Here are
the answers to questions we think you might ask. There are bound to be
more. If you cannot find your answer please contact us and we will get back to you and add it to this list.
Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing
(CCET)
Combined CCET and AAC
Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET)
Who
is this course designed for?
This course is of use to anyone who works with children or adults and wants to use
tests to monitor their progress or identify barriers to learning. Our
discussions with schools suggest that the course will be of interest to
SENCOs, Specialist teachers, experienced teaching and learning assistants
and teachers wanting to train as educational psychologists. It will also be of interest to tutors working in higher and further education.
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What qualifications or experience do I need before I
join this course?
You do not need any particular qualifications before joining this course.
Most, if not all people who do this course will be currently working with
children or adults within an educational setting or as private professionals. Therefore it is expected that you
will be able to communicate and relate effectively with relevant client groups. This
course does involve some mathematics. You will learn how to use a
calculator to calculate averages and complete some statistical analysis.
Therefore some experience of working with numbers will be very useful.
Finally you will be asked to write some reports. We will provide some
example reports but your reports will need to be in your own words.
Therefore you will be expected to be able to use a word processor to
produce well presented short pieces of writing.
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What will I need to do this course?
You will need access to suitable clients (children or adults) and relevant permission to administer tests with them. This will include the permission of the head of the institution and parents where relevant. We can provide you
with advice about how to gain parental permission, however it will be your
responsibility to do so and to retain it in writing.
You will also need access to appropriate test materials in order to
familiarise yourself with a number of different tests. You can purchase
these assessments from a number of test publishers including NFER-Nelson www.nfer-nelson.co.uk or Harcourt www.harcourt-uk.com. Once you join the course you will
learn how to make good judgments about which tests suit your purpose and therefore which ones to buy. We recommend that before deciding to join the course that you browse the above
websites to gain an idea of what is available and the cost of assessments.
If you are doing the course online you will also need access to the internet. Broadband is not a requirement but it will enable you to load pages much more quickly.
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How long will it take me to complete this course?
That depends on how you choose to do it. If you opt for the online version we expect most people to complete the whole course in about an academic year assuming they can devote the equivalent of about 3hours a week to it. The intensive route is shorter because it starts with a 4-day delivery and is then followed by test administration and report writing in the work place. Most people take about 3 months via this route.
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What is the difference between the online course and the intensive course?
The basic differences between them are the style of teaching/learning and the time they take. The online course is as you would expect done via the internet. It uses our sophisticated virtual learning environment called Campus Online to teach you all the required competences. It provides you with a mechanism to access resources, communicate with tutors and peers and to assess your understanding as you go along. The online version requires you to attend for only one day to be assessed and you also have to provide a DVD record of your test administration and a portfolio of written assessment reports.
The intensive version of the course teaches most of the curriculum in a 4-day block. This is supplemented by some pre-course assignments. The intensive course also requires you to provide a DVD record of your test administration and a portfolio of written assessment reports.
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Why is the intensive version of the course more expensive?
Essentially because it costs us considerably more to run the intensive course. Our trainer to participant ratios are such that most intensive courses need at least two trainers for 4 days and there is a considerable amount of preparation and follow up that also has to be done. Residential costs also have to be met and although those attending locally can opt to travel daily from home we do not recommend it as the course is as the name suggests very intensive and includes work on at least two evenings.
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How am I assessed?
Whether you do the course online or via the intensive route your competence is assessed throughout. For each unit taught there is a key competence task which has to be completed to a satisfactory standard. Units 1 to 3 are also assessed by way of a test paper and units 4 to 7 are assessed via a portfolio of assessment reports that are compiled after the course has been completed (online or intensive). All course participants also have to demonstrate competent test administration by creating a recording on a DVD. Those doing the online course have to attend a Competence Day to demonstrate in person their competence; this is embedded in the 4-day programme for those that opt to do the intensive programme.
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I hold a SpLD qualification that gives me BDA Approved Teacher Status (ATS). Will the CCET allow me apply for a SpLD Practising Certificate?
Yes. SASC (the National Committee for Standards in SpLD Assessment, Training and Practice) has approved this via Route 3. We suggest that you seek advice via Dyslexia Action to ascertain if you hold an ATS qualification. If you do the CCET is very much a legitimate way to obtain a SpLD Practising Certificate.
For further information about BDA Approved Teacher Status see the British Dyslexia Association website ( visit
BDA website).
For further information about routes to the SpLD Practising Certificate see the PATOSS website (visit
PATOSS website) and the Dyslexia Action website (visit
Dyslexia Action website).
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I have a lot of experience assessing children and
writing reports and I have completed other courses. Can you just sign my form so that I can apply to the BPS for the certificate? Or can my local Educational Psychologist sign the BPS
form?
