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SEND training

Last updated on 04 August 2026
hfl educationby HFL Education

We have written this page with input from the SENCOs who are part of our Online Feedback Group.

How do I keep up to date?

Let the information come to you!

  • Make sure you’ve subscribed to these mailing lists:
    • The weekly School Bulletin to keep you informed of changes happening to SEND services in Hertfordshire.
    • HFL Education’s termly SEND newsletter
    • Your local DSPL mailing list to keep you informed of local training opportunities and specific events going on in your area.
    • Sign up to SEND News keeping you up to date with Hertfordshire’s SEND information.
  • Sign up to receive regular blogs related to SEND such as those from HFL Education to provide you with short topical reads that can also be shared with staff as part of ongoing CPD.
  • Attending a termly SEND Briefings - will ensure you keep up to date, are aware of national and local news and developments and have an opportunity to consider implications for your own school or setting. These carefully curated conversations are designed to highlight key issues and provide practical support to both experienced and new to role SENCOs and support you to fulfil your leadership and management responsibilities.

    Please note these briefings are delivered in your DSPL area too and are fully funded (free) for Hertfordshire maintained schools and academies as part of the HCC core contract – look out for information on how to book a place from your DSPL manager.

  • Download a copy of Hertfordshire’s SEND Toolkit – updated every September – an essential resource for Hertfordshire SENCOs providing information, guidance, tools and resources.

  • Visit the Early Years Service newsletter where the Early Years SEND team publish weekly comms to Early Years settings. 

Are you a new SENCO?

"I think new SENCOs need an overview of their role and what it is and what it is not. It is very overwhelming as it is the only role like this in the whole school."

Training is available specifically for new Hertfordshire SENCOs, to help them understand their role and feel confident about the responsibilities:

  • The Hertfordshire SENCO induction programme – this fully funded programme is delivered by HFL Education in partnership with Hertfordshire’s SEND Academy and DSPL areas.

Running twice a year and offering three pathways, this course will support SENCOs who are:

  • New to role and at the start of their journey
  • New to Hertfordshire and bringing previous experience
  • New to a DSPL area with previous experience and knowledge of Hertfordshire

Autumn 2026: Hertfordshire SENCO induction programme | starting 6 October 2026
Spring 2027: Hertfordshire SENCO induction programme | starting 20 January 2027

  • The NPQ for SENCOs is the mandatory qualification for all new-to-role SENCOs and must be achieved within three years of first appointment. You can complete this with the Foundation for Education Leadership and HFL Education as the local delivery partner.

(NB the NPQ for SENCOs replaced the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) in September 2024)

Find out more about the NPQ for SENCOs

  • The Eastern Partnership UK (SEND), part of the HFL Education family, offer the Level 3 Certificate for SENCOs in Early Years. This nationally recognised qualification is suitable for SENCOs in all types of PVI settings as well as those who have childminding responsibilities.

SEND training for Teaching Assistants

Teaching Assistants play a key role in supporting the inclusion of children and young people with SEND in mainstream schools.

HFL provide regular training for TAs including the popular Top Tips for TAs: A treasure trove of ideas for inclusive classrooms. This resource gives access to short video clips, each focusing on a top tip to support high-quality inclusive classroom practice. These can be used as part of in-school CPD sessions throughout the year and align with Hertfordshire’s Ordinarily Available Provision guidance.

HFL Education offer the Level 3 Award in Supporting Children and Young People with Autism. This professional, accredited learning programme is designed to support all staff working with children and young people to build the professional knowledge and confidence to embed inclusive practice.

The Level 3 Certificate for SENCOs in Early Years (PVI Sector) is designed for PVI staff who are already a SENCO or aspiring to be one. Also suitable for early years practitioners in school-based pre-schools or nurseries who may support the school’s named SENCO.

Teaching Assistants can also access training via the SEND Academy website.

Further SEND training

Once you’ve been in the role for a while, you might want to broaden your knowledge in some areas and network with other SENCOs to share good practice.

  • Hertfordshire’s SEND Academy hosts high quality multi-agency learning and development for individuals, services and organisations within the Hertfordshire SEND workforce including training for schools related to statutory processes, and early years focused training.
  • HFL Hub offers a range of SEND related traded training and events including an annual SEND conference, training for school leaders, SENCOs, teachers, Early Years practitioners, teaching assistants and governors. Whole school training is also available and can be delivered during INSET days or twilight sessions.
  • The Inclusive classroom series, designed to support staff in adapting teaching effectively for learners with SEND, can be found on the HFL Hub.
    These fully and part-funded eLearning training resources aim to build staff confidence and understanding in using evidence-based strategies to support inclusive teaching. Each resource explores and models a range of approaches recommended in Hertfordshire’s Ordinarily Available Provision guidance, showing how they can be embedded into everyday lessons.
  • Some special schools in Hertfordshire offer an Outreach Service that ensures the needs of children and young people with SEND are met as locally as possible.
  • VSEND – is an online tool used by schools in Hertfordshire for supporting inclusion through solution-focused and person-centred tools. It helps to strengthen provision for children and young people with SEND, building an understanding of their needs, and enabling better engagement with families.
  • The Eastern Partnership UK (SEND), part of the HFL Education family, offer accredited Level 3 and 4 specialist qualifications for Early Years (CERTSEY) and Level 3 and 4 Awards covering some of the broad areas of need and other conditions such as autism.
  • Whole School SEND offer webinars on a variety of SEND topics.
  • IPSEA offer training in SEND law for schools (there is a cost for this training)

Other SEND training in specific areas of need

Cognition

Communication and Autism

Physical and sensory

Social and emotional

Last updated on 04 August 2026