Children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Southampton Itchen will benefit from the most ambitious and comprehensive teacher training programme on SEND ever delivered in England, backed by £200 million in new investment from the Labour Government.
The funding will ensure that every teacher, teaching assistant, and early years practitioner across Southampton Itchen receives high-quality training in SEND and inclusive education – a reform that parents, teachers and experts have been calling for for years.
Listening to local families
For Darren, this announcement is deeply personal.
As a SEN parent himself, Darren has seen first-hand both the dedication of teachers and the frustrations of families navigating a system that too often leaves children without the support they need.
Over recent months, Darren has hosted a series of SEND roundtables and meetings across Southampton Itchen, listening to parents, teachers, SENCOs, school leaders, and specialist professionals to discuss what needs to change.
At those meetings, one message came through clearly:
Teachers want to do the right thing, but they need better training, better support, and more consistent guidance.
Darren raised these concerns directly with Ministers as part of the Government’s national conversation on SEND, and through his work on the Education Select Committee – including its major report into SEND provision.
A long-overdue change
Under the previous Conservative government, training on SEND was patchy and inconsistent. Nearly half of teachers say that more training would improve their confidence in supporting pupils with additional needs.
This new programme will change that.
From next year, all staff in nurseries, schools and colleges will be expected – for the first time – to receive training in SEND and inclusion as part of a strengthened SEND Code of Practice.
The training will include:
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Practical strategies to support children with visual impairments, speech and language needs, and neurodiversity
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Better use of assistive technology such as speech-to-text tools
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Approaches to building inclusive classroom cultures where every child feels they belong
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Targeted professional development for teaching assistants
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A new free Early Years CPD programme focused on inclusive practice and child development
Crucially, the training will be flexible, combining online self-study with in-person learning so that it fits around teachers’ busy workloads.
Part of a bigger reform
This investment sits alongside Labour’s £3 billion commitment to create around 50,000 more specialist places in mainstream schools, ensuring children can get expert support without being excluded from their local school community.
Together, these reforms mark a major shift from crisis management to early support – helping children earlier, reducing conflict in the system, and rebuilding trust with families.
Darren Paffey MP said:
“As a SEN parent, I know how much this matters. Too many families in Southampton Itchen have had to fight for support that should have been there from day one.
“At my SEND roundtables, parents and teachers told me clearly: brilliant teachers need better training and stronger backing to support every child. I took that message straight to Ministers – and I’m delighted that parents’ voices have been heard.
“This £200 million investment is a game-changer. It means every child in every classroom will benefit from teachers who are better equipped, more confident, and more supported to meet their needs.
“Through my work on the Education Select Committee, including our SEND inquiry, I’ve seen how broken parts of the system have become. This is a crucial step towards fixing it.
“I’ll be working closely with local schools, colleges, and early years providers to support the rollout of this training and make sure it delivers real change for families in Southampton Itchen.”
What happens next?
The Government’s Schools White Paper will be published later this year, setting out the full programme of SEND reforms.
Darren will continue his local SEND engagement in Southampton Itchen, ensuring local parents, teachers, and professionals are involved in shaping how these reforms are implemented in practice.