Published date: 8 March 2022

This notice was replaced on 11 August 2022

This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:

Awarded contract (published 11 August 2022)

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Contract summary

Industry

  • Education and training services - 80000000

Location of contract

North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, South West

Value of contract

£10,000,000

Procurement reference

tender_289039/1050467

Published date

8 March 2022

Closing date

11 April 2022

Closing time

9am

Contract start date

1 July 2022

Contract end date

31 August 2024

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (above threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

The Department for Education intends to increase specialist expertise in SEND by increasing the number of Level 3 qualified SENCOs in group based settings and childminder settings, at a critical time for early years children, and in particular at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly reduced opportunities to identify and address SEND amongst children not yet of compulsory school age.

To further aid understanding of the SENCO role in these settings and what a qualification to enable an individual to perform this role should include, the department, with input from key EY sector stakeholders, put together two documents ("Early years level 3 SENCO qualification specification" and "Role description of the early years special educational needs coordinator") which are available on gov.uk.

The primary objective for this contract is to increase the number of Level 3 qualified SENCOs, available to children in group based settings and childminder settings, who have the knowledge and skills to properly fulfil the role of a SENCO described in the code of practice and in the role description.

The Supplier will deliver training of up to 5,000 SENCOs. Training will be available across England but with minimum % targets for each LA region. Training must take place between September 2022 and 31 August 2024. Training must result in an accredited Level 3 EY SENCO qualification.

More information

Previous notice about this procurement

Early Years: accredited Level 3 training for Special Educational Needs Coordinators

  • Future opportunity
  • Published 28 January 2022, last edited 28 January 2022

Links

Additional text

This open competition will be run via the DfE's e-procurement portal, Jaggaer. It is recommended that to avoid missing out, interested organisations register on this system as soon as possible. Links to the site and related guidance can be found via the following above.

About the buyer

Address

Cumberland Place
Nottingham
NG1 8DH
England

Email

craig.heatley@education.gov.uk