Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Inclusion, SEND and Equality Syllabus

What qualification must a new SENCO obtain?

A SENCO new to the role must be a qualified teacher and gain the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination (NASENCO) — historically within three years of appointment (now being replaced by the National Professional Qualification for SENCOs, NPQ SENCO).

Name three external specialists a school might involve for a pupil with SEN.

Educational psychologist, speech and language therapist (SaLT), occupational therapist, specialist teacher (e.g. for hearing/visual impairment), CAMHS, and physiotherapists.

What is the Equality Act 2010 and what does it do for schools?

It is the single UK law consolidating previous anti-discrimination legislation. It makes it unlawful for schools to discriminate against, harass or victimise pupils on the basis of 'protected characteristics' and places equality duties on schools.

List the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

Age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation.

Which protected characteristics are most directly relevant to pupils in schools?

Disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, and pregnancy/maternity. (Age and marriage/civil partnership provisions do not apply to school pupils.)

What are the four main types of unlawful conduct under the Equality Act 2010?

Direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation. (Disability also adds discrimination arising from disability and failure to make reasonable adjustments.)

Distinguish direct from indirect discrimination.

Direct discrimination is treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination is applying a policy/practice that applies to everyone but puts those sharing a protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage and cannot be objectively justified.

How does the Equality Act 2010 define 'disability'?

A physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term (lasting or likely to last at least 12 months) adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

What is the duty to make 'reasonable adjustments' for disabled pupils?

An anticipatory duty on schools to take reasonable steps to avoid disabled pupils being put at a substantial disadvantage, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services — adjustments must be considered in advance, not only when an issue arises.

What is the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) and where does it come from?

Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies (including schools) to have 'due regard' to: eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation; advancing equality of opportunity; and fostering good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

What are the three 'aims' of the Public Sector Equality Duty?

1) Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; 2) Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not; 3) Foster good relations between those groups.

What specific duties must schools meet under the PSED?

Publish information demonstrating compliance with the general duty (usually annually), and prepare and publish one or more specific, measurable equality objectives at least every four years.

What does 'decolonising the curriculum' mean?

Critically examining and reshaping curriculum content to challenge a dominant Eurocentric/colonial perspective — including diverse voices, histories and contributions, questioning whose knowledge is centred, and presenting a more accurate, plural account of the world.

How does 'diversifying' a curriculum differ from 'decolonising' it?

Diversifying adds a wider range of voices, authors and examples to existing content (representation). Decolonising goes further, critically interrogating the power structures, perspectives and assumptions behind what is taught and how knowledge is framed.

Why is a diverse, representative curriculum considered important for inclusion?

It validates all pupils' identities and backgrounds ('windows and mirrors'), counters stereotypes, raises engagement and aspiration, and gives all pupils a more accurate, complete understanding of society and history.

Define 'unconscious (implicit) bias' in a teaching context.

Automatic, unintentional associations and assumptions about groups of people that influence judgements and behaviour — e.g. lower expectations or differing attention/feedback for pupils based on race, sex, class or perceived ability, without the teacher being aware.

What is a 'stereotype' and why is it harmful in education?

A fixed, oversimplified generalisation about a group. In education it can lower expectations, trigger 'stereotype threat' (anxiety that depresses performance), and limit pupils' subject choices and aspirations.

Name strategies a teacher can use to counter bias and stereotyping.

Reflect on and check assumptions, use objective/anonymous assessment, give equitable attention and feedback, use diverse and counter-stereotypical examples and role models, set high expectations for all, and monitor outcome data by group.

What does EAL stand for, and what does it describe?

English as an Additional Language — a pupil whose first language (or home language) is not English and who is learning English in addition to their home language(s). EAL is not a special educational need.

Why is EAL status not classed as SEN, and what is a key teaching implication?

Because needing to learn English is a language-acquisition matter, not a learning difficulty. Teachers must not confuse limited English with low ability, and should provide language scaffolding (visuals, modelling, talk partners) while maintaining cognitively challenging content.

Distinguish BICS from CALP in EAL theory (Cummins).

BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills) are everyday conversational fluency, typically acquired in about 1–2 years. CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) is the academic language needed for learning, typically taking around 5–7 years to develop.

What is the Pupil Premium?

Additional government funding allocated to schools to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers — paid for pupils eligible for free school meals (now or in the last 6 years), looked-after and previously looked-after children, and service children.

What is the 'Ever 6 FSM' criterion for Pupil Premium?

Pupils are eligible if they are recorded as having been eligible for free school meals at any point in the previous six years (not only those currently claiming), which captures pupils whose circumstances have recently changed.

What must schools do to be accountable for Pupil Premium spending?

Publish an annual Pupil Premium strategy statement showing how the funding is spent (ideally on evidence-based approaches, e.g. from the EEF) and its impact on disadvantaged pupils' outcomes.

What is the EEF's recommended tiered approach to spending Pupil Premium?

Three tiers: 1) high-quality teaching for all (the priority); 2) targeted academic support (e.g. tutoring, small-group/one-to-one interventions); 3) wider strategies tackling non-academic barriers (attendance, behaviour, wellbeing).

Who are 'looked-after children' (LAC)?

Children in the care of the local authority — e.g. living with foster carers, in a children's home, or placed with relatives — because they are subject to a care order or are accommodated by the LA.

Who are 'previously looked-after children' (PLAC), and why are they relevant to schools?

Children who are no longer looked after because they were adopted or are subject to a special guardianship or child arrangements order. They attract Pupil Premium Plus and the Virtual School Head has a duty to promote their educational achievement.

What is the role of the Designated Teacher and the Virtual School Head for looked-after children?

Every school must appoint a Designated Teacher to promote the educational achievement of looked-after and previously looked-after pupils. Each local authority has a Virtual School Head responsible for promoting the educational achievement of all its looked-after children as if in a single school.

What is a Personal Education Plan (PEP) for a looked-after child?

A statutory part of a looked-after child's care plan that sets out their educational targets, support and progress; it is reviewed regularly and helps coordinate the work of the school, social worker, carers and Virtual School.

What is meant by 'gifted and talented' provision, and how should it be approached inclusively?

Provision for high-attaining or high-potential pupils ('gifted' often denotes high academic ability, 'talented' high ability in areas like art, music or sport). Inclusively it means identifying potential across all groups (avoiding bias), and providing depth, challenge and enrichment within high expectations for all rather than a separate elite track.