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natspec.bsky.social
Natspec
@natspec.bsky.social
59 followers 55 following 42 posts
Natspec represents 120+ colleges from across the UK which offer specialist education and training for young people with learning difficulties & disabilities.

https://natspec.org.uk/

#SENDinFE
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natspec.bsky.social
Clare Howard's tour continues with a visit to Lighthouse Futures, speaking to learners and learning more about all the employers Lighthouse Futures works with.

#ThePowerOfSpecialistFE #CatchClareIfYouCan
Clare with many learners and staff. The learners are all holding posters with "The Power of Specialist FE" campaign logo on them A wall of framed logos of various employers logos
December 4, 2025 at 12:19 PM
natspec.bsky.social
Natspec Chief Executive @ClareH_Natspec continues her cross country journey visiting specialist colleges to talk about #ThePowerOfSpecialistFE

Despite nearly 500 miles on the road, she's not done yet, so #CatchClareIfYouCan
Clare Howard at Rotherham Opportunities College Clare Howard with students and staff at Landmarks Specialist College. One of the students is holding a pledge board saying Specialist FE works for me Clare at Creating Tomorrow College with a group of students, one of whom holds a pledge board saying "specialist FE works for me"
December 3, 2025 at 2:09 PM
natspec.bsky.social
Professionals from general FE & specialist colleges pledging their support for #ThePowerOfSpecialistFE campaign at today’s AoC SEND Conference. #AoCSEND25 @aoc-info.bsky.social

Find out more: www.specialistfe.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:17 PM
natspec.bsky.social
"The staff really understand me here. I feel so supported, and I can be myself, I've learnt a lot."

Natspec Chief Executive Clare Howard was delighted to visit KITE College as the first stop on her #ThePowerOfSpecialistFE roadtrip! Where will she be off to next? #CatchClareIfYouCan
Clare Howard stands next to Principal Sarah Miller and students at KITE College. One of the students is holding a pledge board stating "I'm supporting the power of specialist FE"
December 1, 2025 at 2:25 PM
natspec.bsky.social
Specialist FE has a life-changing impact on young people. We and our colleges see it every day. But don't just take our word for it; hear directly from learners in our campaign video about how #SpecialistFEWorksForMe

#ThePowerOfSpecialistFE

youtu.be/Zz_vvDDu6a0
Celebrating the Power of Specialist FE
YouTube video by Natspec
youtu.be
December 1, 2025 at 9:23 AM
natspec.bsky.social
Natspec Chief Executive Clare Howard was up early this morning to set off on her cross-country road trip, visiting colleges across the country for #ThePowerOfSpecialistFE week. From Kent to London and Manchester to Birmingham, keep an eye out for her this week, and #CatchClareIfYouCan!
A pledge board sitting in the driver's seat of a car. The board reads "I'm supporting The Power of Specialist FE"
December 1, 2025 at 8:33 AM
natspec.bsky.social
A powerful and important piece - thank you, Ben Bastin, for bringing such clarity to an issue that too often gets overlooked.

Find out more about our awareness week starting on Monday at specialistfe.com #ThePowerofSpecialistFE
feweek.bsky.social FE Week @feweek.bsky.social · 16d
'A guarantee that excludes young people with SEND is a moral failure'
Ben Bastin, @natspec.bsky.social on how the government's youth guarantee fails to reflect the needs of SEND young people
feweek.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Natspec
ohcandat.bsky.social
Specialist Further Education transforms lives 🚀

Last week our Kingston Supported Interns attended the Access for All Carers fair organised by @AfCKingston @TAGYouthClub

The interns took part in a reverse careers fair and helped at the event.

#ThePowerofSpecialistFE #SpecialistFEWorksForMe
November 19, 2025 at 6:37 PM
natspec.bsky.social
What are you doing during 1-5 December to celebrate #ThePowerofSpecialistFE movement?

#SpecialistFEWorksForMe
feweek.bsky.social FE Week @feweek.bsky.social · 23d
'Beyond the awareness week, The Power of Specialist FE is a movement'
Clare Howard, @natspec.bsky.social on the new campaign that puts FE SEND specialists centre stage
@plmr.education
feweek.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 10:52 AM
natspec.bsky.social
From 1–5 Dec, we’re celebrating #ThePowerOfSpecialistFE! Recognising how specialist FE helps young people to gain independence, skills & confidence for life and work.
Get involved in the campaign: specialistfe.com
Share your story 📢: specialistfe.com/for-learners/

#SpecialistFEWorks #SEND #FE
Supporting the Power of Specialist Further Education
A national awareness week celebrating the transformative impact of specialist further education across England.
specialistfe.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Reposted by Natspec
feweek.bsky.social
📚 The education select committee has issued its wide-ranging report of over 40 recommendations, including:

💰 an FE pay review body
💰 devolution of 16-19 education to strategic authorities
💰 reinstatement of funding for some level 7 apprenticeships
💰 modular T Levels

