Improving learner outcomes

Online SEND and Teacher CPD courses

Why not join 10,000 schools who've partnered with us to improve the confidence and skills of their teaching team and provide a more inclusive experience for pupils with SEND?

We ensure your team has the right skills at the right time to support all children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and provide quality first teaching.

Discover why 85% of users rate a significant increase in confidence after completing our courses and talk to us today.

Before and after

Confidence in supporting SEND learners with disability

Before OLT course

Chart for pre-course 42%

Very or fairly confident

After OLT course

Chart for post-course 96%

Very or fairly confident

  • Very confident
  • Fairly confident
  • Somewhat confident
  • Not confident

Source: OLT data 2026

Our courses can be accessed through...

A STEPS school subscription

Unlimited staff, one price: all 12 STEPS courses at three levels, our short courses, and the tools to track your staff's progress.

Start free with one STEPS course for all your staff for 4 months.

Find out more about STEPS →

An organisation licence

Our tutored courses, delivered by an OLT expert tutor or your own trained tutors, for local authorities, services and organisations. Short courses are included.

Talk to us about a licence →

Free for parents and carers

Our parents' course is free for anyone to take, with an optional certificate on completion.

Parents and carers →

STEPS

STEPS gives your whole staff, from teaching assistants to senior leaders, practical, evidence-based SEND training in 5–10 minute chapters that fit around the school day.

The 12 STEPS courses, by area of need

Communication & Interaction

CPD logo Sad boy looking out of window

Autism

Distinguish autism from other difficulties and find out how to adapt classroom practice to meet the need of this group.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Group of school kids lip-reading a teacher

Speech, Language and Communication Needs

Understand how speech and language difficulties can impact key curriculum areas and social inclusion.

20 hrs course time Find out more

Cognition & Learning

CPD logo Man writing notes

Dyslexia and Significant Difficulties in Reading

Understand the concept of dyslexia, the challenges faced by this group and how they can be overcome.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Parent with child and an abacus

Learning Strategies

Enhance your knowledge of learning theories and how to translate theory into inclusive classroom practice.

20 hrs course time Find out more

Social, Emotional & Mental Health

CPD logo Toy heart in the hands of a child

Attachment and Trauma

Find out about the impact of childhood trauma on relationships with parents / carers and progress in school, and trauma informed practice.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Frustrated child with a teacher

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Recognise signs of ADHD, and learn how to adapt classroom practice to help these CYP thrive.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Group of teens with a laptop

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Explore the concepts of wellbeing and mental health, and effective strategies to support learners and staff.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Frustrated boy with a teacher

Understanding and Supporting Behaviour

Managing behaviour is a challenge for all staff. Learn how to support, respond and reduce behavioural events.

20 hrs course time Find out more

Sensory &/or Physical

CPD logo Boy lip-reading his teacher

Deafness

Understand the causes of deafness and identify best practice for supporting deaf learners.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Bare feet on textured half balls

Dyspraxia and Motor Coordination Difficulties

Understand how motor coordination difficulties impact learning and social behaviour, and how best to help them.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Child with glasses holding up paper men cutouts

Multi-Sensory Impairment

The causes, implications, and strategies involved when working with learners with multi-sensory impairment.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Boy with glasses writing

Vision Impairment

See the world through the eyes of learners with vision impairment, and identify best practice for supporting them.

20 hrs course time Find out more

New to STEPS? Start with one course free for all your staff for 4 months, or subscribe for all 12 courses and our short courses.

Find out more and register here →

Tutored courses

Our tutored courses are developed in partnership with SEND specialists and leading institutions to reflect current evidence-based practice. They provide a secure knowledge of the graduated approach, an understanding of assessment checklists and techniques, a toolkit of interventions to differentiate learning, and a support plan to differentiate and personalise learning.

Communication & Interaction

CPD logo Sad boy looking out of window

Autism

Distinguish autism from other difficulties and find out how to adapt classroom practice to meet the need of this group.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Group of school kids lip-reading a teacher

Speech, Language and Communication Needs

Understand how speech and language difficulties can impact key curriculum areas and social inclusion.

20 hrs course time Find out more

Cognition & Learning

CPD logo Man writing notes

Dyslexia and Significant Difficulties in Reading

Understand the concept of dyslexia, the challenges faced by this group and how they can be overcome.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Parent with child and an abacus

Learning Strategies

Enhance your knowledge of learning theories and how to translate theory into inclusive classroom practice.