The answer to both questions is no. The 71 competences laid down by the BPS are complex and challenging; but more importantly you have to demonstrate that you actually have them - it is a competence based course after all! We suggest you read the 71 BPS Level A competences by using the link to the BPS website.
In exceptional circumstances we may agree to visit you on an "assessment only" basis but you and we would have to be very sure that you do already have the required competences. Please contact us if you think this might apply to you. Please note though that this is not a cheaper route to the qualification and we actively discourage most people from considering this way.
Only a BPS verified assessor can sign you off. All assessors working for Real Training have had their assessment methods checked and approved by the British Psychological
Society.
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Can I access supervision for my professional practice when I have completed the course?
Yes. We now provide an online supervision service at a reasonable cost that allows you to access professional support and advice in the same way you will have done during the online course or during the construction of your portfolio (whether you did the CCET course online or via the intensive route). Please contact us for more information or book Real Supervision online.
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Once I have successfully complete this training will
I be able to buy and use “closed” tests like the Wechsler Intelligence
Scale for Children IV (UK) or the British Ability Scales?
The test publishers currently only sell these tests to qualified psychologists.
NFER-Nelson, who publish the British Ability Scales, have said they will
review this policy when the Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing
(Level B) becomes available. The British Psychological Society committee – the
Steering Committee on Test Standards is planning the Level B for educational
testing. Level B already exists in the Occupational field. There is no indication
of when the Level B for education will be launched. If you are interested
in knowing it may be useful to call the BPS at the Psychological Testing
Centre (0116 252 9530). The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV is
a closed test and this test can only be administered by suitably qualified
psychologists. Harcourt publishers decide who is and who is not suitably
qualified.
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Does the CCET allow me to use any tests that are not available to those that do not hold the qualification?
The situation regarding access to tests is changing all the time. The major publishers now assign codes to each group of purchasers. Holders of the CCET will in most cases be awarded a higher code than those without the qualification so you will be able to access some new tests. We suggest you contact the test publishers directly to find out more; for example NFER-Nelson www.nfer-nelson.co.uk or Harcourt www.harcourt-uk.com.
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Will having this qualification allow me
to write reports for special exam considerations?
The CCET covers the core competencies required to do this however you need
to top up the qualification with the Access
Arrangements Course to gain the CPT3A. The CPT3A is recognised by
the JCQ.
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I have a disability and need some adaptation of the
materials. Can you help?
Please contact us with your requirements. We
will do what we can in order to make our materials accessible to you.
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Combined CCET and AAC
Will having this qualification
allow me to write reports for special exam considerations?
As of September 2007 the Joint Council for Qualifications no longer judges the suitability of a persons qualifications to write access arrangements reports. It has handed this responsibility to the heads of centres. However the head of centre is required to satisfy himself or herself that the person writing the reports is suitably qualified, skilled and experienced. It is therefore essential that heads of centres can assure themselves that a suitable qualification is held. This is not only one such qualification but it is obtained by one of the quickest and most efficient methods. It is still listed by the Joint Council for
Qualifications as suitable for the writing of access arrangement
reports for public examinations and is listed on its website www.jcgq.org.uk/access_arrangements/.
For ease of use their table of approved qualifications
is provided here: download
JCQ table in PDF format (68k)
>
Those that already hold the CCET (Level A) can also write examination access reports by undertaking
a short additional course in Access Arrangements.
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Does the CPT3A include the
CCET (Level A)?
Yes, all people who enrol on the CPT3A are automatically
enrolled in the CCET (level A) and complete this first.
CPT3A students receive certificates awarded by the BPS
in exactly the same way as those that complete the CCET
only. They also receive a certificate awarded by Real Training
that allows them to write exam access reports.
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Do I have to be a teacher to
enrol on the CPT3A?
You have to be approved by your head of centre and deemed competent to carry out the duties/assessments required. If you are not sure please contact
us. We also strongly advise that you should contact your examination board to make sure that as holder of this qualification they will accept your reports for the purpose of access arrangements. Our experience is that most will accept them from non-teachers as long as you have suitable experience and are working within the school as a teaching assistant or higher level teaching assistant under the guidance and supervision of a SENCO or equivalent. But it is best to check; we really do not want you to complete this course and find that it does not get you where you want to be!
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Who runs the CPT3A?
The CPT3A is run in partnership with Dyslexia Action, staff
of which have many years experience of running this type
of course.
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Does the CPT3A use the Campus
Online facility?
Yes. The CPT3A makes full use of the Campus Online which
means you are provided with the most up to date learning
methodology and almost limitless flexibility regarding
where and when you learn.
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