Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department will provide courses on leading SEND aimed at senior and middle leaders who are not SENCos.

The government is investing over £200 million in professional development on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and inclusion across schools, colleges and nurseries.

From autumn 2027, new fully funded SEND and inclusion training courses will be available for teachers and leaders. The leaders course will be aimed at a range of senior leader roles and will complement the existing national professional qualification (NPQ) for special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs), which remains the mandatory qualification for new SENCOs.

NPQs are also available to education leaders at all levels, from those with lead responsibility across a subject, year group or school to those leading multiple schools. The current suite of specialist and leadership NPQs includes content on SEND and inclusion. We are reviewing the wider suite of NPQs, with a focus on including further best practice on leading inclusive schools and teaching pupils with SEND.