SEN teachers and support staff awarded Government-funded scholarships
Katy Morton
Friday, August 23, 2013
More than 400 special educational needs teachers and support staff have been awarded scholarships worth thousands of pounds to develop their specialist knowledge and skills.
Scholarships have been awarded to 303 SEN teachers and 113 SEN support staff, as well as 98 English, maths and science teachers.
The scholarships, awarded for the third year of the Department for Education’s National Scholarship Fund for Teacher and SEN support staff, are worth up to £3,500 for SEN teachers.
This is the second round for SEN support staff, with successful candidates receiving scholarships worth up to £2,000.
Applications for the second round for SEN support staff and third round for SEN teachers opened on 8 April and closed on 23 April 2013.
The National Scholarship Fund is administered by the National College for Teaching and Leadership.
Scholarships were awarded to applications that successfully met the set criteria, this includes being able to demonstrate support from their school for teachers and holding at least a level three for SEN support staff.
SEN teachers and support staff awarded scholarships will go on to study courses such as the Advanced Certificate in Special Education: Autism (children) and the MA in Specific Learning Difficulties - dyslexia.
Combined, the scholarships for SEN teachers and support staff, along with teachers of core subjects, are worth more than £950,000, bringing the total amount awarded through the fund over three years to £3.7 million.
Charlie Taylor, chief executive of the National College for Teaching Leadership, said, ‘A teaching profession that values continuing professional development is crucial to raising standards in our schools. These scholarships, alongside our wider educational reforms, will help deliver our objective of raising the status of teachers.’
