The NASENCO Provider Partnership

From 2024 the National SENCO Award will no longer be run. The Leading Learning for Special Educational Needs and Disability Community Interest Company remain the voice and experience of post graduate providers of high quality SENCo development.


Why should you study for the National SENCo Award?

From September 2008 legislation stated that all state-funded mainstream schools in England, including Academies, free schools, university technical colleges and maintained nurseries were required to employ a qualified teacher in a Special Educational Co-ordinator (SENCO) role. 

Legislation in 2009 and the subsequent Children & Families Act (2014), went on to stipulate that every new SENCO in these settings would need to gain the NASENCO qualification within 3 years of taking up the post.



All NASENCO courses must be taught as a Masters’ level course. As such, when you achieve the NASENCO qualification, you will normally also gain a PostGraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Education.

A PGCert is equivalent to one third of a full Masters’ qualification. As such many successful NASENCO graduates use this course as a springboard from which to go on to complete their Masters. You can find out more about this opportunity from individual providers.

SENCOs who are graduates from Provider Partnership NASENCO courses tell us that in addition to their qualification, they gain knowledge, understanding, confidence and kudos, which all support them to progress the SENCO role in their setting. Many graduates also report that the connections and networks they make with fellow students are invaluable far beyond the completion of the course. 

The content within all courses which lead to the NASENCO qualification is guided by the NASENCO Learning Outcomes. These learning outcomes were published by the National College for Teaching and Leadership in 2014 and are available to download here; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-award-for-sen-co-ordination-learning-outcomes

As the NASENCO course is at a Postgraduate Level, the study is of a specialist nature with an emphasis on linking SENCO practice with theory and research. As such, NASENCO courses are not designed to teach you how to do the role of a SENCO nor how to complete specific tasks or paperwork. NASENCO courses which are quality assured by the Provider Partnership will provide you with the theoretical underpinning and understanding of evidence and research to enable you to be a reflective and effective SENCO  who can lead SEN provision in your setting, to provide the best outcomes for the children and young people you work with.

© Copyright Leading Learning for SEND Community Interest Company (LLSENDCiC)        Twitter: @PPNASENCO