Special Educational Needs & Inclusive Practice BA (Hons) top-up
Subject and course type
- Education and Teaching
- Undergraduate
Deliver essential, life-enhancing support and take your experience to the next level. This Special Educational Needs & Inclusive Practice top-up course gives you the skills and experience to turn your level 4 and 5 SEND qualifications into a BA in just one year.
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Earn while you learn: Academic study alongside work-based learning
Through a blend of theoretical and practical learning experiences, you’ll study everything from removing participation barriers to enabling inclusion.
Topping up your Special Educational Needs & Inclusive Practice qualification at Kingston University will open doors to opportunities including further education and rewarding professional roles.
You’ll earn while you learn, combining academic study with work-based learning to develop your critical thinking and understanding of this essential field. You’ll also cover effective transitions between places, people and phases of education, as well as key research and theories of learning.
When you graduate, you’ll have a highly-valued, work-based BA in Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Practice.
During the course, you’ll cover transitions, enabling environments and critical issues, all while researching and developing your own area of interest. You’ll work collaboratively, share experiences with your peers and create change or develop workplace practice through your SEND research dissertation.
Why choose this course
While you study, you’ll benefit from top quality teaching at Kingston University. We’re ranked Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework, and our teachers are specialists with active connections to over 200 partner colleges and schools in the region.
Throughout the course, you’ll be taught by experienced professionals at our Kingston Hill campus. Facilities here include an outdoor learning environment with a cubby house, pond, beehive and nature trail – great for simulating teaching with natural materials.
There are a number of teaching rooms set up to replicate actual classrooms. Each classroom is subject based and equipped with all the facilities you need to practise your lessons before taking them into school.
You can also access a wide range of teaching resources – from children’s books and music to artefacts and kits – from our library at the Nightingale Centre.
The 2023 National Student Survey found that 96.1% of students on this course thought staff supported their learning.
The 2023 National Student Survey found that 98% of students on this course thought the library resources supported their learning.
Course content
You will study key areas such as removing barriers to participation, enabling inclusion within settings and the community, effective and smooth transition between places, people and phases of education, research and theories of learning, development and assessment, regulation and legislation around good practice in the curriculum, pedagogy and the learning environment, ethics in inter-professional relationships and collaborative working, critical and reflective approaches to managing challenges and leading informed change in the field.
Modules
You will learn about critical issues that affect children and young people (0 - 25 years) with special educational needs and disabilities, supporting them through life transitions and creating enabling environments. You will also choose an area of special interest to research.
Core modules
30 credits
This module will introduce you to the complexities involved in removing barriers to effective transition to and between educational phases. It will explore:
- theory and government initiatives that may impact on transition policy and procedures in the work place
- strategies for effective transition
- the role of parental support in times of change
30 credits
In this module you explore effective and inclusive learning environments, both indoors and outdoors.
It covers regulatory guidelines and risk assessment to ensure access to learning opportunities and the safety of all children and young people. You will carry out an audit of your workplace setting, evaluating good practice and making recommendations for change.
30 credits
This module introduces students to theory related to ethics and dilemmas facing professionals who work in a range of roles in the context of special and inclusive education. Students are encouraged to reflect upon their knowledge and experience of effective practices and to identify an area for development.
30 credits
This module introduces students to a range of methodologies, which will enable them to design and implement a small-scale enquiry, which is relevant to their interest, role and work place. Students will gain an understanding of the philosophies and practices of systematic enquiry in Early Years-related fields and its application within their professional and pedagogical contexts.
Future Skills and careers opportunities
Boost your employability
Every course at Kingston University teaches a range of Future Skills. From problem-solving and adaptability to digital competency, these are the attributes you’ll need to get the edge in the job market and a head start on your career.
After you graduate
You’ll complete this course with robust practical knowledge and a highly sought after qualification. Previous graduates have also gone on to further their studies, with opportunities including a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), MA Education studies and PGCert Special Educational Needs and Inclusion.
At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it
For more information on how Kingston prepares you for the future job market, visit our Future Skills page.
Teaching and assessment
Scheduled learning and teaching on this course includes timetabled activities including lectures, seminars and small group tutorials. It may also include placements, project work, practical sessions, workshops, conferences and field trips.
Outside the scheduled learning and teaching hours, you will learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, preparing for and completing your work for assessments. Some independent study work may need to be completed on-campus, as you may need to access campus-based facilities such as studios and labs.
Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas.
When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, support you throughout your time at Kingston and show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University.
A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on, for example 360 credits for a typical undergraduate course or 180 credits for a typical postgraduate course. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.
One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 120 credits across a year (typical for an undergraduate course) would equate to 1,200 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below for each year of study. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.
- Year 1: 90% scheduled learning and teaching
The exact balance between scheduled learning and teaching and guided independent study will be informed by the modules you take.
Your course will primarily be delivered in person. It may include delivery of some activities online, either in real time or recorded.
Types of assessment
- Year 1: Coursework 95%; Short answer paper 5%
Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. If your course includes optional modules, this breakdown may change to reflect the modules chosen.
We aim to provide feedback to you on your assessments within 20 working days.
Your individualised timetable is normally available within 48 hours of enrolment. Scheduled teaching takes place one evening per week between 5pm and 9pm.
Fees and funding
| Fee category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | |
| £9,535* | |
| Franchise continuing rate | £7,525 |
This fee applies to students studying for the Early Years BA (Hons) top-up in the 2025/26 academic year.
Please note that a reduced fee of £7,525 will apply to foundation students from our franchise partners only. This only applies to students who directly progress from the FdA to the top-up, if there is a break between the two courses then the full fee will apply.
* Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.
Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
Scholarships and bursaries
For students interested in studying this course at Kingston, there are several opportunities to seek funding support.
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Our libraries have an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as open-access computers and laptops available to rent. However, you may want to buy your own computer or personal copies of key textbooks. Textbooks may range from £50 to £250 per year. And a personal computer can range from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.
While most coursework is submitted online, some modules may require printed copies. You may want to allocate up to £100 per year for hard-copies of your coursework. It’s worth noting that 3D printing is never compulsory. So if you choose to use our 3D printers, you’ll need to pay for the material. This ranges from 3p per gram to 40p per gram.
Kingston University will pay for all compulsory field trips. Fees for optional trips can range from £30 to £350 per trip.
Your tuition fees don’t cover travel costs. You might need to cover transport costs for visits to alternative settings. To save on travel costs, you can use our free intersite bus service. This route links the campuses and halls of residence with local train stations - Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, and Norbiton.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Find out more about course changes
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
What our students say
This course helped me become a better and more confident practitioner. I started this course while working as an SEN 1:1 Teaching Assistant and finished it at the same time I accepted a job offer as an Unqualified Teacher to run my own class. This felt like a massive recognition of the effort I put into this course and the knowledge I acquired during such. Thanks to completing this course I am now at the beginning of another amazing learning journey!
