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Sarah holds an MSc in Social Cognition and a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. At the University of Oxford, she worked on research into the effectiveness of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) using LanguageScreen and also supported the rollout of NELI to thousands of schools across England. In her role at OxEd, Sarah supports schools to deliver the NELI programme in the UK and internationally.
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- Twilight Talks
This session will be delivered by Helen Battelley
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- Twilight Talks
This session will be delivered by Tim Dickson
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- Twilight Talks
This session will be delivered by Cristin O'Brien

Heba is the Assistant Headteacher and inclusion leader at London's Mayflower Primary School. She has taught in inner London primary schools since 2007, and holds a Masters in Special and Inclusive Education from University College London Institute of Education (IOE) .
As a specialist leader, Heba provides support to schools locally and more widely through her secondment role as a deputy regional lead at Whole School SEND (NASEN). Heba is passionate about research and implementing innovative practice. She has secured funding for a variety of school projects including the use of sensory integration to provide whole class support for children aged 3-7 years and helping children with special educational needs improve their recall strategies.
She was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2019 to look at inclusive practices in mainstream schools in New York for Autistic pupils. This year, she has received another grant from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to pilot a project at her school in collaboration with the Centre of Research in Autism Education (CRAE), UCL. Heba is also a PHD student at CRAE (Centre for Research in Autism Education) UCL , exploring the collaboration of caregivers of autistic children from minority ethnic backgrounds with school professionals.

Damian Matthews is Headteacher at The Marvell College, Hull. Having previously worked in private industry, he has been a teacher for nearly 18 years, 12 of them in senior leadership roles. Whilst working in an outstanding school, he was first seconded to The Marvell College as Deputy Headteacher playing a key role in helping the school improve from special measures to good. Damian has a wide range of experience in managing system and culture change and has led a wholesale review of practice and attitudes in relation to SEND and inclusion in the school over the last 4 years.

Anna joined the Whole School SEND team in 2021 and has worked supporting young people with additional needs for the last 13 years. Anna has worked in both primary and secondary settings, led specialist provisions within mainstream schools and as a SENDCo. Anna was a contributor to the Teacher Handbook: SEND, Embedding Inclusive Practice and has been the lead for the North in running the Professional Development groups. Anna is dedicated to improving the support and inclusion of all young people and their families within the education sector. She is currently SENDCo at Fulford School in York.

Amjad Ali is regarded as one of the most engaging and empowering voices in the fields of inclusive leadership and professional development. Having spent over 19 years working in diverse and high-need schools — including seven years as a founding leadership team member of a new secondary school — Amjad now serves as a Trust Training and Inclusion Lead, supporting leaders, teachers, and school communities to grow cultures of equity, ambition, and sustained professional learning. He also co-founded The BAMEed Network, a national grassroots organisation committed to diversifying educational leadership and ensuring equity across the system — a mission that continues to shape his work in inclusive leadership today. Amjad’s delivery is grounded in lived experience. He began his career as a Play Worker and then a Teaching Assistant in youth offender institutions before training as a teacher and went on to become an Advanced Skills Teacher in Teaching and Learning and eventually training as a SENDCO and a senior leader. This journey has shaped a leadership philosophy rooted in equity, high expectations, and transformational CPD.

Ben has worked in Careers Education and Guidance for almost 30 years, including the last 7 years as part of the Careers Hub team at Devon County Council. Ben supports specialist settings and alternative provision academies across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, helping them develop their Careers Education programmes in line with statutory guidance and best practice.

Dean Beadle is an autistic speaker, inset trainer and conference presenter who has spent twenty years using his personal experiences of being autistic to bring about a world that is more inclusive for neurodivergent people. Working with schools, Dean has delivered hundreds of twilight CPD sessions for staff as well as countless half day sessions at inset days across the country, supporting staff to challenge their thinking to make their practice both inclusive and neuro-affirming. Dean has delivered keynotes, workshops and chaired panels at conferences in every corner of the UK as well as having guest lectured for several British universities. In recent years, Dean has also been doing a growing amount of work to support businesses to make workplaces more accessible to autistic employees. This has included sessions for Balfour Beatty, Scotiabank, International Rescue Committee, Ambassador Theatre Group, Sony Pictures, YouViewTV and Sopra Steria.

- SW PD Group
Click on the image to watch the recording from the first meeting which took place on Monday 29th January 2024.

- Northern Ireland
A new (NI based) SEND Advisory Group was formed in October 2018. The group consists of a range of educational professionals, all with a passion for supporting children and young people with SEND.

Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen) are recruiting 160 secondary schools for a trial of the WSS Review and are focusing on the SOUTH WEST.

As part of The Nisai Group strategy for the ASEAN region, they have formed a partnership to make an impact on global sustainability through education and technical/vocational education and training (TVET).

It is with great sadness that nasen must inform its members and followers of the passing of Dr Ron Davie, president of nasen 1992 - 1994.

Nasen and UCL are delighted to announce the first line-up of keynote speakers for ISEC (Inclusive and Supportive Education Conference) 2020, which will be held on the 3rd-5th August 2020 at the UCL Institute of Education in London.

- ofsted
Research funded by nasen asks whether Ofsted's new inspection framework supports learners with SEND.

- International
Nasen is delighted to announce the success of an ongoing significant SEND training programme which has helped to support thousands of special education professionals in Pakistan.

- ofsted
Amanda Spielman, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, launched the Annual Report on 21st January.