Government announces £200m training programme to help teachers better support SEND children

The government has announced a £200 million national training programme aimed at improving how teachers support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The Department for Education says the investment responds directly to feedback from parents during its national conversation on SEND and represents a major step towards more inclusive education across early years settings, schools and colleges.

Under the plans, all teaching staff will have access to new SEND and inclusion training designed to build practical skills for supporting a wide range of needs, including speech and language difficulties and visual impairments. Teachers will also be trained to use assistive technologies such as speech-to-text tools and to promote understanding of additional needs among all pupils.

The training will be underpinned by a new expectation in the SEND Code of Practice, confirming that staff in every nursery, school and college should receive SEND training. Ministers say the programme aims to address long-standing concerns about teachers’ confidence in supporting pupils with SEND and ensure more children receive the right support in mainstream education.