Early Years: accredited Level 3 training for Special Educational Needs Coordinators

Tender description

This notice is associated with the EY Recovery Programme strand 5 Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) training: Invest in specialist SEND expertise by increasing the number of staff with an accredited Level 3 EY SENCO qualification, leading to better identification of SEND and better support for those children. An early engagement event took place on 10 November 2021. Further details can be found attached. Evidence suggests that the vast majority of group based providers and childminders have access to a designated SENCO. However, there is a need to scale up the provision of qualified SENCOs, especially in areas with higher levels of disadvantage. Increasing the number of trained SENCOs will contribute to better SEND identification and support, at a time when the Covid 19 pandemic has significantly reduced opportunities to identify, and address, SEND amongst children not yet of compulsory school age. We know that there are a number of organisations across England offering an accredited Level 3 EY SENCO qualification. We are seeking an opportunity to increase the number of training places available to group based staff and childminders. We will be seeking a supplier, or suppliers, to deliver training of up to 5,000 early years SENCOs, working in group based settings or as childminders, leading to an accredited Level 3 EY SENCO qualification. We want training to be nationally available, with targeting in certain areas to be determined by the DfE. The contract is expected to run from July 2022 for two years, with a total value of up to £10m. Additional information: This notice is for information only and is intended to be indicative. Therefore, all information presented here is subject to change. Accordingly, DfE will not be liable for any cost, expenditure, work or effort incurred by any party acting on the basis of this PIN. All future information will be issued to potential providers via the DfE eTendering Portal. Providers can access this system at: https://education.app.jaggaer.com/ for details of how to register and the terms of free registration.