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News

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

News listing

DfE launches consultation on new Level 1 English and maths qualifications for post-16 learners

May 2026

The Department for Education (DfE) has opened a national consultation on plans to introduce new Level 1 English and maths qualifications for students aged 16–19 in England.

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Inclusive sport festival returns with expanded offer for disabled young people

May 2026

Education professionals are being encouraged to take note of Parallel Windsor 2026, an inclusive mass-participation event designed to support children and young people with a wide range of needs.

nasen LIVE 2026 announces latest confirmed speakers and panellists

May 2026

nasen has announced the speaker & panellist line-up for nasen LIVE 2026, bringing together SEND specialists,school leaders, practitioners & sector voices for a full day of practical CPD at The Vox, Resorts World, Birmingham on Friday 3 July 2026

Grants for Support of Service Children in Schools deadline approaching 8th May

May 2026

The Armed Forces Education Trust Collective Grants programme provides valuable support to groups of schools working together to improve outcomes for children from service families.

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‘Magic of Childminding’ campaign launched.

April 2026

The campaign, launched by Coram PACEY, celebrates the vital role childminders play in supporting children, families and communities across England and Wales and encouraging more parents to choose childminding as an option for their family.

Healthier school menus - what schools need to know

April 2026

The government has launched a consultation proposing major changes to school food standards in England, aiming to improve children’s diets and reduce high sugar and low fibre intake.

Want to strengthen inclusion or improve attendance for autistic students?

April 2026

The Sheila Coates Foundation is inviting applications from mainstream secondary schools and colleges, for funding of £5,000.

New Restrictive Interventions Statutory Guidance Issued

April 2026

Schools in England are being reminded of their legal duties following the introduction of new statutory guidance on restrictive interventions in education settings.

Free Residential Course - Working Well with Sight Loss

April 2026

Following the successes of their last Working Well with Sight Loss Residential Courses, Thomas Pocklington Trust are hosting their next course on 17-19 June.

nasen Live 2026, The UK's leading SEND event. July 3rd, the Vox Conference Centre NEC Birmingham. Secure your place

nasen LIVE 2026: Inspiring SEND Innovation Through Times of Change

March 2026

On Friday 3rd July 2026, the SEND community will come together at The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham, for nasen LIVE 2026 - a national conference designed to support the sector through a period of significant change.

Putting Children and Young People First. The Specialist National Reference Group wants to hear your voice, join the conversation! Book now

The Specialist National Reference Group Events

March 2026

The Specialist National Reference Group (SNRG) has recently submitted a paper to
Government to support the implementation of the School’s White Paper. We want to hear from School Leaders and Senior School Staff, join the discussion!

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House of Lords Launches Inquiry into “Numeracy for Life”

March 2026

The House of Lords has opened a major inquiry into how well England equips people with the numeracy skills needed throughout life, with a public call for evidence now live.

Covid lockdowns set back children’s development for years – new research

March 2026

A major new study, led by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with Lancaster University and Durham University. has revealed that the pandemic significantly disrupted the development of children’s executive function skills.

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Conception to Reception: Reframing School Readiness – free webinar

March 2026

Join the National Children's Bureau for a funded webinar exploring fresh insights from ten years of the A Better Start (ABS) programme and their insights into improving outcomes in the early years.

Major study reveals inequalities in identifying learning difficulties for pupils

March 2026

Specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) are not being identified equally among school pupils in England, according to a major study by Durham and Oxford universities.

DfE launches KS4 consultation on progress measures

March 2026

The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a new consultation on significant reforms to Key Stage 4 (KS4), aiming to ensure that schools with lower prior attaining pupils are judged more fairly.

81% of SENCOs Are Struggling with Funding — We can help you save in 3 simple steps (Source: nasen SENCO Survey, 2024)

Feb 2026

Many schools across the UK are unknowingly paying for tools or software that are already built into Microsoft or Google platforms. Imagine how much your school could save by leveraging these built-in features.

Leading NEET prevention with the Gatsby Benchmarks

February 2026

The Gatsby team is working with leaders in England’s secondary and special schools, and colleges, to highlight how making careers guidance a strategic priority is helping them tackle attendance, engagement and other indicators of NEET risk

Free Webinars Launch to Support Inclusive Democratic Education for Young People with SEND

February 2026

Teachers and practitioners working with young people with SEND are being offered a free two-part webinar series this March aimed at making democracy and voting more accessible.

Voices of children and young people in the SEND reforms

February 2026

On Monday 23rd February the Department for Education published its schools white paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving which shares their plan to reform special educational needs and disability (SEND) support.

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