Natspec

We're recruiting!!

We're looking for a self-motivated and dynamic individual to join our policy team, supporting our lobbying and advocacy work.

If you love research and have an interest in the workings of government, as well as learning disability, further education or disability? We want to hear from you!

You'll join a small team of passionate people determined to make a difference. The position is home based, though you'll need to be able to frequently travel to London to meet with stakeholders, parliamentarians and partner organisations.

Download a full job description below and get in touch with us for any questions. And please share amongst your network!

https://natspec.org.uk/policy-officer-natspec/

What do you do when your original venue is damaged due to a fire and your conference can’t go forward as planned? Well, you pull together as a team, find a new venue, and some minor programme amendments later, you’re good to go!

Natspec’s National Conference is now taking place at the Midland, Manchester. Located in the heart of the city and easily accessible from all of Manchester’s train stations, we’re looking forward to welcoming you to our beautiful new venue.

The programme is packed full of content, and there’s something for everyone in our array of breakout sessions and exhibitors. There’s a particular focus on the sector’s greatest asset: the staff who make up the specialist FE workforce. Keynote speeches and breakout sessions will consider how to support and develop staff, as well as looking at how to provide leadership in challenging times.

We've still got places available and you can book now!

Quality Times Issue Ten is out now!

Quality Times is our quality improvement focussed publication. Available to members, it features a diverse set of articles which provide a fascinating insight into colleges' quality improvement journeys.

In this issue:

➡️ Angie Fisher writes about the importance of multi-disciplinary working at David Lewis

➡️ Angela Newton-Soanes writes about Portland College's ambitious curriculum review

➡️ Nicole Doyle from Linkage Community Trust writes about their Discovery Suite, which provides personalised learning opportunities.

➡️ Gemma Lindsay from Future Horizons Leeds writes about her leadership journey in a new specialist college.

➡️ Ros Leach and Elizabeth (Libby) Wilkins write about developing a high quality, holistic curriculum at The Oaks Specialist College

➡️ Raph Taylor writes about how Camphill Wakefield have turned employability challenges into opportunities.

And if you're not a member, then Issue Nine is now available to everyone!

Quality Times Issue Ten - Natspec The new edition of our quality improvement focussed publication is available now!

Today, we publish Unlocking potential, a manifesto for specialist further education.

The manifesto sets out our key asks for the next government to ensure young people with more complex needs are able to access high quality specialist provision.

All in all, we’re calling for three things:

➡ Fair access to specialist FE for those learners who need it

➡ Investment in the specialist FE sector to ensure high quality provision is available to these learners

➡ A joined-up approach across government departments, so that young people with more complex needs have the support they need to thrive once they leave college.

We’ll be at the Houses of Parliament later today for the formal launch of our manifesto, where learners and staff from Natspec member colleges will meet with MPs to explain the importance of specialist further education.

For now, read more about the manifesto on our website, and if you share our vision for a high-functioning FE system for learners with SEND, share it on or get in touch with us – we want to hear from you!

Unlocking potential: a manifesto for specialist FE - Natspec Natspec launches its manifesto for the 2024 UK general election.

Our manifesto launches on 19 February!

It outlines our vision for a high-functioning FE system for young people with .

We can't wait to tell you more - watch this space!

Natspec's National Conference returns on the 11 and 12 June!!

We're heading back to beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon for two days, covering a variety of topics of concern to those working with and around specialist FE. We've got a particular focus this year on the staff who make up the specialist FE workforce, with sessions looking at how to support and develop staff, management approaches, and how to provide leadership.

Our breakout sessions are more varied than ever: whether it’s AI, intersectionality, positive behaviour support, total communication, forest schools, the menopause-friendly workplace, or meeting local skills needs, there's something on the program for you.

You'll be able to meet our conference sponsors, DatabridgeMIS and AssuredPartners Hettle Andrews, in our exhibition, plus many other suppliers!

And for those of you who remember the real highlight of last year's program - our student speakers and performers - don't worry, we've got some real exciting treats in store for you there!

Book now - and tell anyone you think might be interested!

