From September 2008 legislation has stated that all state-funded mainstream schools in England, including Academies, free schools, university technical colleges and maintained nurseries are required to employ a qualified teacher in a Special Educational Co-ordinator (SENCO) role.
Legislation in 2009 and the subsequent Children & Families Act (2014), went on to stipulate that every new SENCO in these settings would need to gain the NASENCO qualification within 3 years of taking up the post.