SEND training

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.
  • 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 briefing - 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.

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

You can book a place through the HFL Hub.

• 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.

The Hertfordshire TA Training Directory is new for 2025. Enabling schools to identify and plan CPD priorities for Teaching Assistants, this online training directory provides an overview of training sessions, webinars, and e-learning resources available across Hertfordshire. Many of these are fully funded for Hertfordshire schools.

HFL provide regular training for TAs including the popular Inclusive Classrooms: The Essential Guide for TAs which schools often use to support TA induction. The Top Tips for TAs: A treasure trove of ideas for inclusive classrooms 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.

The Eastern Partnership UK (SEND), part of the HFL Education family, offer accredited Level 3 and 4 Level 3 and 4 Awards covering some of the broad areas of need and other conditions such as autism.

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.
• 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

• The SEND Specialist Advice and Support Service Cognition and Learning team offer training in specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. For more information and queries, visit SEND Specialist Advisory Teams training offer | Hertfordshire County Council

Communication and Autism

• The NHS Speech and Language Therapy Team offer training for schools on various aspects of speech and language development.
• The SEND Specialist Advice and Support Service - Speech, Language and Communication Team offer training to develop provision for children and young people with speech, language, communication needs and autism and ADHD. For information, bookings and queries, visit SEND Specialist Advisory Teams training offer | Hertfordshire County Council
• Open University free ADHD and ASD courses through OpenLearn
• Hertfordshire Autism Training – available to those employed in Hertfordshire mainstream or special schools, or any Hertfordshire Early Years setting. To register your interest, please email:autismtraining@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
• The free Autism e-learning module for professionals has strategies for adapting classrooms and learning for autistic pupils – to access this, complete the Autism e-learning form
• Hertfordshire based organisations such as ADD-vance or SPACE offer training for schools, but also offer a variety of free webinars on different topics related to ADHD and Autism. You can find information about these on the Local Offer.
• The Eastern Partnership offers a wide range of accredited training at Level 3 and 4 to support practitioners working with children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs and autism.

Physical and sensory

• These SEND Specialist Advice and Support Service teams all work with schools to provide training and support children and young people with physical and sensory needs:
  • Deaf and Hearing Support Service offer training to schools to support deaf children. For information and queries, visit SEND Specialist Advisory Teams training offer | Hertfordshire County Council
  • Vision Impairment team offer training in Early Years, resource modification, advanced drawing using MS Office, and supporting children and young people with vision impairment in PE. For information and queries, visit SEND Specialist Advisory Teams training offer | Hertfordshire County Council
  • Physical and Neurological Impairment Team offer training to schools on how to support children with physical or neurological impairment.
• The Occupational Therapy service also offers training to schools on the safe moving and handling of children with disabilities.
• Training from the Sensory Processing Services is provided by the Sensory Processing Team.

Social and emotional

• Relational Practice: A Hertfordshire approach (previously ‘Therapeutic Thinking’ or STEPS) is about supporting positive behaviour management in schools and settings.
• HFL Education Wellbeing Advisers can support you to review your behaviour systems and make recommendations for improved practice. Contact wellbeing@hfleducation.org for info.
• Training from Hertfordshire Virtual School on FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder). Contact virtualschool@hertfordshire.gov.uk for more information.
• Mental Health Lead Training – contact schoolsmh@hertfordshire.gov.uk for more information.