National Professional Qualification for SENCOs

This programme follows the Department for Education’s National Professional Qualification (NPQ): SENCO framework.

On this programme, you will learn how to:

• Contribute to establishing and sustaining a positive and supportive culture across the school for all pupils.
• Support senior leaders to ensure staff and governors enact statutory guidance.
• Support teachers and support staff to understand the importance of expert teaching for all pupils and to implement a graduated approach in the classroom, subject or domain effectively.
• Support the delivery of effective provision for pupils with SEND and their families, and be able to review, monitor, evaluate and improve the impact of SEND provision.
• Work with staff, specialists and other agencies to assist the school in meeting the needs of all pupils.
• Implement an efficient SEND identification process across the school which ensures that barriers to learning are identified and addressed at the earliest opportunity.
• Work with and equip fellow leaders with the skills to establish and sustain effective curriculum planning that enable teachers to plan, adapt and teach effectively for all pupils.
• Support the development of a positive, safe and supportive environment for pupils across the whole school.
• Ensure all pupils feel motivated in school with a supportive setting to enable them to reach their aspirations and potential.

Note: programme content is subject to change.

Our NPQ for SENCOs is designed so you can engage in live, facilitated sessions alongside modules you can complete at any time.

Over 18 months, our NPQ for SENCOs includes: 

• Two full day conferences (6hrs each).
• Nine courses (each course lasts six weeks and loosely aligned to a school half term).
• Each course includes six modules.
• Seven two-hour clinics (facilitated sessions).
• One two-hour assessment clinic.
• Five communities (1hr 15mins group sessions). 

The content is delivered through blended learning. This includes a mix of real-time, interactive online sessions and self-guided modules you complete in your own time.

The programme includes facilitator-led sessions with your peer group that focus on decision making. The programme starts with a one-day live conference.

Note: programme content is subject to change.

Excel as a SENCO
Learn how to become a strategic leader of SEND. You’ll discover what good SEND provision looks like and work with other staff to support your school to meet the needs of all pupils, whilst working confidently within statutory guidance.

Establish a positive culture
You’ll lead on establishing and sustaining a positive, safe and supportive culture across your school for all pupils.

Develop a strategic SEND provision
Learn how to contribute to and implement a strong and robust SEND strategy and support the delivery of effective provision, working with other agencies and specialists for pupils with SEND, and their families.

Designed by SEND experts
Benefit from a programme which is designed and delivered by SEND specialists including current SENCOs and experts from across the sector.

Invest in your future
Ongoing professional development helps you to grow and thrive as a SENCO. You will follow an evidence-informed framework and gain a professional accreditation at the end of the programme.

Learn at your pace
This programme is designed to fit around your leadership role and much of the work can be completed in bite-size chunks around your existing work timetable. 

Connect with your peers
You will train alongside other SENCOs from similar school contexts. You can share your experiences and build a strong support network.

Develop your school’s SEND provision
Your SENCOs will learn strategies and solutions to implement a strong SEND provision across your school. This includes creating an effective school-wide culture and supporting the development of a positive, safe and supportive school environment where all pupils can thrive.

Access the latest SEND learning
Teachers and leaders will bring more evidence-based teaching and learning into your classrooms, meaning high quality teaching and improved outcomes for all pupils, including those with SEND.

Create a ‘golden thread’
The NPQs are all aligned. So, no matter what career stage your teachers are at, by joining this programme, they will benefit from an evidence-based framework. They will also share a common language with other NPQ participants that they can pass on to colleagues.

Identify future leaders
Competent and confident leaders who excel in their roles will be more likely to apply for senior positions in your school when they arise.

Retain your teaching talent
By allowing teachers to develop and nurture their talents in specialist areas such as SEND, you are investing in their future. This will boost their confidence, making them feel supported and less likely to apply for jobs elsewhere.

Tap into a network
Your teachers will train alongside peers from other schools with similar contexts, supported by facilitators that fully understand your school's needs.

Ambition Institute provides high-quality content and materials, built on our experience in schools and other learning environments, and our deep knowledge of evidence and practice.

Our partner in your region will put this knowledge into context and manage your experience on the programme, from facilitation to day-to-day support.

The timings and methods of activity, sizes of cohorts and the cost of the programme may vary across delivery partners.

The NPQ in SENCOs is designed for current or aspiring SENCOs, or school leaders such as senior leaders or headteachers.
The NPQ for SENCOs is mandatory for SENCOs. You will need to complete this qualification within the first three years in the role.
The NPQ for SENCOs is also open to leaders in specialist or alternative provision.

The NPQ for SENCOs is an 18-month programme, with a mixture of live, facilitated sessions and self-directed learning.

The NPQ for SENCOs is designed to fit around your schedule with a 'little and often' approach that aligns with insights from the science of learning.

To be eligible for the NPQ for SENCOs, you must be a serving teacher or leader in a school or eligible organisation in England.

To be eligible for the NPQ for SENCOs, you must be a serving teacher or leader in a school or eligible organisation in England.

The new NPQ for SENCOs is a mandatory qualification for new SENCOs. SENCOs will need to complete this qualification within the first three years in the role. If you have already obtained the NASENCO qualification you do not need to complete the NPQ for SENCOs.

The NPQ for SENCOs is not a Master’s qualification. Ambition Institute does not have an arrangement with any Higher Education Institutions (HEI) to guarantee that completing one of our NPQs will count towards Master’s credits. However, your HEI may agree to recognise your NPQ if you enquire with them. So, we recommend directly contacting your place of study to ask.

To become a SENCO, you will need a Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which would make you suitable for the NPQSENCO course. You will also need a Teacher Reference Number (TRN) when you apply. You can contact the DfE if you don't have one.

Our NPQ won't explicitly ask you for evidence of your QTS, but we strongly recommend you have one as it is mandatory for SENCOs in state schools to have a qualified teacher in role.

If you want to become a SENCO, you will need to have qualified teacher status (QTS).