Natspec provides regular updates on Government policy, legislation, sector news and specialist college activities. This section holds the reports, publications, staff surveys and consultation results that relate to this work. Consultation responses can now be found on the consultations page.
Publications
- Are the wheels falling off?: The state of post-16 transport for learners with SEND, December 2024
- 2024 Key Facts: a collation of data sources regarding SEND in FE, November 2024
- Inclusion in Further Education: Natspec shares its understanding of an inclusive further education system, August 2022
- Breaking down the binary system: a report about how partnership working across general and specialist FE colleges can benefit learners with SEND, August 2022
- Key-Facts-August-2022: a collation of data sources relevant to specialist provision in the FE sector
- Review of the Natspec Year 2021 to 2022, May 2022
- How young people find out about their post-16 options: a report into the quality of independent advice and guidance in England and Wales, February 2021
- Natspec Annual Report 2020-21, 2021
- The future role of specialist colleges: a contribution to the SEND review, December 2020
- Review of commissioning and high needs funding: a report commissioned by LGA, AoC and Natspec, December 2020
- Special Education Consortium: Post 16 issues: a submission to the SEND review, November 2019
- SEND in FE Key facts 2019 a collation of various data sources including numbers of young people with EHCPs, numbers of high needs students, and the number and range of providers
- Valuing specialism; realising potential: a manifesto for the 2019 general election setting out what the priorities are for SEND in FE for the next government
- The NAO report and the PAC Inquiry: a response to the NAO report into SEND and how the headlines of that report change when further education is taken into consideration
- New specialist provision: Research and policy paper October 2018: a paper discussing when it is appropriate to open a new specialist college and how best to ensure quality of provision
- Review of EHCPs in 2016 and 2017
A research paper analysing issues relating to quality of EHCPs in 2016 and 2017, with examples of good practice and recommendations for improvement. - Residential Specialist Colleges: review of Ofsted reports
A paper summarising the evidence from Ofsted reports of residential specialist colleges, as part of our evidence to the Lenehan Review. - Partnerships report 2016
A report examining best practice relating to partnerships between specialist providers and other organisations. - Working together: LAs and Colleges 2016
A report supported by DfE, LGA, AoC, Natspec and AELP to build working relationships in commissioning. - The value of developing the skills of independent living in an education rather than a care setting March 2014