Natspec is proud to launch a new national campaign ‘The Power of Specialist FE’ awareness week, taking place this week from 1–5 December 2025. The campaign unites specialist colleges and organisations across the country to celebrate the transformative impact of specialist FE for young people with the most complex needs.
The campaign is already gaining traction with recent coverage in politics.co.uk, FE week and Special Needs Jungle highlighting the importance of specialist FE. Colleges across the country have a wide range of activity planned for this week, including visits from local MPs and councillors, learner-run events, and cross-college initiatives designed to demonstrate the impact of specialist provision.
Why this campaign now?
Across England, more than 1.7 million children and young people are now identified as having special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) – the highest figure ever recorded. Yet discussions about SEND provision continue to focus largely on children and schools. The vital role of colleges, and in particular the specialist expertise that supports 16–25-year-olds with complex needs, is too often missing from national conversations about long-term solutions.
‘The Power of Specialist FE’ campaign seeks to change that.
Championing essential specialist expertise
Specialist FE providers deliver tailored programmes designed around each individual learner’s needs, aspirations, and ambitions. They offer access to highly skilled staff, therapeutic support, adapted environments, assistive technology and inclusive approaches that enable young people with complex needs to learn, progress and prepare for adult life.
From developing independence and communication, to supporting routes into employment, community participation and long-term wellbeing, specialist FE plays a crucial role within an inclusive education system.
A call for recognition, value and inclusion
Through this awareness week, Natspec is shining a spotlight on the impact of specialist FE and urging policymakers, commissioners, funding bodies and the wider public to:
- Recognise the essential role specialist FE plays for young people with the most complex needs
- Value the expertise, resources and outcomes delivered across the sector
- Include specialist FE fully in SEND policy design and strategic planning
The campaign provides tools to help providers, partners and supporters make the case for specialist FE, including a comprehensive communications toolkit.
It also features a new learner-focused page sharing young people’s stories, experiences and achievements.
Natspec CEO Clare Howard said:
“Specialist FE is about unlocking potential and creating positive futures. Our colleges give young people, many with very complex needs, the skills, confidence and independence they need to succeed in their adult lives. They are critical to the government’s mission to create an inclusive education system, where no learner is left behind. Yet despite this, the sector is too often overlooked by policy makers.
“Through ‘The Power of Specialist FE’ awareness week, we are shining a light on this vital provision to ensure that it is recognised, valued and fully included in future policy making.”
Get involved
Natspec warmly invites learners, advocates, policymakers, local leaders, employers, parents and community supporters to join The Power of Specialist FE campaign. Your voice can help raise awareness of why specialist FE is essential and drive real change.
- Become an advocate: Use the campaign’s dedicated “For Advocates” resources on the Specialist FE website to access key messaging, data and toolkits designed to help you make the case for specialist further education.
- Share your story: Whether you are a parent, employer, employer partner, or policymaker, your perspective is valuable. Share personal experiences about why specialist FE matters to you, encouraging learners to access the learner page and use the hashtags #SpecialistFEWorksForMe #SpecialistFEWorkedForMe on social media.
- Show your support on social media: Natspec, our member colleges and our wider network will be posting regularly on social media about the activities happening throughout the week. Clare Howard OBE, Natspec’s CEO, will be doing a mammoth road trip – trying to drop in on as many colleges as possible. Show your support by reposting our content on LinkedIn, Bluesky, X and Instagram and adding your own thoughts and comments.
By stepping forward as an advocate, you play a direct role in spotlighting the transformative power of specialist FE and ensuring that it is recognised, valued, and meaningfully included in education policy.