Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that all teachers are well trained to teach children with SEND in the classroom, in the context of SEND training not being mandatory for mainstream teachers.

All teachers are teachers of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils can reach their potential and receive excellent support from their teachers. To support all teachers to meet these standards, the government are implementing a ‘golden thread’ of high-quality teacher training reforms which begins with initial teacher training and continues into early career teaching, through to the reformed suite of leadership and specialist National Professional Qualifications, ensures that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND.

The revised initial teacher training core content framework, which all new entrants to the profession benefit from, has been designed around how to support all pupils to succeed, including those pupils identified within the four areas of need, set out in the SEND Code of Practice. 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 early career framework (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.

Consideration of SEND underpins both the CCF and ECF which were both produced with the support of sector experts.

Once teachers qualify and are employed in schools, headteachers 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.

In February 2022, we announced more than £45 million of funding for continued targeted support for families and parents of children with SEND and SEND services. This includes funding that will directly support schools and colleges to work with pupils with SEND, for example through training on specific needs like autism.