Helen Calabria

Helen Calabria joined the NPQ SENCO course at the perfect time in her professional career; already a part of her school’s senior leadership team, Helen began the NPQ SENCO in anticipation of stepping to the role at her school in Gloucestershire.

“I knew I was going to be taking up the SENCO role, as my predecessor was retiring,” she said. “Starting the course before this meant I didn’t feel like I was jumping in at the deep end. I was learning and putting that learning into practice at the same time which felt really powerful.”

Helen’s role as Head of Inclusion brings together SEND leadership, safeguarding, and pastoral care, and she has always been committed to improving education for children who face barriers to learning.

For Helen, one of the most valuable aspects of the NPQ SENCO was the opportunity to learn alongside others working in similar roles.

“As a SENCO in a primary school, you’re often the only person doing that job. Coming together to learn alongside others who really understand the challenges makes a real difference,” she said.

The course included both aspiring co-ordinators and those already in post.

Helen said: “It has been great to bounce ideas around with people who are working in the same world but coming at it from different angles. That professional dialogue is incredibly valuable.”

Delivered over 18 months, the NPQ SENCO combines face-to-face learning with national online provision; a balance Helen found essential alongside the demands of full-time work and family life.

“There’s real flexibility,” she said. “You can fit the online learning around your life, but the in-person days in Worcester are a really valuable time to stop, focus, and engage.”

Completing the programme has given Helen confidence not only in her SENCO role, but in her wider leadership potential.

She said: “This has been a huge confidence boost. It has made me realise how much I can do, and it is has opened the door to other leadership opportunities in my school and across our trust.”

Helen is now considering further postgraduate study, supported by the Master’s-level credits earned through the programme.

“The way the course has been structured has shown me that further study is manageable,” she said. “You can be working full-time, be a parent, and still continue learning, if you prioritise it.”