The effectiveness of SEND provision hinges on staff expertise and confidence. As the government places more of an emphasis on inclusion within mainstream settings, the need to close the SEND skills gap is evident.
The changes that need to happen for schools to become more inclusive require a clear strategy delivered not just by SENCOs, but the wider school leadership team, supported by enhanced training for all.
Apprenticeships in SEND and Inclusion represent a strategic, government-funded solution applicable to teaching assistants, assistant SENCOs, teachers and emerging inclusion leaders.
The Department for Education is actively encouraging uptake, with ministers stating they are “keen to see much greater use of apprenticeships” to upskill teaching assistants, in particular.
Apprenticeships are a great way of cascading knowledge about SEND and inclusion throughout your setting
Why are apprenticeships a good SEND training solution?
Apart from offering a no-cost or low-cost training solution, apprenticeships are an attractive proposition for upskilling in a school environment.
Unlike traditional CPD, they focus on embedding knowledge over time, requiring learners to demonstrate skills by carrying out practical tasks that will directly benefit pupils with special educational needs. Higher level apprenticeships require learners to carry out SEND projects that align with school improvement plans and, at leadership level, develop whole-school action plans.
Learning cycles are cemented through feedback and goal setting by an in-school mentor and an apprenticeship tutor, and release time is not as much as you might think.
What kind of apprenticeships are on offer?
Up-skilling staff: The Level 5 Specialist TA Apprenticeship
The Level 5 Specialist TA apprenticeship has been a long-awaited career extension for teaching assistants. It proved so popular that more than 1,000 TAs signed up within six months of launch.
TAs on the programme can choose to specialise in SEND, curriculum or social and emotional wellbeing pathways. At ESF Apprenticeships we have taken the opportunity to extend this by also offering the following;
- A Language and Literacy strand focusing on Speech, Language and Communications Needs through our partnership with SLCN experts, Elklan
- ELSA training delivered by our in-house educational psychologists (if studying on the social and emotional wellbeing strand)
Find out more here.
Speech, Language & Communications Leadership Apprenticeship
This apprenticeship focuses on training an internal champion for SLCN who could be a teacher or TA. That member of staff will be the main point of contact with speech and language therapists and will gain a Higher Level Communications Practitioner (HLCP) Award.
It’s come about through an extension of our partnership with Elklan and focuses on;
- Understanding, identifying and implementing SLCN support, including data-driven decision-making, monitoring and evaluation of interventions, leading referrals and liaising with SALTs, parents and the team around the child
- Coaching and team management
- Aligning SLCN strategies with broader school improvement plans, including implementing a project to deliver meaningful change
Find out more here.
Whole-school strategies for inclusion: Advanced SEND Leader
Designed for experienced SENCOs or senior leaders, interested in developing their leadership skills beyond the NPQ SENCO standard, this apprenticeship covers;
- Whole-school inclusion strategy: Leaders evaluate and improve their SEND vision, systems, interventions and policies, ensuring that teams are working together to promote inclusion. This includes how to make the most of governing bodies and communicate effectively with parents.
- Data and innovation: Participants learn how to analyse data and work out the best allocation of financial and human resources. They also develop an understanding of national trends, changing government policy and innovative approaches to inclusion.
- Driving positive change and building leadership skills: Delegates benefit from 360 leadership coaching and implement an action plan to lead change in their setting.
Find out more here.
Alleviating SENCO workload: Assistant SENCO training
The Level 5 Assistant SENCO programme trains new-to-role or prospective assistant SENCOs, so they can take on some of the more operational aspects of the role. Cohorts start at regular times during the academic year.
Find out more here.
Accessing your Growth and Skills Levy
Most schools are eligible to draw from the Growth and Skills Levy, which is how apprenticeships are funded. Staggeringly, it is estimated that only 22% of £180 million paid into the levy by trusts and schools is actually used each year.
So how can you find out whether you are eligible to access the funds?
- Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs): If there are two or more schools in your MAT you are likely to be eligible for the levy. Funds will be managed centrally by your Trust and allocated across all of its schools for apprenticeship costs.
- Local Authority (LA) Schools: benefit from the collective contribution into the Local Authority’s large levy pot, known as a shared levy pot. Schools should be able to access this funding even if their school payroll is below the £3 million levy threshold. Local Authority schools can request funding from their council’s apprenticeship levy pot to support eligible apprenticeship training, by contacting the Local Authority’s Apprenticeship Team.
- Non-Levy Paying Schools: Even smaller schools benefit significantly. The government co-invests, covering up to 95% of the training costs. Furthermore, non-levy payers can receive a full cost transfer from a larger, levy-paying organisation.
We advise schools to speak to their bursar and apprenticeship provider as soon as possible; you have a 24-month cycle before funds refresh in your digital account.
The importance of alternative training routes
Apprenticeships are a great way of cascading knowledge about SEND and inclusion throughout your setting. They provide accessible, fully-funded CPD and ensure the continuous growth and retention of a highly skilled (not to mention more diverse) school workforce.
They can also be used to train new-to-role school leavers or career changers as SEND-focused TAs, providing children with a broad range of role models.
Many schools are still unaware of how they can use levy funds to enhance their SEND offering. “I would really encourage all schools to contact their local authority and find out how they can spend their levy money,” said Kathryn Thorp, SENCO at Melbourn Primary, “it’s a really important amount of money that you can spend on high-quality training – and if we do not spend it we don’t get it back.”
