SEN Allowances Criteria

SEN 1 Allowance Criteria 

A teacher in the following schools/settings will be awarded SEN 1 allowance: 

• A teacher in a special school, including dual/dual+ campuses
• A teacher in a specialist provision in a mainstream school/setting
• A teacher in an EA EOTAS setting (including EA EOTAS partnership settings and exceptional teaching arrangements) 

SEN 2 Allowance Criteria 

To be considered for SEN 2 allowance, a teacher in a special school, specialist provision in a mainstream school/setting or EA EOTAS Centre (including EA EOTAS partnership settings and exceptional teaching arrangements) must meet the criteria for SEN 1 and in addition satisfy the following: 

Experience:

a) Have at least 1 years’ experience as a teacher undertaking work with SEN Pupils relevant to the school/setting in which the teacher is working 

OR 

Qualification: 

b) An appropriate, additional accredited qualification that enhances the value of the teacher’s work with SEN pupils, relevant to the school/setting in which the teacher is working: 
 

• Hold an additional recognised post-graduate qualification (RFQ Level 7 or equivalent) which is directly relevant to teaching pupils within the school/setting in which the teacher is working
• Hold an accredited ‘trainer’ qualification, for example in Makaton (regional tutor), Manual Handling or De-escalation and Restraint
• Hold and deploy an additional SEND qualification e.g. mental health, counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) directly relevant to the school/setting

SEN 1 Allowance Criteria 

A teacher in the following settings/services will be awarded SEN 1 allowance: 

• EA Sensory Service
• Specialist Provisions Service

AND 

A teacher in the following EA SEND Specialist Areas: 

• Cognition and Learning
• Social, Behavioural, Emotional and Well Being
• Speech, Language and Communication
• Medical/Physical Needs
• Autism

SEN 2 Allowance Criteria 

To be considered for SEN 2 allowance, a teacher must meet the criteria for SEN 1 and in addition satisfy the following: 

Experience: 

a) Have at least 3 years’ experience as a teacher undertaking work with SEN Pupils relevant to the school/setting in which the teacher is working

OR 

 Qualification:

b) An appropriate, additional accredited qualification that enhances the value of the teacher’s work with SEN pupils, relevant to the school/setting/service/specialist area in which the teacher is working: 

• Sensory Service – hold one of the following qualifications:
  • Mandatory Qualification (MQ) for Teaching Deaf Children and Young People
  • MQ for Teaching Children and Young People with Vision Impairment
  • MQ for Teaching Children and Young People with Multi-Sensory Impairment
• Hold an additional recognised post-graduate qualification (RFQ Level 7 or equivalent) which is directly relevant to teaching pupils within the school/setting/service/specialist area in which the teacher is working, for example but not limited to:
  • Approved Teacher Status (ATS) or Associate Membership of the British Dyslexia Association (AMDA)
  • An additional qualification directly relevant to speech, language and communication
  • Masters in ASD, ABA, and/or SEN Inclusion
  • Hold an additional accredited teacher professional learning qualification in one the following areas; literacy or numeracy or an accredited qualification which has a significant element of teaching pupils with additional MLD needs
• Hold an accredited ‘trainer’ qualification, for example in Makaton (regional tutor), Manual Handling or De-escalation and Restraint
• Hold and deploy an additional SEN qualification e.g. mental health, counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) directly relevant to the school/setting/service

1. Where a teacher’s post changes and the SEN criteria is no longer met, the award of SEN allowances to the teacher will discontinue.
2. SEN allowances may be awarded on a temporary or fixed term basis to a teacher assuming a SEN related role for a time bound period which is not permanent, subject to SEN allowance criteria being met. The temporary period for the allowance should be specified in writing at the outset linked to the specific role.
3. SEN allowances should not be confused with Teaching Allowances. Teachers of children with special educational needs may also be considered for the award of allowances under other headings where appropriate, for example Teaching Allowances.      
4. SEN allowances are distinct and separate from the teachers Threshold Assessment process and Progression to the Upper Pay Scale (UPS). SEN allowances may be awarded to a teacher, subject to eligibility, irrespective of the teacher’s Pay Scale salary point.
5. There should be no assumption that SEN 2 will automatically be awarded to teachers in Special Schools / Specialist Provisions / EA EOTAS Centres (including EA EOTAS partnership setting and exceptional teaching arrangements) as the criteria will apply.

Please ensure that all sections detailed below are reviewed before awarding SEN Allowance.

1. Awarding SEN 1 Allowance (SEN 1) at commencement of new appointment or new temporary engagement via NISTR in an applicable school/setting               

Following appointment via the agreed employing authority recruitment process, or new temporary engagement via NISTR, SEN 1 must be awarded to teachers in Special Schools, Specialist Provisions, EA EOTAS Settings, EA Services and SEND Specialist Areas as detailed in the criteria. 

