Government gives £200m for SEND teacher training programme

More children and young people with SEND to thrive at their local nursery, school or college as the government unveils the most ambitious and comprehensive SEND training offer ever.

Acting on the feedback from parents shared through the national conversation on SEND, the government is making sure that children in every classroom will benefit from brilliant teachers trained in supporting a wide range of needs.

For too long, training on SEND has been inconsistent, with almost half of primary and secondary teachers saying that more training would help their confidence in supporting pupils with SEND.  That’s why government is reforming the SEND system giving parents the confidence that their child can achieve and thrive at their local school.

Backed by £200 million, new courses available to all teaching staff will deepen knowledge of how to adapt their teaching to meet a wide range of needs in the classroom, including visual impairments and speech and language needs.

Teachers will learn about the things we know can transform how children access education, such as using assistive technology like speech to text dictation tools and building awareness of additional needs amongst all pupils, so every child can go on to succeed.

Underpinning the training will be a new expectation set out in the SEND Code of Practice, confirming that all staff in every nursery, school and college should receive training on SEND and inclusion – making sure that every teacher nationwide is reached.  

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:  

“Every child, wherever they live and whatever their needs, should have the opportunity to go to a local school where they can achieve and thrive.

“That’s why we’re equipping staff across every stage of education with more training on SEND and inclusion than ever before – helping to deliver our vision of a truly inclusive education system.  

“This is a key part of our mission to reform the SEND system so that schools can take children from forgotten to included and give parents the confidence that the right support will be there at every stage of their child’s education.”

Today’s announcement builds on a landmark £3 billion investment to deliver around 50,000 more inclusive spaces in mainstream schools, by matching these spaces with expert staff – and reflects extensive engagement with parents and teachers and experts over the last year and as part of the government’s national conversation on SEND.  This is on top of the £740 million already invested to create over 10,000 specialist places.

The package will crucially enable children to feel safe and welcome in school – promoting good attendance, attainment and wellbeing. This marks a key step towards delivering on the government’s mission to make inclusive practice the norm across all schools.  

The investment forms a central pillar of the government’s SEND reform plans, covering children with SEND in their earliest years, through to age 25. The new training offer will help restore parents’ confidence that their children will be supported throughout every stage of their education.  

Delivered flexibly to slot into teachers’ busy schedules, the courses will promote practical skills about how to make education more inclusive, how to work effectively with parents, and how targeted support can ensure every student reaches their full potential.  

For experienced teachers and leaders this represents a marked shift. While existing training is wrapped around those new to the workforce and those stepping up into leadership roles, through initial and early teacher training or National Professional Qualifications, there is a clear gap in support for those in-post looking to build their skills further. 

The new training courses will help target this gap. Kicking off from next year, flexible online self-study sessions and live in-person lessons will be available, recognising the workforce’s already busy workload.  

Other key features of the training package include: 

• High-quality training materials, developed alongside experts, will be shared with every school and college to enable in-house training for all staff on SEND and inclusion.

• Investment in training for teaching assistants, developed in collaboration with the sector over the coming months – ensuring support staff feel equipped and confident to support all students with SEND. 

• A new Early Years CPD programme, providing free, accessible training focused on inclusive practice, child development, and practical strategies for supporting children with SEND – available to all early years practitioners. 

Elsie Blundell, the Member of Parliament for Heywood and Middleton North said:

“We all know the pressure that the SEND system in this country is under. We know that children are not being supported how they should be and that families feel they have nowhere to turn.

“Last year, I held a virtual roundtable with parents, guardians and families of children with SEND and the issue of teacher training, among other concerns, came up again and again. Parents want, and deserve, for their children to have tailored and high-quality support – whether they are within a specialist or mainstream school. This should not be an unrealistic expectation.

“After hearing from parents are the virtual roundtable I wrote to the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, to relay their concerns and I recently met with the Minister of State for School Standards at an event in Stalybridge to reiterate the needs of parents who, in so many cases, feel utterly hopeless.

“I am proud that today, this Labour Government has committed to deliver on:

• More children and young people to receive the right support early on, as government delivers more training on SEND and inclusion than ever before. 
• £200 million invested over the course of this Parliament to upskill staff in every school, college and nursery – ensuring a skilled workforce to support children with SEND for generations to come. 
• New expectation means every teacher nationwide receives training to support pupils, as government makes good on promise to deliver reforms families are crying out for

 ”Acting on the feedback from parents shared through the national conversation on SEND, the Government is making sure that children in every classroom will benefit from brilliant teachers trained in supporting a wide range of needs. 

“For too long, training on SEND has been inconsistent and piecemeal, with almost half of primary and secondary teachers saying that more training would help their confidence in supporting pupils with SEND.  That’s why government is reforming the SEND system giving parents the confidence that their child can achieve and thrive at their local school. 

“Backed by £200 million, new courses available to all teaching staff will deepen knowledge of how to adapt their teaching to meet a wide range of needs in the classroom, including visual impairments and speech and language needs. 

“Teachers will learn about the things we know can transform how children access education, such as using assistive technology like speech to text dictation tools and building awareness of additional needs amongst all pupils, so every child can go on to succeed.”

The Schools White Paper will be published early this year, setting out the government’s full plans to reform the SEND system.