Linwood Training, Support and Advice (LTSA)

Training and Events

Initial Teacher Training

LTSA plays a fundamental role in developing a self-sustaining system where new teachers learn from the best teachers, supported through a culture of coaching and mentoring.

Our School Direct partnership is with the Poole SCITT. We offer a PGCE in General Primary with SEND. We also work with a range of other local universities and SCITT providers to augment their programmes with school-based SEND experiences.

The programme content is delivered through four taught modules and a series of non-assessed and assessed school-based placements. These placements are in both mainstream primary and special school settings.

Trainees are guided through their learning by experienced SCITT and school-based mentors, to enable them to gain the skills and confidence to become effective, successful teachers of primary-aged children, especially those with SEND. The programme is designed for trainee teachers wishing to enter the profession in either mainstream or special school settings.

Trainees are based at Linwood School and in our partner schools which include primary mainstream and other local special schools.

For more information, visit www.getintoteaching.education.gov.uk

Apply Now

Early Bird Training

The National Autistic Society (NAS) has developed support programmes for parents and carers who have children with autism.

The programme aims to work on:

• understanding autism
• building confidence to encourage interaction and communication
• understanding and supporting behaviour

The programme works in small groups of four to six families, encouraging parents to share ideas and experiences to problem-solve together. Two parents/carers from each family may attend each session, and they can invite a supporting professional to join them.
You will need to be a resident of BCP, and your child will need to have a diagnosis of autism to attend any of the courses. The programme is provided free of charge.

For more information, visit www.autism.org.uk

EarlyBird

Course

For parents/carers of pre schoolers (Age 1– 4)

Duration

The programme lasts for three months and involves parents in a weekly commitment to a two-and-a-half-hour group training session, home visits, and ongoing work with their child at home. The home visits will involve video feedback and discussion.

Content

The sessions will focus on three main areas:

Understanding autism
Developing interactions and communication with your child with autism
Managing behaviour

EarlyBird Plus

Course

For parents/carers of school-age children (Age 4 – 9)

Duration

The programme will run during term time for ten sessions, incorporating at least one home visit.

Content

Like EarlyBird, the programme aims to help you to:

Understand your child’s autism
Improve communication with your child
Develop strategies to pre-empt problem behaviours and manage those which do occur

Teen Life

Course

For parents/carers of young people (Age 10 – 16)

Duration

This programme runs for six sessions.

Content

Teen Life emphasises the importance of autistic perspectives, with videos and quotes used throughout the sessions.

Topics covered include:

Understanding autism in teenagers
Self-esteem and spending time with other people
Stress and anxiety
Understanding your diagnosis
Puberty and independence
Education and future planning

Continued & Professional Development

AET Autism & Anxious Non-Attendance

Date: Monday 6 October 2025
Duration: 9:00 – 12:00 (3 hrs 0 mins)
Price: £95 (Boost Funding available for BCP Schools)
Venue: Coastal Training Suite, BH11 8HB
Event Leaders: Kate Tuck and Andy Maher

Details

The aims of the Autism Education Trust ‘Understanding Anxious Non-Attendance’ Module are to:

Increase your understanding of the causes and impact of Anxious Non-Attendance
Develop your knowledge and understanding of practical strategies and approaches that can support pupils experiencing Anxious Non-Attendance

For more information on Autism Education Trust training visit: www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk

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AET Good Autism Practice - Schools - 2 Part Session

Date: Tuesday 11th & 25th November 2025
Duration: 09:00 – 12:00 (3 hrs 0 mins)
Price: £185
Venue: The Hamworthy Club, Magna Road, Canford Magna, Wimborne. BH21 3AP
Event Leader: Kate Tuck and Soraya Monzondiaz

Attendance at both days is essential.

Details

Do you want to embed your knowledge and understanding of Autism?
Do you want some practical strategies to help in your work?
Do you work regularly with pupils on the Autism spectrum?

This session is suitable for Teachers/HLTAs/TAs working with school-age pupils on the autism spectrum in both mainstream and specialist settings.

For more information on Autism Education Trust training visit: www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk

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AET Transitions Workshop

Date: Tuesday 2 December 2025
Duration: 09:30 – 12:00 (2 hrs 30 mins)
Price: £95
Venue: Coastal Training Suite, BH11 8HB
Event Leader: Soraya Monzon Diaz and Kate Webster

Details

The Autism Education Trust ‘Transitions in Schools’ module aims to equip delegates with an understanding of:

What we mean by transitions and the range of transitions encountered across the Primary and Secondary phases of education, both micro & macro.
The impact of transitions on the education and wellbeing of autistic children and young people and the reasons they may require specific enhanced transition support.
How to support autistic children and young people effectively with transitions in schools

For more information on Autism Education Trust training visit: www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk

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Autism, OCD & Masking

Date: Tuesday 4 November 2025
Duration: 09:00 – 12:00 (3 hrs 0 mins)
Price: £85 (Boost Funding available for BCP Schools)
Venue: Online via Zoom
Event Leaders: Dean Beadle

Details

In this session Dean will look at anxiety from an autistic perspective. He will examine common causes for anxiety before focussing on practical ways to support autistic learners who may be experiencing it. This interactive session will also look at executive functioning before finishing with highlighting ways to promote autistic wellbeing by maximising and facilitating autistic joy.

Dean Beadle has toured the UK for over fourteen years sharing his experiences of being autistic. He has also delivered keynotes in Ireland, Denmark, Belgium and Germany as well as undertaking four seminar tours of Australia and New Zealand. Through his humorous and insightful speeches Dean outlines his positive outlook on being autistic, and challenges negative public attitudes.

In 2011 Dean’s work was brought to a wider audience, as a clip of one of his speeches was viewed globally on YouTube. In recent years he has also become an in -demand inset trainer and delivers training to staff across the UK.

He is also an experienced journalist, having been a reporter, reviewer and columnist in local and national publications. Between 2012 and 2014 Dean sat on the judging panel for the NAS Professionals Awards. Dean has co-chaired the NAS Professionals Conference, hosted charity balls, conferences and diversity festivals and co-hosted the Autism Uncut Film Awards at BAFTA in 2017. An interview with Dean is featured as a key resource in the Autism Education Trust training programme which has reached 200,000 schools’ staff.

Dean is also a singer and performs at charity balls and various events nationwide.

Dean is honorary president of APCymru- an autistic led parent charity in Cardiff and is also patron of SPACE, parent led charity in Hertfordshire, and ONE to ONE Enfield, a charity providing meaningful activities for LD/autistic adults.

Facebook: dean beadle speaker

Twitter: @deanbeadleuk

youtube.com/deanbeadleuk

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Autism Women & Girls

Date: Wednesday 4 February 2026
Duration: 09:30 – 12:30 (3 hrs 0 mins)
Price: £85
Venue: Online via Zoom
Event Leaders: Ruth Moyse

Details

This workshop will be facilitated by Dr Ruth Moyse, drawing on her research with autistic girls in mainstream primary and secondary settings. It will cover:

Breaking down stereotypes and unpicking assumptions
The impact of language and unwritten messages
Masking, camouflaging, why they can make sense, and how they can harm
Autistic girls as absent voices and creative methods of communication
Understanding different perspectives; walking in their shoes
Working through scenarios and strategies
Key recommendations for action from autistic girls

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Down's Syndrome

Date: Wednesday 15 October 2025
Duration: 09:30 – 12:00 (2 hrs 30 mins)
Price: £90
Venue: Coastal Training Suite, BH11 8HB
Event Leaders: Kate Tuck

Details

Every child will be unique and what works for one, may not work for another. It is important to create a Specific Learning Profile, individual to the child. This should include: what they enjoy, what supports them, what they do not like, strategies that work, things they find tricky, whether they wear glasses etc, things which dysregulate/regulate them, and so on.