feweek.co.uk/fe-engine-ru...
FE ‘engine’ running on fumes as MPs call for funding and pay reforms
Education committee makes 40+ wide-ranging recommendations concluding its future of FE inquiry
feweek.co.uk
September 23, 2025 at 8:09 AM
natspec.bsky.social
The Education Committee's latest report is a significant moment for the specialist FE sector. We're delighted to see a report that embeds the needs of SEND learners in its thinking on FE policy and importantly, recognises the vital role of specialist colleges.
natspec.org.uk/natspec-resp...
Natspec response to the Education Committee report: FE and Skills - Natspec
Committee report cements the place of specialist colleges in FE policy
natspec.org.uk
September 23, 2025 at 10:02 AM
natspec.bsky.social
The experiences shared by students at Homefield College demonstrate how vital post-16 transport is for learners with SEND. When transport is withdrawn, skills, confidence, and independence can be lost. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CAA...
Leicester City Council to end post-16 school transport for SEND students
YouTube video by Channel 4 News
www.youtube.com
August 12, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Reposted by Natspec
spcialndsjungle.bsky.social
NEW POST: In the last of our articles highlighting winners of the @natspec.bsky.social Innovation Awards, we hear how integrating therapies and education is driving inclusion for disabled students at @condovercollege.bsky.social in Shropshire: www.specialneedsjungle.com/i...
image shows staff and students at Condover College celebrating their win
August 11, 2025 at 5:02 AM
Reposted by Natspec
spcialndsjungle.bsky.social
NEW POST: In the second of our series of innovative post-16 providers who've won @natspec.bsky.social innovation awards, we look at DISC Manchester, the college collaborating with tech firms to train young people with #SEND to succeed in digital and creative careers www.specialneedsjungle.com/c...
Image shows:The images from inside the post of interns coaching other interns, set inside a laptop and iMac picture frames. Alt text for intern images in post. Logos for the companies involved also shown against a faded background of blue-coloured circuit boards
August 4, 2025 at 5:02 AM
Reposted by Natspec
spcialndsjungle.bsky.social
NEW POST: Let Me In: How students with disabilities at @treloars.bsky.social College are offering accessibility expertise to transform communities. This is the first of three articles, featuring winners of the @natspec.bsky.social Innovation awards www.specialneedsjungle.com/d...
image shows the Let me In students and lecturers with their award and post title
July 28, 2025 at 5:02 AM
natspec.bsky.social
In today's Rethinking SEND article, David Holloway from Association of Colleges looks at what might happen if EHCPs were replaced, and whether it could, possibly, create a better system. natspec.org.uk/rethinking-s...
Rethinking SEND: What if EHCPs were replaced by something better? - Natspec
David Holloway looks at what might happen if EHCPs were replaced, and what that could look like in colleges.
natspec.org.uk
July 16, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Reposted by Natspec
feweek.bsky.social
🏆 Creating Tomorrow College, a Northamptonshire specialist college, has received an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted grade in its first ever full inspection

feweek.co.uk/creating-tom...
Creating Tomorrow College rated ‘outstanding’ today
Ofsted praises ‘dedicated’ leaders at SEND college for creating calm and professional learning environment in first full inspection
feweek.co.uk
July 15, 2025 at 2:37 PM
natspec.bsky.social
How do you build a robust, personalised curriculum? For our latest Quality Times article, Lisa Holland writes about how Pure College has developed their curriculum to prepare students for the world of work.

natspec.org.uk/our-journey-...
Our journey to building a robust, personalised curriculum - Natspec
Lisa Holland writes about how Pure College have developed a curriculum which is championed by local employers and external professionals.
natspec.org.uk
July 14, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Reposted by Natspec
filmci.bsky.social
Come and work with a motivated and highly valuable team, making a difference in Specialist FE (and beyond).
natspec.bsky.social Natspec @natspec.bsky.social · Jul 11
We're recruiting! We are seeking an experienced, dynamic policy officer, with a strong track record in lobbying, providing policy advice, analysing government policy and preparing consultation responses to join our policy team.

Apply by 4 August: natspec.org.uk/senior-polic...
Senior Policy Officer - Natspec - Natspec
We are seeking an experienced, dynamic policy officer, with a strong track record in lobbying, providing policy advice, analysing government policy and preparing consultation responses to join our pol...
natspec.org.uk
July 11, 2025 at 10:57 AM
natspec.bsky.social
We're recruiting! We are seeking an experienced, dynamic policy officer, with a strong track record in lobbying, providing policy advice, analysing government policy and preparing consultation responses to join our policy team.

Apply by 4 August: natspec.org.uk/senior-polic...
Senior Policy Officer - Natspec - Natspec
We are seeking an experienced, dynamic policy officer, with a strong track record in lobbying, providing policy advice, analysing government policy and preparing consultation responses to join our pol...
natspec.org.uk
July 11, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Reposted by Natspec
spcialndsjungle.bsky.social
On SNJ Today: How a £9 return on every £1 invested, shows that boosting Supported Internships is a moral and valuable imperative in helping disabled young people into work. www.specialneedsjungle.com/9...
Image shows three young disabled people in different work scenarios
June 30, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Reposted by Natspec
spcialndsjungle.bsky.social
4,000 schools in 32 LAs will trial assistive tech “lending libraries” for children with SEND . in a new pilot, funded by up to £1.7m. It will enable schools to borrow and trial a range of devices to suit their pupils’ needs. www.gov.uk/government/news/t...
Thousands of children with SEND to benefit from assistive tech
Government launches innovative pilot with up to £1.7m available to help children with SEND achieve and thrive at their local school.
www.gov.uk
June 27, 2025 at 12:22 PM
natspec.bsky.social
Hear directly from the winners of our 2025 Natspec Innovation Awards about what made their practice innovative, and about the impact it's having on students: youtu.be/VbUafBQy7X0
Celebrating the winners of the 2025 Natspec Innovation Awards
YouTube video by Natspec
youtu.be
June 26, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Reposted by Natspec
natspec.bsky.social
We're looking for a Senior Quality Manager to oversee our quality support services.

This is a vital post that will be part of our senior leadership team, shaping the way Natspec supports members and the wider sector.

Apply by 6pm Weds 25 June: natspec.org.uk/senior-quali...
Senior Quality Manager - Natspec - Natspec
We're looking for an experienced senior leader to lead our quality improvement services.
natspec.org.uk
June 23, 2025 at 8:53 AM