his information is brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Early Years team, on behalf of the Department for Education, for the attention of all Early Years settings.
We have published new free CPD materials to help you support children and young people with SEND. This is just one of the next steps in our promise to create a SEND system that delivers the right support, early on, without a fight.
These materials form part of our new £200m training offer. They sit alongside the proposed National Inclusion Standards and the new Experts at Hand programme, helping teaching staff build the knowledge and confidence to identify and support children and young people with SEND and additional needs.
What you can do now: explore the materials, select those most relevant to your setting and use them to plan staff development during this academic year.
NEW: the first set of SEND CPD materials are here
Developed with Ambition Institute, the new SEND CPD materials are free, adaptable and available in separate versions for schools and post-16 settings.
The materials help staff understand the proposed SEND reforms and plan professional development for the rest of the year. The first set will cover:
- Guidance on how to use the materials
- Introduction to SEND reform and inclusive teaching
- Introduction to Areas of Development
- Speech, Language and Communication Development materials
- Facilitator guidance and supporting resources
Designed for in-house delivery by SENCOs, SEND support leads, inclusion leads, headteachers, and others responsible for workforce development, they can be used across mainstream schools and further education, with examples across phases and academic, technical, and vocational education. They can be adapted to reflect local context and your students’ needs.
Further materials will be available from January 2027 and April 2027.
Choose the right materials for your setting
Each material is published as a version for schools and a version for post-16 settings, with the option to tailor for your setting. The materials are quality assured and hosted on GOV.UK.
1. Supporting every child and young person to achieve and thrive
Practical guidance on the SEND reforms, the principles of inclusion, and how to build a strong universal offer.
2. The role of inclusive teaching
Use this resource to strengthen universal practice, such as feedback, scaffolding, positive relationships and consider when extra support may be needed.
3. Inclusive teaching and areas of development
Understand learners through the five areas of development proposed in the SEND consultation: executive function, motor and physical, sensory, social and emotional development, and speech, language and communication.
4. Introduction to speech, language and communication development
Explore how speech, language, and communication shape learners' progress and wellbeing, and practical teaching choices that support it. A follow-on sense-making session is also available.
SEND and inclusion training for mainstream schools - GOV.UK
SEND and inclusion training for post-16 settings - GOV.UK
These materials sit alongside the existing Universal SEND Services training programme, which offers a range of evolving CPD including new materials on supporting neurodiversity which will be available from 29 September.
Case study: A whole-school approach to inclusion
Chestnut Grove Academy has developed a whole-school inclusion model that connects SEND, behaviour, attendance, safeguarding, and mental health.
The approach combines a tiered framework with staff development, contributing to improved attendance, fewer behaviour incidents, and one permanent exclusion in recent years.
Breaking down silos: A whole-school approach to inclusion – Teaching
SEND reforms - what's changing?
We're continuing to develop proposals to reform the SEND system.
New factsheets bring together key information from the Every Child Achieving and Thriving schools white paper and Putting Children and Young People First consultation, and we'd encourage you to use them as a go-to resource, both for yourself and to share with parents who want to understand what's being proposed.
Every child achieving and thriving and SEND consultation supporting information - GOV.UK