Explained: New £200m scheme ‘will offer SEND training to all teaching staff’
New £200m scheme ‘will offer SEND training to all teaching staff’ is examined in this 2026 education briefing, which sets out the central development, the practical context for schools and the questions leaders may need to consider.
What happened?
All teaching staff in England will be eligible for SEND training as part of a £200 million new development package, government has announced. As the sector awaits the government’s SEND white paper, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced new training courses on teaching pupils with special educational needs and disabilities will be made available “to all teaching staff”.
Key details from the report
- Announcing the news today, the government committed to investing £200 million in the scheme this Parliament – which runs until summer 2029 – to “upskill all staff in every school, college and nursery”.
- The government’s SEND code of practice will also be updated with a new expectation that all staff “in every nursery, school and college” should receive training on SEND and inclusion.
- Sector leaders have welcomed the move as “long overdue”, but describe it as “a huge undertaking” and say investment “must be sustained”.
- The DfE says it is working with a “wide range of experts” to develop the training, which comes as the government strives to increase inclusion in mainstream schools in a bid to tackle the SEND crisis.
Why this matters for schools
The issue is relevant to school leaders because policy announcements, funding decisions and regulatory changes rarely operate in isolation. Their effects can reach staffing, budgets, curriculum planning, pupil support and communication with families. Leaders should distinguish confirmed requirements from proposals, check the implementation timetable and identify which decisions need action now.
For classroom and SEND teams, the practical question is how the development affects access, inclusion and day-to-day provision. Schools may wish to review existing plans, clarify responsibilities and make sure staff receive information in a form they can use. Where national details remain incomplete, recording assumptions and revisiting them as guidance changes can reduce avoidable confusion.
Questions for leaders and governing boards
- What has been formally confirmed, and what remains under consultation or development?
- Which pupils, staff or services are most likely to be affected?
- Are there financial, workforce, safeguarding or SEND implications that require early planning?
- What evidence or updated guidance should be monitored next?
- How will the school communicate any resulting change clearly to staff and families?
