Why train with Ambition?
Choose our NPQ for SENCOs and you’ll be joining over 35,000 teachers and school leaders (as of May 2025), who have decided on an Ambition NPQ since they launched in 2021.
Evidence informed curriculum
Our carefully sequenced and evidence informed NPQ is designed around the key problems you face. You'll learn to implement tailored SEND strategies related to your school’s context.
Access the latest SEND research
This includes core school leadership domains like teaching, behaviour and culture, alongside specialist SEND knowledge on topics like identifying need, running effective intervention and working within the law.
Train to your timetable
Our ‘little and often’ approach means you can engage with our NPQs around your busy timetable, with minimal time needed out of school.
No large project
Plus, on our NPQs there’s no large project at the end. Instead, you’ll sit an ‘open book’ assessment with support via two on-demand webinars and a dedicated, live assessment preparation clinic to help you get the most from your NPQ
Join our charitable mission
We support teachers and school leaders at every stage of their careers, helping them to keep getting better. We are a charity providing training and professional development based on the most rigorous research and evidence about what really works.
Benefits for you
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.
Benefits for your school
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.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the NPQ for SENCOs programme for?
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 also open to leaders in specialist or alternative provision.
How long does the NPQ for SENCOs programme last?
The NPQ for SENCOs is an 18-month programme, with a mixture of live, facilitated sessions and self-directed learning.
How does the NPQ for SENCOs programme accommodate busy schedules?
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.
Is the NPQ for SENCOs programme fully funded?
The NPQ for SENCOs is DfE-funded for teachers and school leaders, at eligible schools and organisations in England. Find out more about the eligibility criteria in the 'Funding' tab.
Are there any specific requirements to enrol on the NPQ for SENCOs programme?
To be eligible for the NPQ for SENCOs, you must be a serving teacher or leader in a school or eligible organisation in England.
What is the new SENCO qualification?
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.
Is a SENCO qualification a Master's?
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.
What qualifications do you need to become a SENCO?
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.
Can a TA become a SENCO?
If you want to become a SENCO, you will need to have qualified teacher status (QTS).