The Special Educational Needs and Disability (Amendment) Regulations 2024

Made: 18th April 2024

Laid before Parliament: 22nd April 2024

Coming into force: 1st September 2024

The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 67(3)(a) and 135(2) and (3) of the Children and Families Act 2014[^f00001].

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and come into force on 1st September 2024.

• (2) They extend to England and Wales.

Amendment to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014

2

• (1) The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014[^f00002] are amended as follows.

• (2) In regulation 49 (prescribed qualifications and experience of SENCOs)—

• (a) in paragraph (4), for “qualification, mentioned in paragraph (5)” substitute “relevant SENCO Qualification”;

• (b) omit paragraphs (5) and (6);

• (c) at the end, insert—

(7) For the purposes of paragraph (4), the relevant SENCO Qualification is— (a) where a person commences a course leading to that qualification before 1st September 2024 and completes that course before 1st September 2027, the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination; (b) where a person commences a course leading to that qualification on or after 1st September 2024, the National Professional Qualification for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators. (8) For the purposes of paragraph (7)(a), the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination is a postgraduate qualification in special educational needs co-ordination awarded by a body designated by the Secretary of State by order made under section 216(1) of the Education Reform Act 1988[^f00003]. (9) For the purposes of paragraph (7)(b), The National Professional Qualification for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators is a qualification in special educational needs co-ordination awarded by the providers specified in Schedule A1.

• (3) Before Schedule 1, insert the Schedule A1 set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

SCHEDULE — Insertion of Schedule A1

Signed

David Johnston — Parliamentary Under Secretary of State — Department for Education — 18th April 2024

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations amend the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/1530) (“the 2014 Regulations”).

They amend regulation 49 to the 2014 Regulations to require that Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (“SENCOs”) complete the relevant SENCO qualification.

They provide for a new qualification for SENCOs, the National Professional Qualification for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators. The providers of the new qualification are set out in the Schedule. Those who have commenced a course leading to the existing qualification, the National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination, before 1st September 2024 will need to complete that course before 1st September 2027.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary sector or community bodies is foreseen.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2014 c. 6.

[^f00002]: S.I. 2014/1530; there are amending instruments, but they are not relevant.

[^f00003]: 1988 c. 40; section 216(1) was amended by section 54(5) of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 c. 29.

Editorial notes

[^key-9c0e96739a44ab6e9291fa13fe9ab911]: Reg. 2 in force at 1.9.2024, see reg. 1(1)

[^key-8d85096281bd457a2907d02bf2102a22]: Reg. 1 in force at 1.9.2024, see reg. 1(1)