Training
Sherborne Association UK have joined the International Sherborne Community to retrain in the new Sherborne Training courses. Our Internationally Qualified Course Leaders (IQCLs) are now ready to deliver the new style course.
News: Upcoming Courses
Details of upcoming courses are shown below. Click on the links for further information and for the registration forms (if applicable).
- SDM Training: Sessions 1 - 6
- Exeter, Devon
- 10th April 2025 (1&2); 11th April 2025 (3&4); 9th May 2025 (5&6)
- Course Flyer (click to view)
Sherborne Association Training
We are delighted to announce that the International Course Leaders (ICLs) in the UK were retrained alongside their International colleagues in Bristol in August 2022 to become Internationally Qualified Course Leaders (IQCLs).
This retraining event was designed to bring together all the experiences of the training that has been delivered across our community and future proof the training so that Veronica Sherborne’s intentions, understanding and ethos remain at its heart.
The new Internally Qualified Course Leaders in the UK are now ready to deliver the new training.
Structure of the New Courses
The motif of a tree was a starting point for creating the new course. The roots symbolise the variety of experiences participants bring to the training programme. The trunk symbolises the core knowledge, skills, understanding and experience all SDM practitioners should have. The branches symbolise how the knowledge base can be developed in specific and specialised settings, e.g., learning to become a course leader, research, special populations such as the elderly, people with dementia, autism, attachment, trauma etc.
12 three-hour sessions complete the initial training.
Sessions 1-6 are based on four aspects that are common to each session:
- learning through movement experience
- learning about the theory of SDM, including Laban’s principles of movement
- learning to observe accurately, make assessments and plan ahead
- developing the skills and knowledge required of a reflective practitioner
The intention in the first six sessions is to give course participants a strong foundation of personal movement experiences. Embedded in these experiences is guided reflection aimed at developing reflective practitioners. Throughout all the sessions there is awareness of both what is being taught and how it is being taught, so that the very particular nature of the SDM learning environment is emphasised.
In all practical contexts and in all discussions, awareness and understanding of sensitive physical contact, the appropriate use of touch, safe handling of the body and the exploration of personal space will be addressed.
Having completed session 6 and before returning for session 7 the participants are required to complete the minimum of 12 hours teaching in their own workplace, over a minimum of 12 weeks. Participants should be encouraged to do more.
Participants could leave the course at any point, but the formal exit points will be after session 4 and 6 where the participants are given a Certificate.
Session 7 will focus on the participants’ learning journey to date and provide an introduction to the next block of work. It therefore aims to reflect on practice, celebrate achievement and inspire further study. The time is divided between a practical workshop; structured group reflection and tutor input. Students will be required to bring their session plans and Learning Journals to this session.
Sessions 8-10 focus on the themes of Creating an SDM Learning Environment, Communication through Sensitive Touch and Movement Development through Lifespan. They are all structured under the headings;
- Theory
- Relevance to SDM
- Examples of practical experience
- Resources and further reading
Session 7-12 is organised nationally with encouragement to invite international course leaders and participants.
A final assessment is carried out in session 11 and 12. The assessment will include:
- Teaching and participation in a movement session
- An oral discussion
- A written paper
Transition from the Previous to the New Training Programme
Participants will be acknowledged for their previous training and experience in SDM when determining the entry point to the new training programme.
Participants who have completed Level 1 will be able enter at session 5; participants who have completed Level 2 in the previous SDM training system will be able to enter the new programme at Session 7 as long as the practical requirements of a minimum of 12 hours teaching over a minimum of 12 weeks have been met.
For those who have completed an Advanced Practitioner Course (APC) and want to become an Internationally Qualified Course Leader (IQCL) or to fulfil the requirement of an SDM Qualified Practitioner, they will need to be assessed at session 11 and 12.
The future of SDM is in the hand of course leaders who share fully Veronica Sherborne’s passion for and understanding of the value of movement experiences. In this new training programme, it is hoped you will find the material to make you a confident course leader, able to take this creative and unique approach to movement into many different working environments and to continue to benefit people in the future.
Internationally Qualified Course Leaders
Internationally Qualified Course Leaders (IQCLs) can run training sessions 1-12 in Sherborne Developmental Movement.
Biographies of the IQCLs are provided in IQCL Biographies (click link to access).
The map below indicates where UK IQCLs are based. Many of our IQCLs are prepared to travel beyond their ‘home county’. Please contact the association for a request for training.
Name | Area |
|---|---|
| Amy Fowler | Birmingham |
| Michaela Bullivant | Yorkshire |
| Jan Filer | Bristol |
| Liz Taplin | West Devon |
| Amanda Turner | Devon/Cornwall |
| Liz Marsden | Ayrshire |
| Veronica Burlinson (nee Shaw) | London |
| Lizzie Chappell | Yorkshire |
| Louisa White | Hampshire |
| Steve Cullingford-Agnew | East Midlands |