Welcome to nasen
We are the National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen) – a charitable membership organisation that exists to support and champion those working with, and for, children and young people with SEND and learning differences.
Rooted in research and evidence-informed best practice, our information, training and resources ensure that our community members in the UK and across the globe are provided with the most up-to-date knowledge and support required to become effective, inclusive practitioners. Together we are able to contribute to the debate and effect change to improve provision within early years, schools, post-16 and wider settings and, ultimately, outcomes for the children and young people that they serve.
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Join for free
Join our growing community to help boost your professional portfolio and save you and your setting time and money. As a
member you will receive excellent support, tools, CPDL opportunities and resources to help meet the needs of ALL pupils.
nasen Awards 2024
In the eighth annual nasen Awards, 15 schools, individuals and organisations are to be recognised for their outstanding work to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and learning differences to reach their full potential.
The nasen Awards ceremony was held at the Grand Hotel Birmingham on Friday 4th October 2024.
SEND Support Services
SEND CPD on Demand
Get the highest quality CPD from experts at your convenience, with nasen's SEND CPD on Demand - The ultimate flexible training resource. With individual and school subscriptions starting at just £199, boost your learning with convenient access to over 70 pre-recorded SEND CPD sessions tailored to meet the needs of the entire education workforce.
nasen Recognised Teacher / Practitioner of SEND programme
This course is built around a deeper exploration of the implications of the An introduction to SEND in practice and Understanding and supporting universal needs. It has been developed to link with your day to day working practice – it encourages you to develop a resource or professional artefact (for example, a novel intervention; an assessment tool; a lesson plan template or a learning resource) which can be used in your setting.
SENCO Support Service
A comprehensive information support hub designed for SENCOs. Our online hub is organised into useful topics to help resolve all of your SEND queries. Can’t find what you’re looking for online? You’ll be able to reach out directly to our Education Team.
International Membership
International Membership
We are constantly striving to work alongside international projects to strengthen the work we undertake with professionals and help support with research, training and resources. For our international colleagues, nasen membership is available for £50 a year.
Upcoming events and the latest news & resources
Meeting the Needs of Every Child (5pm - 7pm)
This DfE funded online course is FREE to access and will provide Early Years Practitioners with an overview and understanding of inclusive practice for SEND in Early Years settings.
Recognised Teacher/Practitioner Module 2 live session_Understanding and Supporting Universal Needs (2 - 3pm)
This session will focus on contextualising the information delivered through the webinars included within the “Understanding and Supporting Universal Needs” module.
Access to this event is exclusive to users with the nasen Recognised Teacher of SEND, nasen Recognised Practitioner of SEND
Specialist Spotlight: An Introduction to speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) (Secondary / FE)
Join us for a FREE discussion exploring speech, language and communication needs in Secondary / FE settings.
Specialist Spotlight: Creating a learning environment that supports speech, language and communication (Secondary / FE)
Join us for a FREE discussion exploring speech, language and communication needs in Secondary / FE settings.
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Call for evidence: Curriculum and Assessment Review
We are holding two online sessions to allow members to share their experiences and evidence of what works best for learners with SEND.
Twilight Talks: Supported internship programmes: an excellent pathway into employment for young people with SEND
Find out why supported internship programmes are proven to be excellent pathways into employment for young people with SEND and how you can use this information to better prepare your students for the world of work.
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SEND CPD on Demand Content Guide
- Webcasts
- 31 Dec 2024
We’ve designed this subscription with the entire education sector in mind, but to help make your decision, about what content to access first, we have created a content guide.
nasen Connect magazine Autumn Term edition 2024
- Nasen Connect
- 31 Oct 2024
This inspiring edition delves into the advantages of collaboration, with news of an ambitious peer-to-peer support programme for school leaders, one school's approach to building connections between home and school, and a collaborative musical project.
Collaborative working for exceptional musicianship (article taken from nasen Connect Autumn term edition)
- Nasen Connect
- 28 Oct 2024
This term's nasen Connect highlights a remarkable story of collaboration and musical achievement.
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Twilight Talks Research Series: Digital story telling in inclusive primary settings
- Webcasts
- 18 Oct 2024
In this session delivered by Kalliopi Kritsotaki, UCL’s faculty for Education and Society, participants will explore how Digital Storytelling can enhance writing skills for students with dyslexia by addressing spelling difficulties
Supporting reading comprehension in the secondary school
- Webcasts
- 14 Oct 2024
This webcast explores the difficulties students in secondary settings may experience with reading, and provides recommendations and guidance for teachers and practitioners to support them.
This resource is FREE with SEND CPD on Demand
Early Years SEND Review Guide
- General
- 17 Sep 2024
The Early Years SEND Review Guide was developed for Early Years practitioners and reviewers, to support the review and development of inclusive provision and practice.
nasen Connect
Read the latest e-copy of nasen Connect which is packed full of advice, analysis and opinions on the current topics and future trends impacting on the SEND workforce.
nasen Connect magazine Autumn Term edition 2024
- Nasen Connect
- 31 Oct 2024
This inspiring edition delves into the advantages of collaboration, with news of an ambitious peer-to-peer support programme for school leaders, one school's approach to building connections between home and school, and a collaborative musical project.
nasen Connect magazine feature edition 2024
- Nasen Connect
- 19 Jul 2024
This mental health and wellbeing feature edition is packed full of articles to inform, inspire and embed a culture of communication about good mental health and wellbeing.
nasen Connect magazine Summer 2024
- Nasen Connect
- 10 May 2024
The summer edition of Connect magazine includes insights from settings with innovative approaches to maximising employability, and one school shares how their new curriculum approach has eased the impact of transition.
Our Sponsors
Axcis Education
Axcis are the foremost supplier of SEND staff to mainstream and specialist schools in England and Wales. Providing teaching, leadership and support staff, Axcis has experience with all levels of recruitment across a wide range of special needs. Visit the Axcis website or contact your local office to learn more about how we can help.
Concero Education
Concero supports education organisations by designing, building and delivering specialist technical services and solutions. Our schools benefit from a personalised, future-proofed IT environment, which is inclusively designed to support teachers in exploring accessible and engaging ways of teaching and learning. Get in touch to unlock the capabilities of accessible tech and discover what's possible.