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Grow Your Own SENCO - 2 Part Session

Day 1: 13th November 2025
Venue : The Hamworthy Club, Magna Road, Canford Magna, Bournemouth. BH21 3AP

Day 2 : 10th March 2026
Venue : Merley House, Merley Lane, Wimborne. BH21 3AA

Duration: 09:00 – 15:30 (6 hrs 30 mins)
Price: £275
Event Leader: Kate Tuck

Attendance at both days is essential.
Lunch & refreshments are provided on both days.

Details

An induction programme for all new and future SENCOs and those wishing to refresh their skills.

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Memory Lite Classroom

Summer Date: Tuesday 10 February 2026
Duration: 09:00 – 12:00 (3 hrs 0 mins)
Price: £85
Venue: Online via Zoom
Event Leader: Neil Mackay (Action Dyselxia)

Details

This lively and interactive half day course provides practical strategies and solutions which are underpinned by the science around cognitive load and working memory.

By applying the principles of the memory lite classroom, colleagues can be confident that, when learners struggle, it is because they genuinely cannot do “it”, rather than because they have forgotten what to do next or what went before.

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PEIC-D Workshop - 2 Part Session

Date: Tuesday 11 & 25 November 2025
Duration: 13:00 – 16:00 (3 hrs 0 mins)
Price: £185
Venue: The Hamworthy Club, Magna Road, Bournemouth, BH21 3AP
Event Leaders: Steph Green

Attendance at both days is essential.

Details

Led by Dorset Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service.

The PEIC-D approach revisits early interaction skills such as imitation, turn-taking and interaction. These skills are often poorly developed in children with severe and/or complex learning difficulties, including autistic spectrum disorders.

By working through a series of steps, using game formats, the child learns to watch others’ play, join in, and then take part in turn taking sequences. Later stages include learning to initiate games, and negotiating the rules.

These 2 half day workshops provides background to the PEIC-D training provides detailed information, discussion, and problem solving opportunities. Please note, this training shares additional information and provides more activities than the introductory PEIC-D session you can access with you Link Speech and Language Therapist.

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SEN Leadership Networks

Autumn 2025 Date: Wednesday 22 October 2025
Venue: Online via Zoom

Spring 2026 Date: Thursday 12 February 2026
Venue: The Hamworthy Club, Magna Road, Bournemouth, BH21 3AP

Summer 2026 Date: Thursday 21 May 2026
Venue: The Hamworthy Club, Magna Road, Bournemouth, BH21 3AP

Duration: 13:30 – 15:00 (1 hr 30 mins)
Price: £0 – no charge
Event Leader: Kate Tuck

Details

This termly network provides an opportunity for SENCOs and other senior leaders from mainstream and special schools and colleges with responsibilities for vulnerable learners to meet, share ideas and hear the latest local, regional and national information and statutory requirements. There will be a focus on provision and outcomes for learners with special educational needs, disabilities and other vulnerabilities. (These networks are funded through Linwood Training Support & Advice. Pre-booking is required.)

School, academy and college leaders including SENCOs are supported to improve the attainment, progress and wider outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

effective practices in respect of SEND provision are shared and enhanced
support, guidance and updates from experts in the field of SEND in both mainstream and specialist provision is built upon through system leadership
latest resources, training opportunities and policy development in respect of SEND are shared

Content will vary with each session.

Autumn 2025 Session – Book Now >>

Spring 2026 Session – Book Now >>

Summer 2026 Session – Book Now >>

Signalong

Date: Wednesday 10 December 2025
Price: £160 (BOOST Funding available for BCP educational settings)
Duration: 09:30 – 15:30 (6 hrs 0 mins)
Venue: Cobham Sports and Social Club, Merley Park Road, Ashington, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3DA
Event Leader: Gulten Aydin Hussain

Details

Signalong is a sign supporting system developed to help children and adults acquire language skills and to aid with communication difficulties.

You will learn signing skills to enable you to access any sign from the manual.

