Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe The government plans to create a new national framework worth up to £800 million to offer teachers continuing professional development (CPD) on SEND inclusion. The four-year framework, which could be extended by two further years, would be used to design and deliver CPD to staff across early years, schools and further education. In January, the Department for Education committed £200 million to provide SEND training to all teaching staff in every college, school and nursery, as part of major SEND reforms that aim to increase inclusion in mainstream settings. The sector broadly welcomed the investment but some warned of a focus on “short-term pots of cash” and the lack of a long-term training plan. Framework will help deliver SEND training The planned framework would be used to deliver a significant proportion of the already-confirmed £200 million training package – though some elements have already been procured separately. It could be live for up to six years and would have a “maximum potential lifetime value” of up to £800 million, meaning it could be used to deliver SEND workforce development longer-term. The framework would “support the government’s investment in SEND workforce development and provide a flexible route to market for both immediate and future SEND CPD requirements”. However, the DfE stressed any investment beyond the confirmed £200 million remains subject to future Treasury spending review decisions. “This [£800m] figure represents the maximum potential value of the procurement and does not constitute a commitment to spend,” the department said in an official notice. Staff must ‘engage meaningfully’ Alison Peacock, chief executive of the Chartered College of Teaching, welcomed the “significant, and potentially long-term, investment in professional development around SEND”. Alison Peacock But to achieve its full impact, “individuals and schools [and colleges] will need to create capacity and time to engage meaningfully with the programmes”, she added. “This will be happening alongside changes to curriculum, assessment and accountability measures, as well as a relatively new inspection framework, all of which make demands of school [and college] staff.” Peacock warned that SEND students also need specialist support from a range of other professionals, many of whom are “stretched too thinly” to provide adequate help to parents, learners and providers. SEND training should be in-person – Kebede NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede also welcomed the investment, but said the union “is not convinced the funding is sufficient to deliver the quality of training required”. He also called for all training to be in-person. Daniel Kebede “For too long SEND training has been provided through online courses – what is required is in person training with coaching and accreditation.” He added that the government “must” develop professional qualifications for teaching assistants who support SEND students. ‘SEND reforms cannot be done on the cheap’ Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the leaders’ union ASCL, said access to training and professional development “is essential if the SEND reforms are to be a success” and called for continued investment. “The changes education staff are being tasked with implementing are hugely significant. Ongoing training is vital in ensuring these new expectations can be met and that children can get the support they require. “Future spending reviews therefore must lay the groundwork for this system of training and professional development being embedded across the education system, as this is not something that can be done on the cheap.” Contracts from March The tender process is expected to launch in September, with a view to awarding contracts by March 2027. Services commissioned may include design and development of national SEND CPD programmes, as well as learning resources and materials. They may also include training delivery, quality assurance, and digital learning. Multiple suppliers are expected to be involved in delivering the SEND CPD programme. The DfE has confirmed the timeline for its £200 million training package remains the same. Free downloadable training materials designed by teacher training provider Ambition Institute are to be released from September. New fully funded “inclusive education” training courses for teachers, leaders, teaching assistants, and FE support staff will be on offer by autumn next year.