Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether staff who receive the Early Years Level 3 SENCo qualification as part of the SEND and Alternative Provision Plan will be expected to train colleagues on how to identity and take early action for children with special educational needs; and whether her Department has made an assessment of the suitability of Level 3 in achieving that objective.

The early years (EY) Level 3 SENCO qualification is designed to equip early years Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) to fulfil the role of EY SENCO as described in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice. At section 5.54, the code of practice requires EY SENCOs to ensure that all practitioners in their setting understand their responsibilities to children with SEND, the setting’s approach to identifying and meeting special educational needs, and to provide advice and support to colleagues.

The qualification offered by the training provider is accredited by an Ofqual-registered awarding organisation, NCFE. Part of achieving and maintaining accreditation is demonstrating delivery of NCFE’s qualification specification, which includes a range of modules designed to equip SENCOs to fulfil the role of EY SENCO as described in the SEND code of practice.