£200m SEND training programme to upskill every teacher in England
2 mins read
Monday 19 January 2026
The government has announced a £200m special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) training programme will roll out to every nursery, school and college in the country. The programme will mean every teacher in England receives training to offer the right support to pupils with SEND.
New courses will help teachers learn how to adapt their teaching methods to different needs, including visual impairments and speech and language difficulties. Teachers will also learn how to use assistive technology like speech-to-text diction tools. An update to the SEND Code of Practice will make clear that teachers nationwide should access the training.
The government says it is launching the programme in response to parent feedback at its national conversation on SEND events. It recognises that for too long training on SEND has been inconsistent. One of Contact’s 3 SEND Asks, alongside investing in specialists like speech and language therapists, is that school staff are trained to better support pupils with SEND.
Contact CEO Anna Bird says:
“We welcome the investment in training for teachers. This is an essential part of making mainstream inclusive, and many parents have told us of the need for this.
“Alongside this, children need access to specialists such as educational psychologists and speech and language therapists. The training must not be a substitute for ensuring schools have access to those specialists.
“Parents tell us that social workers and health professionals also lack training in disability. Decision makers in councils would also benefit from training too.”
