[senco-forum] gaining QTS on the job with SEN......help please

I have an excellent Teaching Assistant who has not been successful with

The Hornsby dyslexia diploma does not require you to be a qualified
teacher.  Two of our TAs are taking it now by distance learning and both are
skilled & experienced at working 1:1 in our Dyslexia Unit as we trained
them.

Philippa

On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 9:29 PM, gdmorewood <gdmorewood at supanet.com> wrote:

> I have an excellent Teaching Assistant who has not been successful with
> regard to a PGCE place for September.  She has an undergraduate degree.
>
>
>
> I intend to employ her as an un-qualified teacher, working alongside our
> two
> highly qualified specialist teachers, who support students with SpLD.  To
> provide additional support and to assist with the provision for students
> who
> don't quite meet criteria etc. under the guidance of our specialists.
>
>
>
> I would like her to gain QTS either through a Graduate Teaching route or
> something similar in her second year - i.e. from September 2009.
>
>
>
> This would then allow her the opportunity to take a post graduate
> qualification in SpLD.
>
>
>
> Unfortunately, despite being a [relatively?!!? everything is relative]
> experienced SENCo, SpLD is not an area of great personal expertise or
> experience.
>
>
>
> Can anyone advise the best way forward; in a nutshell I have an extremely
> keen, willing and enthusiastic young person (25) who really wants to work
> with students who experience specific needs in relation to cognition and
> learning.
>
>
>
> Whilst I can employ her and train her via my specialist staff [and the LA]
> I
> really want to give her the opportunity to gain recognised qualifications
> on
> route.
>
>
>
> Ideally a diploma [or equivalent] in SpLD.  However, QTS appears to be a
> barrier to this.
>
>
>
> So; can she gain QTS via another route GTP, assessment of standards etc?
>  Or
> is there a suitable qualification that does not require QTS?
>
>
>
> I realise that there is a case here of someone specialising too soon etc.,
> however she is well aware of this and extremely keen to develop specific
> skills in this area.
>
>
>
> Any thoughts, options, opinions etc very, very gratefully received.
>
>
>
> Many thanks, as always, Gareth Secondary SENCo.
>
>
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>