International Professional Certificate in Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (IPCSEND)
with AISL Academy, in partnership with UCL.
- Programme starts: June 2026
- Duration: 12 months
- Certificate: UCL IOE Certificate of Programme Completion
- Cost:
- £2,500
- Free for AISL Harrow Staff
Interested in enrolling in the International Professional Certificate in Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (IPCSEND) for June 2026?
Registration for the June 2026 International Professional Certificate in Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (IPCSEND) programme starts now.
Please let us know your interest by completing the IPCSL Interest Form, and we will take you through the journey step-by-step.
Why choose our IPCSEND:
- Prestigious Partnership: This programme is offered by AISL Academy in exclusive partnership with University College London Institute of Education (UCL IOE), consistently ranked No. 1 in the world for education.
- Global Recognition: Earn a globally recognised, prestigious qualification that elevates your professional standing and opens doors to Special Educational Needs Coordinator and leadership roles in schools worldwide.
- Contextualised Content: Tailored specifically for international and independent schools, this programme is delivered by highly experienced AISL educators with decades of hands-on expertise running top-tier international schools in close collaboration with world-leading academics from UCL IOE.
- Practical Impact: Directly apply acquired expertise in SEND identification, intervention, and provision planning to lead inclusive strategies and practices in your school.
- Supportive Community: Build a global network of experienced educators and school leaders.
Who is it for:
IPCSEND is most suitable for school leaders, SEND coordinators, and aspiring SEND leaders, for example:
- A school principal/head teacher leading school-wide initiatives to foster an inclusive environment that supports students with diverse needs
- A SEND leader
- A SEND coordinator
- An aspiring SEND leader / coordinator
What you will learn:
IPCSEND is designed to develop confident and capable SEND leaders in international school settings. The programme equips participants with the knowledge, skills, and leadership mindset required to uphold a school’s commitment to ensuring that every child has an engaging, memorable learning experience and can thrive within an inclusive environment where all are valued. It also enables leaders to grow all teachers as leaders of SEND within their classrooms, departments, or phases—strengthening whole‑school capacity for inclusion.
- Establish Confident Foundations as a SEND Leader
Clarify your role, responsibilities, and personal identity as a SEND leader through guided reflection and engagement with core SEND frameworks, while setting ambitious aspirations and establishing a baseline for tracking your leadership growth throughout the programme. - Cultivate an Inclusive School Culture
Develop a shared vision of inclusion for your school and collaborate effectively with other school leaders and staff to visibly embed inclusion in school life. Capture meaningful pupil voice to shape engaging and memorable learning experiences, build strong home-school partnerships with parents, and model inclusive leadership that influences the entire school community from a student’s first entry point. - Lead High-quality Inclusive Pedagogy and Practice
Master evidence-informed universal teaching strategies to lead inclusive pedagogy at three tiers of support: high-quality teaching, targeted support, and specialist support. Identify strengths and weaknesses in inclusive pedagogy and practice in your school. Lead and support others in improving inclusive teaching practices through a strategic SEND action plan. - Drive Strategic Change in SEND Practice and Provision
Critically evaluate and select appropriate change management models to address your setting's unique context, then apply them to prioritise improvements, develop robust action plans, lead effective implementation, and monitor ongoing progress—ensuring lasting, impactful advancements in inclusive education across the school. - Design and Lead Effective Professional Development
Audit staff needs, prioritise strategic SEND improvement areas informed by programme insights, select and implement proven CPD models, and apply structured leadership cycles to foster continuous growth in inclusive teaching—while reflecting deeply on your own development as a capable SEND leader equipped for sustained influence. - Demonstrate Tangible Impact Through a Leadership-for-Change Project
Design and implement a SEND-focused leadership project that showcases a clear evidence-based rationale, targeted strategies, collaborative approaches, and measurable improvements in staff practice and pupil experience.
Learning Experience:
IPCSEND is a 12-month programme, consisting of four core modules delivered through dynamic blended experiences, including in-person workshops, online seminars, self-paced readings, and hands-on projects.
Programme Structure:
Assessment and Certification:
Assessment
The final assessment will be based on a leadership for change project undertaken within the participant’s own school. The project should be based on the learning from this programme.
It will be presented in the form of an academic poster and a 15-minute presentation comprising an 8-minute presentation and 7 minutes questions on the leadership for change project.
