Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Special Educational Needs Coordinators' access to training and professional development required to meet the expectations for participation in senior leadership teams.

The National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs), introduced in 2024, ensures SENCOs receive high-quality, evidence-based training. This includes equipping them with the skills and capability to work alongside leaders to deliver inclusive practice. In 2024/25 there were 9,725 funded starts. As set out in the SEND reform: Putting Children and Young People First consultation, we will revise the NPQ to reflect their role in the reformed system subject to the outcomes of that consultation.

On 16 January 2026, the government also announced a new training package, backed by £200 million of new funding, to ensure that all education staff and leaders can be trained to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) alongside SENCOs. This includes an initial package of materials to be published in September 2026, which will help school leaders explain SEND reform to staff. Further materials will help leaders with creating a strong universal provision including pedagogy, school environment and working with parents. Beyond this, delivery of flexible training courses to help teachers, leaders, teaching assistants and support staff to deliver inclusive education will begin in Autumn 2027.