Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory SEND training for all (a) teachers and (b) education staff.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all pupils can reach their potential and receive excellent support from their teachers. The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Consideration of SEND underpins both the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework and Early Career Framework (ECF) which were both produced with the support of sector experts.

ITT courses must be designed so that teacher trainees can demonstrate that they meet all of the Teachers' Standards at the appropriate level, including the requirement in Standard 5 that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils. All trainees who achieve Qualified Teacher Status must demonstrate that they can adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

The ECF has been designed around how to support all pupils to succeed and seeks to widen access for all. This includes those pupils identified within the four areas of need set out in the SEND code of practice, and children in need of help and protection as identified in the Children in Need Review. Head teachers use their professional judgement to identify any further training, including specific specialisms, for individual staff that is relevant to them, the school, and its pupils.

The Universal Services programme, which commenced this year with a budget of nearly £12 million, provides SEND specific training and support to the school workforce and the further education workforce, so they can identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND earlier and more effectively. It will also help to successfully prepare children and young people for adulthood, including employment. It is available for all teachers, leaders, and other staff at all stages of their careers, at the point of need, with a particular focus on mainstream settings.

All maintained mainstream schools and mainstream academy schools (including free schools) must have a qualified teacher, or the head teacher, designated as the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). SENCOs appointed after 1 September 2009, are required to achieve a National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) within three years of appointment.