- More children and young people in Portsmouth to receive the right support early on, as Labour delivers more training on SEND and inclusion than ever before.
- £200 million invested over the course of this Parliament to upskill staff in every school, college and nursery in England – building a skilled workforce for generations to come.
- Local MP backs every teacher in Portsmouth to receive training to support pupils, as Labour makes good on promise to deliver reforms families are crying out for
Portsmouth’s children and young people with SEND to thrive at their local nursery, school or college as Labour unveils the most ambitious and comprehensive SEND training offer ever seen by the English schools system.
Acting on the feedback shared through the national conversation on SEND, including a series of roundtables with both parents and teachers hosted by Stephen Morgan MP, Labour is making sure that children in every classroom across Portsmouth will benefit from brilliant teachers trained in supporting a wide range of needs.
Under the Conservatives, training on SEND was inconsistent. As a result, almost half of primary and secondary teachers say that more training would help their confidence in supporting pupils with SEND. That’s why Labour is reforming the SEND system and giving parents the confidence that their child can achieve and thrive at their local school.
Backed by £200 million, new courses available to all teaching staff will deepen knowledge of how to adapt their teaching to meet a wide range of needs in Portsmouth’s classrooms, including visual impairments and speech and language needs.
Teachers will learn about the things we know can transform how children access education, such as using assistive technology like speech to text dictation tools and building awareness of additional needs amongst all pupils, so every child can go on to succeed.
Underpinning the training will be a new expectation set out in the SEND Code of Practice, confirming that all staff in every nursery, school and college should receive training on SEND and inclusion – making sure that every teacher in Portsmouth and across the country is reached.
Commenting, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said:
“I strongly believe that every child, wherever they live and whatever their needs, should be provided with the opportunity to go to a local school that will allow them to achieve and thrive.
“Across my many discussions with both parents and teachers in recent months, I have heard a clear consensus that our SEND system is broken.
“This Government is taking action to ensure that our SEND system is one that actually works for children and their parents, equipping staff from all educational stages with more SEND and inclusion training.
“By creating specialist places and upskilling teachers, Labour is making sure need is identified earlier, help comes more quickly and parents don’t have to fight tooth and nail for the support they deserve.
The announcement builds on Labour’s landmark £3 billion investment to deliver around 50,000 more inclusive spaces in mainstream schools, by matching these spaces with expert staff – and reflects extensive engagement with parents and teachers and experts over the last year and as part of the government’s national conversation on SEND. This is on top of the £740 million already invested to create over 10,000 specialist places.
The package will crucially enable children to feel safe and welcome in school – promoting good attendance, attainment and wellbeing. This marks a key step towards delivering on Labour’s mission to make inclusive practice the norm across all schools.
The investment forms a central pillar of Labour’s plans for SEND reform, supporting those educating children from their earliest years, through to age 25. The new training offer will help restore parents’ confidence that their children will be supported throughout every stage of their education.
Delivered flexibly to slot into teachers’ busy schedules, the courses will promote practical skills about how to make education more inclusive, how to work effectively with parents, and how targeted support can ensure can achieve and thrive.
For Portsmouth’s experienced teachers and leaders this represents a marked shift. While existing training is wrapped around those new to the workforce and those stepping up into leadership roles, through initial and early teacher training or National Professional Qualifications, there is a clear gap in support for those in-post looking to build their skills further.
The new training courses will help target this gap. Kicking off from next year, flexible online self study sessions and live in-person lessons will be available to suit the needs of the busy workforce.
Other key features of the training package include:
- High-quality training materials, developed alongside experts, will be shared with every school and college to enable in-house training for all staff on SEND and inclusion.
- Investment in training for teaching assistants, developed in collaboration with the sector – ensuring support staff feel equipped and confident to support all students with SEND.
- A new Early Years CPD programme, providing free, accessible training focused on inclusive practice, child development, and practical strategies for supporting children with SEND – available to all early years practitioners.
The Schools White Paper will be published early this year, setting out Labour’s full plans to reform the SEND system. Mr Morgan is inviting views on what change should look like. Parents and school staff can have their say by filling in an online survey at:
