How SEND training helped Nursery Manager Emma become a better leader

Nursery Manager Emma Elliott strengthened her confidence and knowledge around SEND through Realise’s SENCo Skills Bootcamp course. Now Deputy SENCo at Kattz Kidz Day Nursery, she’s helping lead inclusive practice and support children and families more effectively.

Emma Elliott has over 20 years of experience in early years education, primarily working with children under the age of two. As Nursery Manager at Kattz Kidz Day Nursery, she recognised a personal gap in knowledge and confidence when it came to supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Despite working closely with the nursery’s SENCO, Emma often felt unsure about how to contribute effectively to SEND discussions and decision-making.

“Most of my experience has been with the Under 2’s room, where SEN is rarely a focus unless there’s a medical need. I wanted to build my confidence and understanding so I could better support our children and staff.”

Deciding to do the SENCo course with Realise

Emma decided to enrol on the SEND training course to strengthen her understanding and feel more equipped in her leadership role. Her goal was to provide more meaningful support to her SENCO, the wider team and the families she works closely with.

“Although I worked closely with our SENCO, I often struggled to fully grasp the terminology and processes. I knew I needed more knowledge to provide the right guidance and support.”

Emma’s learning experience 

Emma particularly valued the opportunity to connect with other practitioners and share real-life experiences throughout the training. The open discussions helped her see the range of understanding others brought to the course and gave her practical insight into applying learning in her own setting.

“It was great to meet with other practitioners and see the variety of understanding that people have. I really enjoyed having discussions with the group and the assessors. It was interesting to hear people’s real-life experiences in working with children and families with SEND. This is useful in helping to put things into practice.”

She also highlighted the engaging style of the course trainers, Ian and Keeley, who made the sessions relevant and interactive.

“They really brought the sessions to life through discussion and scenarios. It helped me understand the material much more clearly.”

Impact and outcomes

Since completing the course, Emma has taken on the role of Deputy SENCO in her setting. She is now actively supporting the SENCO, attending local authority training, participating in SEND cluster meetings, and contributing to discussions with parents.

“We’ve recently welcomed a new child whose parents shared concerns during the settling-in period. I’ve taken the lead on starting the support process, and I’m already putting into practice what I’ve learned. It’s made such a difference to how I approach these situations.”

Emma is also gaining experience with screening tools such as Welcomm and is gradually building confidence to manage more of the SEND caseload alongside the SENCO.