Categories:
All Schools

September Training Highlights

As the new academic year gets underway, September brings a wide range of professional development opportunities for school leaders, teachers, teaching assistants, SENDCOs, designated safeguarding leads, early years practitioners and support staff.

Whether you're new to your role or looking to refresh your knowledge, there's something for everyone across our September training programme.

Early Years Focus

Early Years colleagues can explore topics including phonological awareness, language development, writing in Reception and the Characteristics of Effective Learning. There are also dedicated sessions for Childminders, Early Years SENDCOs, Designated Safeguarding Leads and committees.

Highlights include:

  • The Foundation to Phonics: Improving Phonological Awareness
  • Writing in Reception: Nurturing Confident and Joyful Writers
  • Early Language Matters: Building Strong Foundations
  • Developing the Characteristics of Effective Learning
  • Improving Early Identification in Oxfordshire: Introducing WellComm
  • Early Years SENDCO Core Training

SEND and Inclusion

A strong line-up of SEND and inclusion training is available throughout September, supporting schools to develop inclusive practice and strengthen provision for children and young people with additional needs.

Sessions include:

  • SENDCO Essentials series
  • Ordinarily Available SEND Provision (OASP)
  • The Graduated Approach: Making the APDR Cycle Work for You
  • Assistive Technology Bitesize Training
  • SEND and ICT – Where to Start!
  • Down Syndrome and Complex Needs drop-in and bitesize sessions
  • Special School Outreach SEND Clinic: Mulberry Bush Open Evening

Support for Teaching Assistants and SENDCOs

Staff new to key roles can access targeted training designed to build confidence and understanding from the outset.

Look out for:

  • TA Training: New to the TA Role
  • TA Training: Meeting the Needs of Neurodiverse Learners
  • SENDCO Essentials: Your Statutory Role
  • Designated Teacher (DT) Induction

Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment

September also offers a range of safeguarding opportunities to help schools maintain effective and compliant safeguarding arrangements.

Available courses include:

  • DSL Training for Education
  • SCR, Recruitment Checks and Personnel Files
  • Safer Recruitment
  • Safer Recruitment Refresher
  • Safer Recruitment Training for Early Years Settings
  • Lead Trainer for Early Years Settings
  • The Southport Inquiry

Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

The Educational Psychology Service will be running sessions on the highly regarded ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) programme, including:

  • The ELSA Project: An Introduction for ELSAs and Line Managers
  • The ELSA Programme 2026–27

Book Your Place

Many sessions have limited availability and are expected to fill quickly at the start of the autumn term.

Visit the Oxfordshire Education Services platform to browse the full training programme and secure your place: