DfE appoints Best Practice Network to train 9,500 SENCOs

The Department for Education (DfE) has appointed training provider Best Practice Network (BPN) to deliver accredited Early Years Special Educational Needs Coordinator (EY SENCO) training to settings across England from 2026.

According to DfE research, 84% of school-based nursery providers, 90% of group-based providers, and 23% of childminders now support at least one child with SEND.

The programme will train a minimum of 9,500 EY SENCOs, supporting the early years workforce to identify and meet the needs of children with SEND in line with the SEND Code of Practice: 0–25 years.

Training will result in an accredited Level 3 EY SENCO qualification, available to SENCOs working in group-based private, voluntary and independent (PVI) settings and childminders.

The contract builds on BPN’s delivery of thousands of DfE-funded EY SENCO places between 2022 and 2026, with BPN appointed as the sole provider for the third phase of the programme. The training leads to a Level 3 Early Years SENCO qualification.

Applications are now open for the first 2026 cohort. Training is open to practitioners currently working as an EY SENCO or those due to take up the role. Applicants based in group-based PVI settings must hold a full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification.

Sian Marsh, director of early years education at Best Practice Network, said: “What matters most in this work is impact: impact on practitioner confidence, on the quality of SEND practice, and most importantly on children’s outcomes. The evidence from our previous programmes demonstrates the transformational difference this training makes in early years settings.”

She added: “This new contract enables us to build on that impact at national scale, ensuring thousands more SENCOs especially in the most disadvantaged areas gain the knowledge and skills they need to identify needs early, collaborate effectively with families and professionals, and secure the best possible start in life for every child.”

The programme includes facilitated online training, mentoring, independent study, and collaborative professional learning, enabling participants to build a high-quality e-portfolio ahead of final assessment.

Best Practice Network said an independent evaluation of its previous EY SENCO programme found 90% of setting managers reported improvements in SEND outcomes following staff completion of the qualification.