Training Courses

Spirals TrainingbestChildcare Expo London 2015 (781)

Our  training courses include the following: Baby Spirals –  this half day course is aimed at nurseries, child minders, children’s settings, advisors and parents.  Optimum number of participants is maximum 25.  The model that many authorities is using is a  course on a Friday for practitioners and a 2nd  course for child minders on a Saturday morning.  We are flexible and this helps to keep down our expenses and your costs. Cost: £300 for either a morning or an afternoon (excluding books and reasonable expenses).  There is a discounted rate if you book 2 courses in one day (£575) Upward Spirals (4 – 8 years).   This 3 ¾ hour long course is for professionals who want to cover the theory and knowledge related to effective practice when using the Spirals group work approach in their setting. The maximum number of participants is 25 with 20 being ideal.  Spirals Training is mapped onto the SLCF (Speech, Language and Communication Framework).  Cost: 3 ¾ hour course held at the host school’s/children centre’s venue: £375 (excluding books and reasonable expenses). The above courses are flexible and we can offer a 3 – 6 years combination of these. Maths and Science Spirals courses are available on request. Notes:

  • Currently we do not need to charge VAT.
  • Please note that organisers/schools/settings are expected to book their own venue and refreshments
  • Books for participants may be purchased from Amazon.
  • Note – representatives from several authorities have been contacting us to arrange certificated courses.  If you are interested in this please contact Marion via email via the website.

If any of the above don’t quite meet your needs please feel free to phone Marion to discuss options on 07970097452.

What we do on a training course (3¾ hour)

Marion explains the important developmental factors which underpin Spirals Language.  This includes the rationale for Spirals Language and why it is important to present it in a particular way in order that children will gain most benefit.  The PowerPoint presentation includes the research base, the psychology, and the difficulties that language can inherently present us with.  It includes a video of practitioners’ experiences using Spirals.  After coffee we take a practical look at the materials used in each session and, in groups, look at the way these games can be played most effectively in settings to promote children’s confidence and development of language and communication skills. The highest priority is to create a relaxed and comfortable learning environment with a blend of gentle movement and listening, as we know that this is how we learn best.  Practitioners can then model this when they are working with the children. Parents and carers needs are included in the scheme with a delightful accompanying work book giving simple and accessible ideas for language activities at home which link into the sessions in school and nursery.  We can use these as a resource to support parents and carers and empower them to help their children to become more effective communicators.

Training Day Cost, Terms and Conditions

An organisation, or a group of people, book a trainer for the event. The training will be tailored to the wishes of the participants and/or the organisation.  The purchasing organisation will be responsible for providing suitable facilities for the training, including an accessible power supply, extension cables, data projector and screen, (please advise if not available) and flipchart paper.  The organisation will also undertake the recruitment of participants, with a maximum of 25 participants.  Spirals Training will provide the trainer/trainers to facilitate the day.  The time frame is set by the organisation but usually training is for 3 – 4 hours per day depending on the course.  In case an organisation has only a small number of participants they may be able share the cost of the training by purchasing the training together with another organisation.

Certificates

Spirals Training certificates of attendance will be given to all participants at the end of the course.

Evaluation

All our learning programmes have an evaluation element included in order to measure the impact of the educational event. In case an organisation wishes to use their own evaluation form, or wishes to contract a more in-depth evaluation report, we are willing to support this.

Payment arrangement

Payment to be made in advance as above or on submission of a purchase order or letter from an authorising person, confirming that this payment will be made. Payment may be made via BACS or by cheque within 31 days of receipt of invoice

Cancellation Policy

If you need to cancel a training course please inform us as soon as possible.  Please read carefully our cancellation policy.

  • A course can be cancelled up to 10 working days prior to the course starting date
  • In case of a cancellation less than 10 working days but more than 5 days of the course starting date, then only 25% of the fee will be charged.
  • If cancellation is made less than 5 working days of the course starting date, the organisation is liable to pay the full amount.

Cancelled Courses

If Spirals Training needs to cancel a course we will give you as much notice as possible.  We will inform you at the latest two weeks before the course is due to start and will help you to re-book.  Only under exceptional circumstances will we cancel a course with less notice. In case of superior forces (in situations outside of our control, for example industrial action, weather conditions etc) we will only refund course fees if paid. If any of the above don’t quite meet your needs please feel free to phone Marion to discuss options.

Feedback from courses

‘Very much enjoyed this course – the speaker was excellent, usually courses are not that motivating but I cannot wait to receive my manual and start after the weekend’ CK Canterbury ‘Really interesting day. Tutor was really engaging. I will definitely be carrying these ideas back with me. Thank you very much’ CG Canterbury ‘Excellent delivery with lots of ideas and practical examples of how to take this forward to our individual settings’ CG Kent ‘Excellent! good! Friendly delivery’ DL Neath ‘I will find working with packs easier to make clear learning steps with families’NC from a London training session ‘New ideas how to make it fun to learn’ DW from a London training session ‘Marion is a really good trainer, easy to listen to and offers support as necessary’HH from a London training session ‘The way Spirals is broken down into small but manageable consistent steps involving key strategies will prove invaluable in supporting children with associated language needs’ WT from a London training session ‘Lots of ideas and refreshing enthusiasm’ FG from a London training session

Some of the people who have attended the courses over the past 7 years:

SENCOs, Teachers, Speech and Language Therapists, Head/deputy head teachers, Educational Psychologists, Speech therapy students, Specialist Nursery Nurses, Portage workers, Inclusion Facilitators, Teaching Assistants, Educational Consultant, Specialist Support Assistants, Foundation stage Special Needs Teacher, Speech and Language Therapist Technician, Nursery Teachers. and from: Ashford, Bridgend, Canterbury, Dover, Dorset, Reading, Cardiff, Hereford, Hillingdon, Margate, various London Boroughs, Plymouth, Tavistock, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Grantham, Oxford, Welwyn Garden City, China,  Ireland, Thailand, Nigeria-  – amongst others! Courses have been run at the request of local authorities and individual groups of nurseries and schools. Do feel free to contact Marion if you are thinking about training in development of strategies to support speech and language and communication.