Cognassist is incredibly proud to offer The Neurodiversity Masterclass, a free endorsed learning programme in neurodiversity. A series of six seminars, this masterclass is designed to give educators the tools they need to support neurodiverse learners and drive positive change in their organisation. Cognassist is committed to unlocking learner potential, and the company is thrilled to be working alongside NCFE in this mission.

Cognassist CEO, Chris Quickfall, talks about the collaboration, “NCFE were on board from the very beginning. As companies, we have a lot of shared values, and bringing this masterclass to life felt like a passion project for both teams. There is more we can do support neurodiversity in education, and a national campaign like this is what drives awareness and changes the sector for the better. We had over 450 people pre-register, which shows the willingness to change is there and growing.”

NCFE and its Accreditation Manager, Michelle Storey, has been equally pleased with the results, “The team at NCFE were excited by the opportunity to work alongside Cognassist on the Neurodiversity Masterclass and combine our expertise to deliver what we believe to be an essential tool for the sector. At NCFE, we see firsthand the impact that inclusive and accessible learning can have on the lives of individuals and wider society. We were therefore delighted to be able to support the important work Cognassist is doing in empowering educators to raise participation and unlock learner potential.”

The Neurodiversity Masterclass has three industry expert instructors: Dr Louise Karwowski, Head of Science at Cognassist, Marina Gaze, former Deputy Director at Ofsted and educational consultant, and Karl Bentley, Senior Manager at RSM UK. Each instructor focuses on the different ways educators can support neurodiverse learners through reasonable adjustments, funding, a quality provision that follows the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, and more.

Dr Louise Karwowski explained her part in making the masterclass and what she hopes people will get out of it, “It was really important for me to talk about the barriers that many learners face in education and offer people practical tips on how to break down these barriers. We can help more learners to achieve through a personalised approach, we see this at Cognassist every day. If we are to help people and businesses recover, every little thing we do to help people retrain and upskill is vital.”

NCFE shares a commitment to raise awareness for neurodiversity and improve outcomes for learners at all levels of education. Janet King, Education and Childcare Sector Manager at NCFE talks about their approach to qualifications and how The Neurodiversity Masterclass felt like an obvious match with their core purpose to promote and advance learning, “At NCFE, we believe education has a vital role to play in enabling individuals to live happy and fulfilled lives – this is why we were so eager to work alongside Cognassist on this project. Through the masterclass educators can gain practical tips that they can adapt to meet the individual needs of their learners, and ultimately increase inclusivity and outcomes for all.”

The Neurodiversity Masterclass is available online for free. It aims to help universities, FE colleges, employer apprenticeship providers, and adult education providers to increase their provision for neurodiverse learners and build a more inclusive learning environment. It takes roughly six hours to complete, one hour per session, and must be fully completed to receive a Cognassist certificate.

Cognassist is the UK’s leading digital cognitive assessment EdTech platform, working with over 100 of the UK’s best education providers. Its cloud-based platform identifies neurodiversity in 30 minutes, provides personalised learner journeys to increase learner success, and delivers in-depth neurodiversity training, which enable providers to drive real change. Cognassist is on a mission to create a world where no learner is left behind. Cognassist.com