Some trainee teachers are missing out on crucial practical strategies for supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), Ofsted has warned.
The watchdog has found that while coverage of SEND in training programmes is generally strong, there are gaps in depth and mentor knowledge, meaning some trainees are not as well prepared as others.
The report, , is based on visits to 78 providers between spring and summer 2025, and it follows a pause in routine inspections last year.
It comes as mainstream schools are expected to be asked to educate more pupils with SEND as a result of the government’s future reforms.
Inspectors found that SEND is “comprehensive and well integrated” across the majority of ITE programmes.
Training is often woven through subject sessions, Ofsted said. This training is underpinned by Education Endowment Foundation research and supported by opportunities to work in specialist or mainstream settings with high proportions of pupils with SEND.
‘Generic rather than tailored’
A small number of trainees, however, lacked sufficient depth of understanding. Ofsted said this was often because SEND training was introduced late in the programme or delivered in a fragmented way, without enough opportunities to revisit key concepts.
The inspectorate said that, in some cases, checks on what trainees had learned were not robust enough, which limited their recall and confidence.
These issues sometimes left trainees unable to recognise pupils’ individual needs or make targeted adaptations, and Ofsted said this meant their lesson plans could be “generic rather than tailored”.
The inspections also found that while some mentors were well informed through training, conferences and weekly briefings, others relied on trainees to explain what they had been taught. In a few providers, mentors were expected to read training materials independently, but some said they did not have time to do so.
Limited practical opportunities
The gaps in SEND knowledge were particularly apparent in secondary schools, where the depth of subject-specific training differed, Ofsted said. Some areas, such as geography and science, provided clear examples of how to adapt teaching, while others relied on generic SEND training.
Inspectors also found that placement opportunities were uneven. In some providers, trainees were able to apply their learning in specialist settings. In others, the timing of training and placement activities did not align.
While Ofsted said the overall picture is positive, it warned that these gaps could have implications for pupils, especially as newly qualified teachers enter schools.
“A very small number of trainees do not have the same level of confidence in recognising the needs of their pupils or making adaptations to meet these needs,” the report said.
The findings come at a time when schools are facing rising demand for SEND support in mainstream and specialist settings. The government is expected to announce plans for SEND reform as part of a schools White Paper due to be published later this year.
Ministers have already indicated that a key focus will be ensuring mainstream schools are able to serve an increasing number of pupils with SEND.
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