Process for awarding the allowance:

For those posts recruited via an employing authority recruitment process, the process for awarding SEN allowance is built into the resourcing process and the hiring manager must complete the appropriate forms/steps as directed by the employing authority resourcing team. 

For those teachers engaged via NISTR, the Principal / Service Management Team must complete and submit a TR268 form whilst ensuring the appropriate level of allowance is also selected on the NISTR booking system. The TR268 form should be completed by the Principal/Service Management Team. TR268 forms completed for a school-based teacher i.e. Special Schools and Specialist Provisions, in controlled and maintained schools, require counter signatory by the appropriate Budgetary Support Officer before being submitted to DE Teachers Pay Team. Contact Details are available at the end of this guidance.

2. Awarding SEN Allowance 2 (SEN 2) at commencement of new appointment or new temporary engagement via NISTR 

Following appointment via the agreed employing authority recruitment process, or new temporary engagement via NISTR, School Management/Service Management Team should consider, based on information already known to them, whether the teacher has the required experience or qualifications to receive SEN 2 in accordance with the published criteria for SEN 2. If School Management/Service Management Team is satisfied that the teacher meets the criteria for SEN 2, the process for awarding SEN 2 is the same process for awarding SEN 1 as detailed above in 'Process for awarding the allowance'.

If School Management/Service Management Team are not in receipt of sufficient information to enable a decision, the teacher should be provided with Form SEN 2 at the earliest opportunity for completion. The teacher should submit completed Form SEN 2 to School Management/Service Management Team for consideration within the first term of their commencement of the new appointment or new temporary engagement via NISTR. It is the teacher’s responsibility to complete and submit Form SEN 2 within this timeframe. 

If SEN 2 is awarded following the submission of Form SEN2, the progression date to SEN 2 will be the appointment date/engagement date of the new post. School Management/Service Management Teams should avoid any delay when considering Form SEN 2 and notifying the outcome. The process for awarding SEN 2 is the same process for awarding SEN 1 as detailed above in 'Process for awarding the allowance'.

If SEN 2 is not awarded, the teacher should be notified by School Management/Service Management Team and the teacher will be placed on SEN 1. It will be the Teachers responsibility to re-submit Form SEN 2 to the School Management/Service Management Team when they meet the published criteria for SEN 2. 

Teachers employed via an agreed employing authority recruitment process or engaged via NISTR may not meet the criteria for SEN 2 at the commencement of their new role. During the course of their employment, should the teacher believe they now meet the criteria for SEN 2, the teacher should complete Form SEN 2 at the earliest opportunity and submit to School Management/Service Management Team for consideration. 

If SEN 2 is awarded following the submission of Form SEN 2, the progression date to SEN 2 will be the date the application was completed as detailed in Form SEN 2. This date should not be retrospective unless exceptional circumstances apply, such as absence linked to maternity leave. School Management/Service Management Teams should avoid any delay when considering Form SEN 2 and notifying the outcome. 

The submission of a TR268 form will be required to be completed by Principals/Service Management Teams to move teachers from SEN 1 to SEN 2 during their employment or temporary engagement via NISTR. TR268 forms completed for a school based teacher i.e. Special Schools and Specialist Provisions, in controlled and maintained schools, require counter signatory by the appropriate Budgetary Support Officer before being submitted to DE Teachers Pay Team. Contact details are available at the end of this guidance. 

If SEN 2 is not awarded, the teacher should be notified by School Management/Service Management Team and the teacher will remain on SEN 1. It will be the Teachers responsibility to re-submit Form SEN 2 to School Management/Service Management Team when they meet the published criteria for SEN 2. 

School Management / Service Management Team: 

It will be School Management or Service Management Teams responsibility to decide, using the SEN criteria, on whether SEN 1 or SEN 2 is applicable. It will also be School Management or Service Management Teams responsibility to ensure that the appropriate processes/forms are completed for the awarding of SEN 1 or SEN 2 ensuring appropriate EA approval is sought for those teachers working in controlled and maintained schools. It will also be School Management or Service Management Teams responsibility to ensure that the appropriate SEN allowance is selected on the NISTR booking system. 

Teacher: 

It will be the teachers’ responsibility to make application for movement from SEN 1 to SEN 2 using Form SEN 2 within the agreed timeframes ensuring that any supporting evidence requested is submitted. 

Budgetary Team: 

It will be the appropriate budgetary team’s responsibility to countersign the payment form for awarding SEN 1 or SEN 2 for those teachers based in Special Schools or Specialist Provisions. This counter signatory will allow for onward submission to DE Teachers Pay Teams (either directly or via Resourcing team).