How do we make sure inclusion CPD works?
6 October 2026
Something needs to change in how we talk about CPD.Maybe we all quietly know what's not working. Twilight sessions, one-off INSET days, department lead observations. The professional critique on the release of the DfE SEND training pack for SENCOs, which we looked at last week has been cemented here this week in an article in the TES.
"Many teachers will be disappointed that these training materials aren't giving them practical strategies that they can actually use to improve children's outcomes."
By John Roberts
Now that the tender documents for the £200million SEND CPD have been published, though restricted, we need to think what that needs to look like.
A bunch of recycled, AI enhanced powerpoints isn't going to cut it.
Evidence Based Education put it most bluntly. Professors Rob Coe and Stuart Kime argue that we don't need another programme, we need to change what we treat as normal. (When I read this paper, I put my neck out from nodding in agreement at every paragraph, and the whole doc is now covered in highlighter pen.)
"Professional learning currently falls short in four main ways. It is too often marginal, too often generic, too often disconnected from teachers' real work, and too often weakly evaluated."
By Professors Rob Coe and Stuart Kime
The cost of getting it wrong is not small. The Teacher Development Trust made the case for a national approach a year ago, because right now the money mostly isn't buying better teaching.
"...many hundreds of millions of pounds are wasted every year."
By Lydia Chantler-Hicks. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/calls-for-national-cpd-strategy-as-hundreds-of-millions-of-pounds-wasted/ (opens in a new tab)
And this is the line I keep coming back to, from Dr Haili Hughes, on what inclusion now asks of a whole school.
"Inclusion can no longer sit only with the SENCO, specialist teams, or occasional INSET."
By Dr Haili Hughes. https://hailihughes.substack.com/p/todays-white-paper-implications-for (opens in a new tab)
If inclusion is everyone's job, then every teacher deserves professional learning that actually builds the expertise to do it: protected, purposeful, and connected to the real work of the classroom. That's not a small ask, and it won't happen by accident.
The SLT CPD will be 30 hours over 3 terms, with teachers getting 20 hours over 2 terms.
I'm excited to be working on a bid to support this, and trying to see how it fits with the SEND reforms overall.
And we're going to need the help of local authorities to bring expertise, networks, and connection, especially through Experts at Hand.
SIgn up if you'd like to find out more about our consortium (opens in a new tab).
Cheers,
Jonny Holden