News

Keep up to date with all of the latest news, headlines and features from across the SEND sector.

Advertising spotlight for Recognised Teacher / Practitioner of SEND Programme [stock image of holding hands alongside white text that reads 'Recognised Teacher / Practitioner of SEND Programme' on a purple background]
SENCO Support Service Advertising Spotlight [text reads 'SENCO Support Service']
Advertising spotlight for SEND CPD on Demand [stock image of a woman sitting at a desk alongside white text that reads 'SEND CPD on Demand' on a green background]

News listing

stylised image of a pair of glasses sitting on top of a folded newspaper

The Big Answer – Children’s Commissioner responds to Young People

The Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel De Souza, on taking up her post in March this year launched ‘The Big Ask’ survey for children and young people to give her their views. Over half a million did and ‘The Big Answer’ report is now here.

DfE logo for news items

DfE Funded Senior Mental Health Lead Training 

As part of the government pledge to offer senior mental health lead training to all state schools and colleges by 2025, the next phase of funding has been released. 

scrabble type letters spelling out NEWS on a book

Another leap forward for diversity in broadcasting

The BBC announced that 20-year-old George Webster will be joining the CBeebies House as a presenter.

nasen awards shortlist announcement promotion image

nasen Awards 2021 - shortlist announced

Thank you to all of those who sent in their nominations for the nasen Awards 2021. We were hit with an incredible amount of inspiring provisions and individuals this year for our 13 categories.

Dingleys Promise Logo [blue text that reads 'Dingley's Promise' with smaller blue text underneath that reads 'transforming the early years for children with SEND']

Berkshire charity receives funding from Comic Relief’s new Change Makers initiative to tackle a national lack of spaces in the early years for children with SEND

Dingley’s Promise is one of twenty initiatives to receive share of £9.1 million funding from Comic Relief. The charity will use the funding to build wider inclusion for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the early years.

DfE logo for news items

New Education Minister and Secretary of State

As part of the cabinet reshuffle Nick Gibb, Schools Minister for the last ten years, and Gavin Williamson, Education Secretary since 2019, have both left their posts. 

close up of hands typing on a keyboard

Guidance on delivery of specialist support within education settings

The DfE, DHSC and NHS England have worked with education and health partners, to develop guidance which sets out the expectations for the delivery of specialist 1:1 and group interventions for children and young people in education settings.

close up of two people sitting at a desk

New Ofsted guidance for Multi-Academy Trust Summary Evaluations (MATSE)

Ofsted have updated their guidance to MAT’s on the procedures for the evidence-gathering activities that inspectors undertake.

male teacher speaking with a parent of a secondary school age girl

International Webinar: Strategic development for SEND Part 2

Delivered by nasen, this online interactive course consists of two 2-hour sessions that would be suitable for more experienced SENCOs, or those who have completed Part 1 of this series, who want to continue to develop their strategic approach to SEND.

Primary school children with teacher doing an art and crafts class

National Teaching Assistants’ Day 16th September

This Thursday sees the celebration of teaching assistants across the UK.

Pair of glasses resting on a newspaper

‘What Good Looks Like’ for learners with Sensory Impairment (SI) in the classroom

NatSIP have worked with colleagues across the SI sector NatSIP have worked with colleagues across the SI sector to produce a checklist designed to aid non-specialist teachers to self-evaluate the classroom experience for pupils with SI.

close up of hands typing on a keyboard

Free Accessibility Webinars from Google for Education

Google has announced a series of free webinars around the accessibility features of their products. The webinars will exemplify the accessibility features in Chromebooks, Chrome Browser and Google Workspace for Education tools.

clip art image of screens displaying the word news

Co-produced resource to support communicating with young people with SEND released

A new resource on how best to communicate with young people with SEND has been compiled by the Council for Disabled Children and co-produced with the FLARE group, young advisors to the Department of Education.

close up of hands typing on a keyboard

Funding issues impacting on learners with SEND 

A survey by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) highlighting significant issues regarding funding is set to be published. 

stylised image of a pair of glasses sitting on top of a folded newspaper

Youth Mental Health Day

Today marks youth mental health day in the UK and, with older teenagers and young adults being deemed the groups whose mental health was affected most by the pandemic, this focus on mental health is a timely one.

close up of two people sitting at a desk

Back to School Guide for Children and Young People 

The Children’s Commissioner’s website has published a guide for children and young people on their return to school this week detailing what to expect and who to contact if they are worried.

close up of hands typing on a keyboard

The Good Childhood Report 2021

The Children’s Society has produced its tenth Good Childhood Report on the well-being of children (aged 10 to 17) in the UK.

scrabble type letters spelling out NEWS on a book

Understanding your autism diagnosis – lived experience videos

Ambitious about Autism have worked with their Ambitious Youth Network to create a library of videos of children, young people and adults talking about their lived experience of being diagnosed with autism.

stylised image of a pair of glasses sitting on top of a folded newspaper

Evidence of Efficacy of mental health school-based intervention report

A new report from the Early Intervention Foundation around adolescent mental health and school-based interventions provides schools with a comprehensive, up-to-date picture of what works, for whom and under what circumstances.

young child reading with their parent

New Early Years Resource!

Calling all Early Years practitioners! nasen is delighted to have produced a new resource for Early Years practitioners called ‘At a Glance’.