I want to work in SEN - Advice please

[minigirl762003]

Im currently a LSA in a mainstream primary school and am studying for my Level 2 in Supporting teaching and Learning. I really want to work with SEN children either in a SRP unit or a SEN school. I intend to complete my Level 3 next but what qualifications or courses could I do ready for a SEN job? Any advice?

What sort of SEN? How mobile are you ie how far can you travel? What sort of SEN schools do you have in your local area? Could you go along for a chat to them about what they look for in staff?

I have just interviewed for TA posts for my Resource Base. I expected candidates to have some theoretical knowledge about our specialist area (autism) and to be able to talk about strategies for supporting pupils in a variety of scenarios and through a variety of emotional states.

No qualification would have been more important than evidence of
a) the ability to support complex children in a range of ways
b) enough personal resilience to cope with the challenging working environment
c) the ability to work in a close knit team successfully

If Axcis is active in your area it would be worth contacting them. They may well be able to put you straight into a specialist setting and you could start gaining experience.

It depends on what sort of SEN.
For example, if you wanted to work with Hearing Impaired pupils then a minimum of BSL level 2 would be required, good communication skills and some understanding of language development.

Totally agree with the points made by SisterViktorine .

Hi Thanks for the replies. SisterViktorine its Autism im interested in. I'm thinking of working in my current role for a couple of years just to get the experience of working as a LSA then looking for a role in a SEN school. My current school does have a couple of children with Autism in it but they already have 1-2-1. Another local school which has only just open is suppose to be having a SRP starting in it for children with AUtism and behavioural needs so hope to get some experience there as well. I will look up Axcis. Thanks

I have recently started working as a TA in a special school. I have GCSEs, A Levels and a degree but no qualifications relevant to childcare. My interview was largely made up of experience and scenario questions (I do have school and special needs experience, though my special needs experience was not school based) and I think drawing on this to explain how I would cope with certain behaviours, situations etc was of far more interest to the interviewers. Certainly, qualifications won't be to your detriment but as Sister said, they can't make up for experience.

I will say that working in a special school is not for the faint hearted, in the short time I've been there I've had clumps of hair pulled out, been bitten and headbutted (I accept that this is because I'm new and the children are still getting used to me!) but I absolutely adore the school and wouldn't be anywhere else.

Thanks for the reply paperdreams94. My mum use to work in a SEN school so know what the day to day can be like. However that was many moons ago and you didn't need as many qualifications then as you do now. As my youngest is only 5 I've decided to get some of the qualifications whilst he is little (and hopefully start getting some experience with a SEN child in my mainstream school) and once he is a bit older start getting some experience.
Im very lucky that the school i'm currently at is my boys school so childcare isnt a issue whereas if I move to a different school I may have issues with start times,holidays etc.