Why we need specialist SEND Initial Teacher Training

Introducing Sonia Mathias

Sonia is the Module Lead for the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities module for the MA in Education at NITE. She currently teaches on the SEND pathway alongside teaching and mentoring trainees on NITE's Initial Teacher Training programme. With 25 years of experience in schools, Sonia has led on Inclusion within Senior Leadership Teams and more recently within the Local Authority SEN Department, managing Education Health and Care Plans as a Special Needs Officer and gaining a countywide perspective of SEND issues.

Why we need specialist SEND Initial Teacher Training - and why the NITE SEND PGCE arrives just in time

After 25 years of specialising in Special Educational Needs, I’ve watched the SEND landscape shift and not always in step with the training our workforce needs.

Right now, we’re in the middle of a perfect storm. Many more pupils are arriving with complex needs and the number of EHCPs continues to grow at an increasing rate. Meanwhile, some of our most dedicated staff are stuck in limbo. They're brilliant in the classroom, often leading vital learning without QTS, but the path to becoming qualified just doesn’t fit their lives.

The gap between need and training is growing - but change is coming

The launch of the SEND PGCE with NITE feels like more than just good news—it’s a breakthrough.

There’s talk that QTS could soon become mandatory across all special schools and academies. Whether this happens next year or five years from now, we can’t wait. Our dedicated staff need to be equipped with the professional recognition and training they deserve, therefore building lasting capacity in our schools and investing in the future of inclusive education.

What I really value about this PGCE is that it hasn’t been retrofitted for SEND—it’s been built with our sector. It’s practical and school-based, so no matter where your school is, you can grow the talent you already have. Learning happens in context, removing the barriers that make traditional ITT routes unobtainable. NITE’s SEND PGCE is school-based and flexible, supported by mentors who recognise individual strengths. High quality learning is online so the programme and study is designed to fit around real life. In England, trainees can even earn while they learn through the funded Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship route.

A way forward for schools

And this isn’t just about the individual. For schools trying to build lasting capacity, it’s certainly a step forward in the right direction. You get QTS-qualified staff who truly understand SEND and mainstream practice. Schools can then continue to grow their staff due to the built-in master’s credits, with the opportunity to continue study onto a full MA with NITE and an option to specialise in SEND. Ensuring that staff continue with the inclusive professional learning opportunities they deserve as they nurture and champion learners with diverse needs.

This is a way forward to keep great people, raise standards, and build long-term capacity. It’s not about putting a patch on things — it’s about making real, lasting change.

This is the teacher training SEND has been waiting for. And honestly? It’s about time.