If you have succeeded in securing a visit from a local MP to your college, you are likely to have a clear purpose for inviting them. There will be things you want them to know about your college: what you do; what kinds of students you support; the value you add to your local community. MPs are interested and looking to help, but they’re not specialists. Many won’t be familiar with SEND-specific issues, the role of specialist FE colleges, the learners you support, or the policy changes needed to sustain your work. You can use our pre-prepared briefings to explain some of these issues to your MP. You could also extract relevant statistical information about SEND in FE from our annual publication, SEND in FE Key Facts.
Highlighting national policy asks
Where you can, please take the opportunity to point out that many of the issues affecting your college are not one-off local issues but are being experienced (albeit in slightly different ways) sector-wide. This will help your MP to understand that these issues need not just local solutions but national policy change. You can find more information on policy priorities and position statements on the Natspec website.
Use these pre-prepared briefs to help build your MP’s understanding.
Briefing an MP on specialist FE sector
Briefing an MP on the 2026 SEND reform proposals
Briefing on the importance of post-19 provision
Briefing an MS on specialist FE and ALN