Signalong follows general language development and encourages spoken language – the spoken word should accompany every sign. The training is arranged around developmental stages, progressing from labelling solid objects to identifying pictures and photographs. It focuses on and supports the understanding of key words and concepts.

The course content includes opportunities to explore concepts such and generalisation and symbolic representation as well as thinking about our individual communication skills.

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Think Bricks

Date: Monday 27 April 2026
Price: £265
Duration: 09:30 – 14:30 (5 hrs 0 mins)
Venue: Cobham Sports and Social Club, Merley Park Road, Ashington, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3DA
Event Leader: Claire Osbourne

Details

LEGO® based Therapeutic Coaching Approaches Course.

Intervention to support Children’s Mental Health

Building Resilience – Brick by Brick!

Evidence based SEMH Intervention that works!

‘Think Bricks’ empowers and inspires young people to creatively build symbolic models to help to communicate their thoughts and feelings. The box of specially selected metaphors allows young people to convey their own personal feelings, thoughts, hopes and wishes in a powerful and constructive manner. On a one to one or in small groups children can explore and find solutions to personal issues by symbolic model making using metaphor. Children will really reflect and find it easier to talk once they have built their models. This inspirational workshop will teach you to coach children and young people in a therapeutic way using hands on learning. Get children talking!!

Course Leader: Claire Osbourne M’ED (Special Education – Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties) Therapeutic Coach.

Lego Education Academy Certified Trainer. 30yrs + experience in education with young people presenting with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health Challenges. Team Leader of a Council Behaviour Support Advisory Team.

All training includes a ‘Lego® ‘Think Bricks’ suitcase of resources kit worth £95 to take away on the day, plus electronic resources to enable delivery of the intervention. Limited additional kits can be ordered.

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An Introduction to Autism and Neurodiversity for Parents

This half-day session provides parents with a basic overview of how Autism and Neurodiversity may present in children and young people. It includes:

Information about Autism and Neurodiversity, including the 3 areas of difference.
Young person input: ‘My Experiences’.

The session is FREE and open to families who live in the BCP area. Your child does not need to have a diagnosis for you to attend.

Please contact us (details below) to book your space and indicate whether you would like 1 or 2 spaces. Please also confirm if your child attends the school that is hosting the session to help us with allocation of spaces.

Day	Time	Venue
Tue 7 Oct 2025	9:30 - 11:45	Glenmore Academy, Beswick Avenue, Bournemouth BH10 4EX
Thu 20 Nov 2025	9:30 - 11:45	Highcliffe School, Parkside, Highcliffe, Christchurch BH23 4QD
Tue 27 Jan 2026	9:30 - 11:45	Talbot Primary School, Talbot Drive, Poole BH12 5ED
Wed 11 Mar 2026	9:30 - 11:45	The Epiphany School, Shillingstone Drive, Muscliff BH9 3PE
Thu 30 Apr 2026	9:30 - 11:45	Twynham Primary School, Marsh Lane, Christchurch BH23 2NH Please do not confuse this with Twynham School in Sopers Lane. What3Words: ///amounting.against.sharpen
Tue 19 May 2026	9:30 - 11:30	Highcliffe St Mark Primary School, Greenways, Highcliffe, Christchurch BH23 5AZ
Tue 30 Jun 2026	9:30 - 11:45	Corfe Hills School Higher Blandford Road, Broadstone BH18 9BG
Tue 7 Jul 2026	9:30 - 11:45	Online via Zoom

Feedback from parents on the session:

“Lovely mix of information and experiences, thank you!”

“It was brilliant and enlightening, thank you.”

“I really liked it, thank you. Pitched at the right level and was a safe environment to be in. The ‘teachers’ couldn’t have been nicer or more engaging. Thank you.”

“Thank you, what an amazing team of trainers. You kept this very interesting and were all so open about your own experiences.”

“Thank you, a great session to help me understand my daughter.”

“Very thorough, very interesting & helpful. Feel I am moving in the right direction. Lots of great tips.”

“Thank you so much. It’s been really helpful as we start this journey as parents.”