The SENCO role has long been synonymous with chronic time constraints and a large volume of administrative tasks. In a 2025 Tes survey, only 6% of SENCOs said they were able to complete their tasks during work hours, and poor work-life balance is a frequent reason cited by SENCOs leaving the profession. Earlier this year, we commissioned a Teacher Tapp poll of 2,196 schools. Although just a snapshot, it showed that 35% of surveyed schools now employ an Assistant SENCO. A further 12% are either planning to appoint an Assistant SENCO, or specifically thinking about upskilling a TA to take on the position. The additional capacity provided by Assistant SENCOs is proving important to both strengthen SEND provision and alleviate pressure on SENCOs. This will be even more vital in light of the proposed reforms set out in the Schools White Paper. TAs are being enabled to upskill and develop in the role through ESF Apprenticeship’s Assistant SENCO Programme. What does ‘hardwiring’ inclusion mean for SENCO workload? The white paper sets out a positive plan for inclusion to be ‘hardwired’ into mainstream settings. The long-term aim, of course, is to reduce the unnecessary bureaucratic burden on SENCOs and make specialist support easier to access. This is a welcome step forward. Many SENCOs we’ve spoken to welcome the reforms and the aspirations for inclusion, but in the immediate term, have concerns about the potential workload. Schools will have a legal duty to maintain Individual Support Plans in new, digital formats, inclusion bases will need to be created or re-evaluated to cope with increased demand, and changes communicated to parents. Larger numbers of children with more significant needs in the mainstream, could mean more SENCO time required to directly support pupils, coach teaching staff, and coordinate the “experts at hand” service. Of course, there will also be a new Code of Practice to get their heads around. On top of this, according to government projections, the volume of EHCPs is expected to keep rising (up to 7.7% of the pupil population) until 2029/30. This will mean a busy four to five years for SENCOs during the transition between the two systems. “Just an invaluable role” Debbie Nisbet is the SENCO at Highover JMI School and Nursery in Hitchin. Nearly a quarter of the pupils at the school are on the SEND register, and Debbie says the amount of work has grown “exponentially” since she first started as SENCO to the point of being “almost unmanageable by just one person”. Since Assistant SENCO, Jessica Hayes, started in-role last year, Debbie has been able to re-prioritise her own time to the benefit of the children. Having a trained Assistant SENCO means I can be more strategic. It really is just an invaluable role. With Jess to handle the operational side of things, I have a much more visible presence around the school. The pupils have more of my time and I can deliver support and training to teachers and TAs where it’s needed, going into classrooms to help them implement this in practice……it’s made a huge difference to the children. Jessica, who is currently undertaking ESF Apprenticeship’s Assistant SENCO Programme, splits her time between organising SEND administration and delivering one-to-one and small group support for pupils with SEND. She coordinates the liaison with outside agencies, manages EHCP reviews, books parent meetings, chases up forms and organises assessments. She has also used the apprenticeship as an opportunity to apply her learning to enable Highover school to establish its internal alternative provision, The Nest. This is available to Key Stage 1 children with specialist funding who benefit from this additional support in the afternoons. Jessica uses her knowledge of the children to collaborate with the class teacher who plans the provision. It is delivered under the supervision of SENCO, Debbie. Jess has drawn on what she’s been learning to help us set up The Nest [our internal alternative provision]. I still have oversight, but she delivers aspects of the curriculum and supports the children day-to-day. The apprenticeship has given her the confidence to take on this extra responsibility and do it well. Debbie explains that the aim is for The Nest to become “a valuable learning environment for children, working particularly on EHCP targets.” Improving interaction with parents Lorna McAllister, Assistant Headteacher at Swallow Dell Primary in Hertfordshire, says her Assistant SENCO, Kirsty Light, has also “added vital capacity to the SEND team.” She argues the role is an important bridge between parents, teachers, and the senior SEND team, helping to ensure information isn’t missed. Our Assistant SENCO, Kirsty, is fantastic. Her presence has meant we can increase the frequency and quality of interaction with parents to ensure continuity between home and