Email: cpd@chester.ac.uk
Therapeutic working for key adults training
Applying psychology to make the difference
This training is based on dyadic developmental practice (DDP) and is focused on facilitating the child’s ability to establish a secure attachment with key adults. The programme actively communicates playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy (PACE). This approach is particularly beneficial for teaching assistants working as the key adult attachment figure with traumatised children.
The educational psychologist delivers a bespoke three-session training programme over six weeks, looking in depth at strategies to forge a relationship by co-regulating emotions and co-constructing new meanings of past experiences.
The training is very interactive within a group of six. There is a requirement to have completed the attachment training delivered by the EPS through the virtual school prior to undertaking this training. The first week of the TWKA course revisits the attachment themes and looks at the issues in greater detail from the perspective of each of the key adults. There are between-session tasks to complete with their pupil before the second session. The second session concentrates on inter-subjectivity.
The session contains role play and practical demonstrations using DVDs. Again there are between-session tasks before the final session, which looks in more detail at PACE. The session gives advice on how to be PACEful and react to our young people in an attuned way.
SENCO network meetings
Find out more from our SENCO network meetings page.
FREE online courses for professionals in Shropshire...
Understanding Trauma
Shropshire has free and unlimited access to the online ‘Understanding Trauma’ course until March 2021 (usually £45 each learner) for all professionals with a work-based postcode in Shropshire or Telford and Wrekin.
This is a 13 module course which could take up to 3.75 hours to complete, however it is not necessary to complete it in one sitting and is available from the Solihull Approach Parenting website.
To access the course for free please add in the code DARWINPRF
For any queries or difficulties accessing the course please contact Solihull Approach Technical Support, available Mon-Fri 9-5, via email solihull.approach@heartofengland.nhs.uk or call 0121 296 4448