Special Educational Needs & Inclusive Practice BA (Hons) top-up

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold award

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold award

Our commitment to high quality teaching has been recognised with a TEF Gold rating. The University has received an overall rating of Gold, as well as securing a Gold award in the framework's two new student experience and student outcomes categories.

Why choose this course?

Build on your level 4 and level 5 qualifications and experience in the field of SEND by gaining a BA (Hons) in Special Educational Needs & Inclusive Practice (SENIP) through this one-year top-up course.

You'll earn while you learn, combining academic study with work-based learning. You will develop your critical thinking and understanding whilst exploring theory and practical subjects through a variety of learning experiences.

You'll study areas such as removing barriers to participation, enabling inclusion within settings and in the community, effective transition between places, people and phases of education, and research and theories of learning. You'll have the opportunity to engage in collaborative working, sharing experiences with peers.

The course covers a range of topics including transitions, enabling environments, critical issues in the field of SENIP and researching and developing an area of interest.

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Attendance UCAS code Year of entry
1 year full time (employment based) X361 2025

External applicants: please note that places for external applicants are limited on this course. If you studied your Foundation Degree at a college that is not within the Kingston University partnership, please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Please note: Teaching on this course may take place on more than one KU campus.

Main Location Kingston Hill
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Reasons to choose Kingston University

  • If you have a relevant foundation degree (or equivalent), you will gain a BA (Hons) in Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Practice in this one-year top-up course.
  • You'll be able to combine your studies with work-based learning to gain a qualification valued by employers.
  • You'll have the opportunity to create change or develop practice in the workplace through your SEND research dissertation.
  • 96.1% of students thought staff supported their learning (NSS 2023).
  • 98% of students thought the library resources supported their learning (NSS 2023).

What you will study

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

Transitions

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
Enabling Environments

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.

Critical Issues in the Context of Inclusive Education

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.

Dissertation in an aspect of Professional Practice

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

Knowledge to give you the edge

Embedded within every course curriculum and throughout the whole Kingston experience, Future Skills will play a role in shaping you to become a future-proof graduate, providing you with the skills most valued by employers such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability.

As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills, learning to demonstrate and articulate to employers how future skills give you the edge.

At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it.

Learn employability-enhancing Future Skills
A female engineering student, in the engineering lab.

Entry requirements

Typical offer 2025

Employment in an appropriate setting (paid or voluntary) for at least 16 hours per week for duration of the course. Shortlisted applicants may be invited for an interview.

If you do not have the required formal qualifications, your background, experience, previous education and training will be considered.

Typical offer 2024

FdA (or equivalent) in Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Practice and experience in a relevant setting. Employment in an appropriate setting (paid or voluntary) for at least 16 hours per week for duration of the course. Shortlisted applicants may be invited for an interview.

  • FdA degree in Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Practice
  • 240 CATS points
  • Employment in an appropriate setting for at least 16 hours per week for the duration of the course
  • Normally two years' experience in an appropriate setting

If you do not have the required formal qualifications, your background, experience, previous education and training will be considered.

Alternative routes

We will consider a range of alternative qualifications or experience that is equivalent to the typical offer.

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) is offered for those who are unsure of the current value of their qualifications. We actively welcome applications from students from a variety of backgrounds. We are seeking people who wish to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in the field of Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Practice.

International

International students who have the necessary visa/permit to work in the UK are welcome to apply. Please note the course does not meet the criteria for Student Route visa. If you are unsure of the current immigration rules, please contact our CAS and Visa Compliance team at UKVI@kingston.ac.uk.

Country-specific information

You will find more information on country specific entry requirements in the International section of our website.

Find your country:

Typical offer and UCAS points explained

Like most universities, we use the UCAS Tariff point system for our course entry requirements.

Find out more about UCAS Tariff points and see how A-level, AS level, BTEC Diploma and T-level qualifications translate to the points system.

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.

Guided independent study (self-managed time)

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.

Academic support

Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas.

Dedicated personal tutor

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. 

Your workload

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.

How you will be assessed

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.

Feedback summary

We aim to provide feedback to you on your assessments within 20 working days.

Your timetable

Your individualised timetable is normally available within 48 hours of enrolment. Scheduled teaching takes place one evening per week between 5pm and 9pm.

Who teaches this course?

This course is a work-based learning degree with part-time study at Kingston University.

Our lecturers all have experience teaching in their specialist fields and remain actively connected to over 200 partner colleges and schools in the central and Greater London region.

 

Anne Drury

Mrs Anne Maloney

Joanne McKibbin

Dr Paty Paliokosta

Course fees and funding

2025/26 fees for this course

In 2025/26 the fees for this course are:

 Fee category Amount
Home (UK students) £9,535*
Franchise continuing rate £7,300

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 £7,300 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.

2024/25 fees for this course

In 2024/25 the fees for this course are:

 Fee category Amount
Home (UK students) £9,250*
Franchise continuing rate £7,300

This fee applies to students studying for the Early Years BA(Hons) top-up in the 2024/25 academic year.

Please note that a reduced fee of £7,300 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.

* For full time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. 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.

Note for EU students: UK withdrawal from the European Union

The Government has announced that new students from the European Union and Swiss Nationals starting their course after August 2021 will no longer be eligible for a student loan in England for Undergraduate or Postgraduate studies from the 2021/22 academic year. This decision only applies to new EU students starting after 2021/22. If you are an existing/continuing EU student, you will continue to be funded until you graduate or withdraw from your course.

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.

Textbooks

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to buy your own copy of key textbooks, this can cost between £50 and £250 per year.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences. Free WiFi is available on each of the campuses. You may wish to purchase your own computer, which can cost from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.

Photocopying and printing

In the majority of cases written coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing, binding and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees; this may cost up to £100 per year.

Travel

Travel costs are not included in your tuition fees but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses, Surbiton train station, Kingston-upon-Thames train station, Norbiton train station and halls of residence.

Alternative settings

You may need to pay transport costs to visit alternative settings.

DBS check

The University pays for the processing of the application which is £51 but students are expected to pay a small fee (approximately £7) to the Post Office to get their ID documents verified and £13 per year for subscribing to the Update Service. This subscription allows universities and potential employers to view any changes to students' DBS.

Facilities

The Kingston Hill campus features an outdoor learning environment where trainee teachers lead curriculum-linked natural sciences activities with children. It includes a specially built 'cubby house', outdoor pond, beehive and nature trail. It offers early years students the opportunity to simulate teaching and learning with natural materials.

There are a number of teaching rooms set up to replicate actual classrooms. Each classroom is subject based – such as an art room, science lab – and is equipped with all the relevant facilities you will need to practise your lessons before taking them into school.

Our library (the Nightingale Centre) has an excellent range of teaching resources to help you plan and teach your lessons, such as a range of children's topic books, music and nursery rhymes on CD, as well as artefacts and kits that can be used to illustrate historical periods, different religions, science, mathematics and music.

Facilities

After you graduate

This course provides postgraduate and professional development opportunities. These include the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), and Master of Research (Education) studies and PgDip NASENCO.

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!"

Teresa, Special Educational Needs & Inclusive Practice BA(Hons) top-up

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. Course changes explained.

Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.

Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.