school. Like Jessica, Kirsty also started her apprenticeship training late last year. Lorna is anticipating that the programme will enable Kirsty to gather feedback and lead some EHCP and ISP review meetings when teachers don’t have capacity to attend. This is something that she says will “definitely alleviate pressure” and “will be invaluable when we move to the new system as well.” Training that’s closely aligned to needs Launched in Spring last year, the Assistant SENCO Programme is designed to help TAs and other support staff step into the position, or to enhance skills of those already in-role. Course content is aligned with apprenticeship knowledge, skills and behaviours, meaning schools can use levy funding to pay for the training. Assistant Headteacher, Lorna McAllister, was struck by how well the apprenticeship curriculum content related to SEND team objectives. When we looked at the Assistant SENCO Programme it was so closely aligned to the needs that we are seeing in our school that it just made so much sense as a way to help Kirsty grow in her role. She notes how the training is “practical, structured and already enabling her to become more “solutions-focused.” “It’s a really well put-together course,” agrees Assistant SENCO Kirsty, “The workshops are well structured and the support from my tutor, who is a former SENCO, has been invaluable. The tasks have helped me to apply what I’ve learned to real-world scenarios where we have greatest areas of need.” From a SENCO perspective, Debbie says that the apprenticeship has allowed Jessica to make an impact a lot sooner than had she been providing informal training herself. It’s really high-quality training. I’ve watched some of the webinars with Jessica and I’ve learned a huge amount from them as well. Assistant SENCO Jessica also highlights the value of the deep dive SEND Masterclasses – live workshops delivered by SEND experts, that are also available to watch as recordings. It’s been an empowering experience so far, and one that’s helped me discover I still have a love of learning…I really value the SEND masterclasses – the one on Emotionally-Based School Avoidance was especially useful. Equipping the SEND team to respond to change To meet the aims of the reforms, SENCOs will likely need to devote more time to strategic activities, including making best use of pooled resources and funding. In order for this to happen, however, they must have the right support from the team around them. The Assistant SENCO Programme facilitates this by developing skills and knowledge in the following areas: Developing SEND data collection and analysis skills, to support the evaluation of the effectiveness of new interventions/projects, make strategic recommendations to SLT, inform SEND resource management and gather data to assist the SENCO with EHCP requests. Acting as a point of contact for families, including help navigating ISPs, leading some annual EHCP review meetings and supporting parental understanding of SEND processes. Leading school-wide audits of physical and communication barriers, to ensure inclusive access. Exploring SEND policy and record-keeping, applying knowledge of SEND policy to support documentation of progress and guide conversations with parents. Securely managing SEND records and updating provision maps/ISPs. Using the graduated approach, including tracking individual pupil progress, gathering evidence, reviewing outcomes and helping SENCOs to develop provision. Managing and coaching support staff – leading or assisting with TA timetabling and modelling of best practice and understanding the basics of coaching. Deepening knowledge of specific areas of SEND – and ensuring pupil voice is central to planning and provision. Communication with external agencies – to help coordinate expert support. Not just admin support Former SENCO, Chelsea Edwards, is Curriculum Lead for the programme and keen to point out that the apprenticeship is not just about learning how to handle paperwork. “The Assistant SENCO role differs in every school, but this apprenticeship is really flexible and designed to give TAs a toolkit of strategies so they can share not only the administrative workload, but also help contribute to forward-thinking improvements to SEND provision,” she says. “The training is an extension to the TA career pathway, building on the immense value that support staff bring to schools and encouraging them to think at a more whole-school level.” The Assistant SENCO Programme is open to experienced TAs, HLTAs and other support staff. Find out more about our May and June cohort here. Join our webinar: Tuesday June 2, 2026 3:30pm Hear directly from Curriculum Lead, Chelsea Edwards, as she explores the programme, explains additional benefits such as our dedicated Employer Hub and CPD/Careers Site, and answers your questions. Register now: here