SEND Workforce Development: Study Programmes

Natspec and ACER are leading a project, funded by ETF on behalf of the Department for Education, to help providers design and deliver high quality study programmes that support learners with SEND to achieve ambitious outcomes and prepare them for further or higher education, employment and fulfilling adult lives.

The project is open to all providers in the FE and Skills sector and concerned with study programmes for learners with and without EHC Plans and for those in discrete and mainstream provision. We will be offering a number of different types of support for post-16 providers of all types including webinars, online modules and CPD resources on a range of different topics.

The project consists of:

Four launch events

6 June: Leeds
8 June: Taunton
15 June: London
29 June: Nottingham

Collaborative working – clusters of providers

We are inviting applications from groups of providers to become a cluster, working collaboratively to share good practice and undertake activities to improve study programmes. Applications are open until July 31 to be involved in one of the 15 clusters across the country.

Each cluster will receive £2,500 to work on the project between September and February.

Apply as a group of providers to be a cluster group

Read the application guidance which provides more detail about becoming a cluster group

Apply to be part of the project.

Webinars, resources and dissemination

Five webinars will be available between November and March on specific aspects of design and delivery of Study Programmes

A bank of CPD resources will be produced for the wider sector. These resources will be made available via the Excellence Gateway and/or Foundation Online.

The clusters will share their learning at four dissemination events in March 2018 – including showcasing the range of resources produced and exploring the effective approaches developed and used in the project.