How to Become a SEND Tutor
Working as a tutor for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) requires a combination of academic qualifications, teaching experience, and specialised training. While a degree specifically in SEND is not always mandatory, having a strong educational background and a focus on inclusive education is highly beneficial.
Required For:
All
Roles
Most
Roles
Some
Roles
A Level 2 Safeguarding Certificate or equivalent is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of the young people under your care.
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required when working with vulnerable groups, including children with SEND.
You will need two professional references to verify your experience and reliability.
Personal Attributes: Successful SEND tutors are organised, patient, adaptable, engaging, calm, and positive in their approach.
Most positions require at least two years of teaching experience, especially with children or young people. Experience in a mainstream or SEND-specific setting is highly advantageous.
In some areas, QTS is required to ensure tutors possess formal pedagogical skills. It can be obtained through routes such as a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) or PGDE (Postgraduate Diploma in Education).
A bachelor's degree in education or a related field is typically preferred. This provides a solid foundation in teaching principles and child development.
SEND Qualifications Pathway
If you work as a tutor, specialist, or practitioner supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, gaining qualifications and training can significantly enhance your expertise and impact. Uncover the path to expanding your knowledge and maximising your potential in this field.
Please note that these are suggested pathways to support your ongoing professional development in SEND.
Qualifications and Training
Core Qualifications (Recommended for Most Roles)
- Level 3 or Level 4 Certificate in Supporting Learners with SEND: Provides foundational understanding of diverse needs and inclusive strategies.
- Level 3 Award in Supporting Children and Young People’s SEMH Needs: Focuses on recognising and responding to SEMH challenges in educational or support settings.
- Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools: A strong starting point for support staff and tutors working with SEND learners.
Advanced and Specialist Qualifications
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching Learners with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD): Ideal for those working with learners with dyslexia, dyspraxia, or ADHD.
- Postgraduate Certificate / Diploma / MA in SEND or Inclusive Education: Deepens specialist knowledge for those supporting diverse needs in formal or informal settings.
- National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO): Although primarily for school-based SENCOs, it’s beneficial for advanced practitioners and tutors working in partnership with schools.
- Level 5/7 Specialist Teacher Qualification in Dyslexia (BDA accredited): Enables tutors to assess and deliver structured, evidence-based support.
CPD and Courses Routes
Additional CPD and Awareness Courses
- PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) Awareness Training: Helps professionals tailor their approach to young people with this autism profile.
- Restorative Practice Training: Builds skills for conflict resolution and relationship repair in SEMH contexts.
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Awareness: Provides insight into how trauma shapes behaviour and learning.
Practical, Skill-Based Courses
- Team Teach (Positive Behaviour Management): Offers strategies for de-escalation and safe intervention.
- Makaton or British Sign Language (BSL): Supports communication for non-verbal or speech-delayed learners.
- Emotion Coaching Training: Helps children develop self-regulation through supportive adult interactions.
- Autism Education Trust (AET) Training – Level 1 to 3: Offers structured pathways for working with autistic learners across settings.
- Elklan Training – Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN): Especially useful for tutors working with language delays or communication challenges.
SEMH and Mental Health-Specific Training
- Trauma-Informed Practice Certification: Empowers practitioners to support learners affected by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
- Youth Mental Health First Aid: Equips professionals to recognise and respond to mental health crises in young people.
- Thrive Practitioner Training: Based on neuroscience and child development, this approach supports emotional regulation and wellbeing.
- Diploma in Child or Youth Counselling: Valuable for those providing 1:1 support and mentoring for SEMH learners.
- Attachment and Trauma Awareness Training: Builds understanding of how early relationships affect behaviour and learning.
CPD Accredited
Training Course
At Targeted Provision, we provide our exceptional tutors with opportunities to enhance their skills through our bespoke training programs. Click below to see an example of one of our current training programs.