20 hrs course time Find out more

Social, Emotional & Mental Health

CPD logo Toy heart in the hands of a child

Attachment and Trauma

Find out about the impact of childhood trauma on relationships with parents / carers and progress in school, and trauma informed practice.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Frustrated child with a teacher

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Recognise signs of ADHD, and learn how to adapt classroom practice to help these CYP thrive.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Group of teens with a laptop

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Explore the concepts of wellbeing and mental health, and effective strategies to support learners and staff.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Frustrated boy with a teacher

Understanding and Supporting Behaviour

Managing behaviour is a challenge for all staff. Learn how to support, respond and reduce behavioural events.

20 hrs course time Find out more

Sensory &/or Physical

CPD logo Boy lip-reading his teacher

Deafness

Understand the causes of deafness and identify best practice for supporting deaf learners.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Teenager with teacher on a laptop

Deafness (Further Education)

Comprehend the challenges faced by the deaf. Know how to monitor and adapt the learning environment to meet their needs.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Bare feet on textured half balls

Dyspraxia and Motor Coordination Difficulties

Understand how motor coordination difficulties impact learning and social behaviour, and how best to help them.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Child with glasses holding up paper men cutouts

Multi-Sensory Impairment

The causes, implications, and strategies involved when working with learners with multi-sensory impairment.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Boy with glasses writing

Vision Impairment

See the world through the eyes of learners with vision impairment, and identify best practice for supporting them.

20 hrs course time Find out more
CPD logo Adult with glasses on a laptop

Vision Impairment (Further Education)

Comprehend how a learner with a vision impairment can be accommodated and supported in a more adult learning environment.

20 hrs course time Find out more

Short courses

Our self-paced short courses cover essential topics in SEND and inclusive practice. They are not tutored, and they are available to licence holders: schools with a STEPS subscription and organisations with a tutored licence.

Very young girl with female teacher on an abacus

Learning Theory

An introduction to the Learning Theories in education and how learning takes place.

Licensed course 5 hrs Find out more
A pile of documents

SEND Code of Practice 2015

Making the SEND Code of Practice more accessible for education professionals.

Licensed course 5 hrs Find out more
Concerned parents with their child and teacher

Working in Partnership with Parents

Understanding the needs, issues, and requirements for support of the parents and carers of children with SEND.

Licensed course 5 hrs Find out more

Parent courses

Our parent courses are free for anyone to take and are not supported by a tutor. If you complete a course and would like to print a certificate of achievement, there is a small fee unless your organisation holds a licence.

Free
Toddler with his mother playing with blocks

Autism for Parents

An introductory understanding of autism for parents and carers.

Optional certificate £25 5 hrs Find out more

Testimonials

“I feel more confident in understanding SI. I can understand when a student describes their condition. I am more confident in being aware of the aids available for a VI student. When I started the course I had a good understanding of students with dyslexia and autism but knew nothing about VI. I particularly enjoyed the section on common eye conditions. My mother suffered a detached retina and I did not understand what that meant at the time but now I do. My son suffers from Astigmatism and short sightedness, and I had little understanding of these conditions. I really enjoyed the course as it was detailed and very interesting. I benefited from seeing all the examples of students at university and how well they were coping.
“This course has been very useful to complete. I have limited experience teaching deaf pupils, but it highlighted the gaps in my knowledge and has given me a range of useful, practical tools to use in my teaching. I now feel a lot more confident in teaching my deaf pupil. I also now have a new understanding of how the learning environment will have a direct impact on the pupil. I have enjoyed learning about the reasons for hearing loss and it has explained aspects of the human auditory system that I knew little about. It has been very useful to set SMART targets and look at how I can improve my teaching practice which will result in a positive outcome for my pupil. I have also enjoyed reading my colleagues comments in the forums and can relate what they have said to my own teaching. I recommend this course to any member of teaching or support staff working with deaf pupils.

Qualified Teacher

Deafness

“I absolutely love these training courses and get an awful lot out of them. I feel a lot more confident using smart goals and I really appreciate your support. I will use smart goals to support children to decrease levels of behaviour for them to recognise their feeling with specific, measurable, agreed, realistic time-based goals. Thank you for your help.
“It helps you to focus on meeting each individual child's needs and requirements to access learning.

Qualified Teacher

Deafness


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