Some trainee teachers are completing their initial teacher training with gaps in their knowledge of how to support SEND pupils in the classroom, according to Ofsted.
The schools watchdog said that while coverage of SEND in training programmes was generally strong, some trainees were missing out on learning practical strategies resulting in being ill-prepared.
The report was based on visits to 78 providers between spring and summer 2025, and follows a pause in routine inspections last year.
Bridget Philipson, the education secretary, wants mainstream schools to educate more children with special needs, as part of future education reforms.
Inspectors found that SEND is “comprehensive and well integrated” across the majority of ITE programmes, and that it is often woven through subjects.
‘Generic rather than tailored’ lesson plans
However, s small number of trainees lacked sufficient depth of understanding of special needs, either because it was introduced late in the programme or delivered in a fragmented way, without enough opportunities to revisit key concepts.
In some cases, the report found, checks on what trainees had learned were not robust enough, which limited their recall and confidence.
This meant that trainees were often unable to recognise pupils’ individual needs or adapt their teaching in a targeted way, resulting in lesson plans being “generic rather than tailored”.
Lack of practical opportunities
The gaps in SEND knowledge were worst in secondary schools, where the depth of subject-specific training differed, Ofsted said. Some areas, such as geography and science, offered clear examples of how to adapt teaching, while others relied on generic SEND training.
Inspectors also found that opportunities to learn on placements weren’t equal across providers. In some, trainees were able to apply their learning in specialist settings, but the timing and placement did not align in some instances.
While Ofsted said the overall picture is positive, it warned that these gaps could have implications for pupils, especially as newly qualified teachers enter schools.
“A very small number of trainees do not have the same level of confidence in recognising the needs of their pupils or making adaptations to meet these needs,” the report said.