There is no formal grading for the programme, but in addition to 90% attendance, participants will need to meet the following criteria in order to receive certification of successful programme:
- A clear rationale for the focus selected, supported by evidence.
- Well-selected sources of evidence for baseline and impact picture
- Sufficient evidence gathered to support claims about impact on staff and students.
- Improvement strategies that respond to the baseline picture and contribute to achieving the “end in mind.”
- Demonstrable impact on inclusive practice of staff across the setting
- Clarity about approaches taken to influence others.
- Purposeful collaboration has contributed to the success of your project.
- Critical reflection on your own SEND leadership development and leadership of change for SEND
- Thoughtful application of SEND learning from the programme
Certification
Successful participants will receive a UCL IOE Certificate of Programme Completion.
Instructors:
Dr Rosanne Esposito
Dr Rosanne Esposito is an Associate Professor in Special Educational Needs and Disability in the Department of Psychology and Human Development at UCL Institute of Education, London, and a Programme Leader for the National Professional Qualification for SENCOs in the Centre for Educational Leadership.
With more than 25 years of experience across schools, local authority leadership, and higher education, Rosanne works at the intersection of research and practice. She has extensive experience designing and delivering professional development programmes for educators and leaders in diverse international contexts, supporting systems to strengthen inclusive teaching and leadership.
Her work focuses on supporting schools to embed evidence‑based, inclusive pedagogical and leadership practices in whole school provision to improve outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Rosanne holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Oxford.
Beth Billington
Beth Billington is a Programme Leader for the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) at the Centre for Educational Leadership. She leads the central delivery of UCL’s NPQs, including the National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership (NPQEL), delivered both in the UK and internationally. She also oversees the Early Headship Coaching Offer and the National Professional Qualification for Special Educational Needs Coordinators (NPQSENCO).
Beth plays a key role in supporting UK Delivery Partners and facilitating bespoke leadership programmes for a range of contexts. In addition, she contributes to programme design and content development and provides strategic input into assessment processes across the NPQ suite.
Prior to joining UCL, Beth spent 18 years in education, including 14 years in senior school leadership. Her experience includes Headship in both primary and special school settings, as well as leading initial teacher training and professional development within a Multi Academy Trust.
Beth is currently studying for an MBA in Educational Leadership and has completed the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL).
Joanne Calladine-Evans
Joanne Calladine-Evans is a Programme Leader at the Centre for Educational Leadership, UCL Institute of Education, where she leads on the development and delivery of the National Professional Qualifications, with a particular focus on international programmes. She works with partners in the UK and globally to design and facilitate leadership development programmes for educators and system leaders.
With over 30 years’ experience across secondary, further, and higher education, Joanne specialises in programme design, facilitation, and leadership development. Her work focuses on supporting inclusive and culturally responsive leadership in diverse educational contexts.
Charles Ellison
Having enjoyed an extensive career in independent schooling both in the UK and within British international schools spanning 30 years, Charles is presently Director of Quality and Standards within the AISL Education Team.
His leadership journey has included roles such as Head of Department, Director of Co-curricular Provision, Housemaster, Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Head and Headmaster of an all-through boarding and day school in England. Prior to his present Group role, Charles was Head Master of Harrow Shanghai. He holds post-graduate qualifications in Psychology (based primarily on leadership and team dynamics) and the NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship).
For the past thirteen years, Charles has also been regularly involved in the inspection of day and boarding schools for the UK Department for Education with ISI, both in the UK and within British international schools through the BSO framework.
Ruth Whymark
Ruth is the Associate Director of Quality and Standards with AISL. She has been in headship for fifteen years. She has led in a variety of settings and contexts, giving her a very wide perspective on global education, from challenging inner-city to high performing state and international schools all of which informed her passion for social justice, leadership, wellbeing, equity, inclusion and diversity.
She attributes the success of the schools she has led to having a team of talented staff who are focussed on delivering a curriculum which celebrates the uniqueness of each student and raises their self-esteem.
Ruth is passionate about building professional learning communities that create the conditions for learners to achieve both personal and academic success.
The belief that all pupils can achieve highly is at the heart of Ruth’s practice. Ruth enjoys building and developing strong teams; enabling capable and effective leadership to inspire and motivate whole communities through supportive relationships.
If you have any questions regarding our International Professional Certificate in Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (IPCSEND), please feel free to email us directly at support@aisl-academy.com
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