Natspec National Conference 2024 - Natspec Join us at the go-to event for FE professionals who work with students with EHC plans and / or funded through the high needs system, which offers a wealth of learning and networking opportunities

At , there was a mix of fundamental practice as well as looking to what the future might bring. Fil McIntyre reflects on the breadth of practice on display in the latest Natspec blog.

"The obvious zeitgeist was AI, but to focus too much on this would be to deny some of the fundamentals that people are still learning about in education and care settings. Those fundamentals include switch access, which is often misunderstood and oversimplified as an access method. The subject of switch use was covered in two highly contrasting presentations: one describing how Treloar College enables adults to explore their s*xuality through adapted s*x toys, the other setting out the Pace Centre’s formalised system called the “Seven stages of switch development”.

Two of the conference presentations did cover the use of AI for greater accessibility - firstly by the Open University who have designed virtual assistants (also known as chatbots) to support disabled students. The Open University also have exciting plans to co-design systems which will support knowledge sharing between students and staff. The second AI themed presentation gave delegates a chance to try out a range of tools and see how these might benefit disabled students."

TechAbility Conference 2023 – balancing futuristic and fundamental - Natspec Fil McIntyre reflects on the TechAbility conference and the breadth of discussion happening amongst delegates.

On the blog today, Ruth Perry looks at the questions change programme areas should be asking themselves to develop a sound understanding of their current offer, and what more can be done to make sure that 16–25 SEND provision is included in their work.

"Much of the focus of the SEND and AP Improvement Plan is on sorting out issues affecting children aged 5–16 and schools, so there was always a substantial risk that young people and further education would have only a walk-on part in this critical testing phase. That’s why Natspec, along with the Association Of Colleges (AoC) and other FE and skills stakeholders, have been lobbying hard to ensure that the DfE’s guidance for the change programme participants requires them to pay due attention to the needs of 16–25 year olds when planning local (and regional) SEND provision. We’ve proposed that the DfE requires all local areas to have an FE and Skills provider sub-group, the chair of which should be on the SEND and AP partnership board to ensure post-school providers are represented at this top decision-making level."

How can we ensure 16-25 SEND provision is at the heart of local area inclusion planning? - Natspec Ruth Perry looks at the questions change programme areas should be asking themselves to develop a sound understanding of their current offer - and what more can be done to make sure that 16–25 provision for young people with SEND is included in their work.

New reforms in Wales are aimed at creating an inclusive education system - but do disabled young people currently have equal access to education? Dr Kirsten Jones considers the current obstacles in place and the work being done to try and solve them.

Blocks in the road for an inclusive FE system in Wales - Natspec Kirsten Jones considers current obstacles preventing equal access to further education.

On the blog today, Clare Howard OBE looks at how a shared vision for could help us out of the current quagmire. Narrow interests or seeing things only from one perspective will not help us - we need to work together across the sector.

SEND in FE: swimming together out of the treacle? - Natspec Clare Howard looks at how a shared vision for SEND in FE could help us out of the current quagmire.

In today's government reshuffle, following the departure of Claire Coutinho MP, David Johnston OBE MP has been appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education.

Commenting on the appointment, Clare Howard OBE, Chief Executive of Natspec said:

“We congratulate David Johnston MP on his appointment as Children’s Minister but it is an unenviable achievement to become the fifth children’s minister in less than two years and the seventh to oversee the Government’s landmark SEND reforms.

Previous ministerial changes have led to delays in addressing serious issues, and those providing education and training to young people with SEND desperately need stability, effective leadership and prompt action to address these long-standing issues.”

Welcoming David Johnston MP, the new Children's Minister - Natspec Natspec welcomes the fifth minister in less than two years.

For our latest blog post, Neil Beck talks about building a community of practice with the TechAbility champions by bringing together those responsible for Assistive Technology in Natspec colleges and Karten Centres. Setting up regular meetings, an online area for resources and discussion, and linking champions with technology experts and technology suppliers - all of these were the ingredients in making the champions a success!

TechAbility AT Champions: Building a community of practice - Natspec How a collaborative approach has benefited staff and organisations in their approach to Assistive Technology.