Square pegs and round holes – Are we really ready for the mainstream inclusion overhaul? (That includes our students with ADHD?)
Amy Carr, Head of Curriculum Design and Personal Development at William Henry Smith School & Sixth Form, reflects on her research amplifying young people with ADHD who feel pressured by rigid school systems. She writes about the critical value of relationships and ensuring the voice of the child is heard.
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NASS response to the SEND reforms consultation
Read NASS's response to the SEND Reform consultation, along with three thought pieces that support further discussion and solution-finding. Thank you to the hundreds of schools that took time to contribute to our consultation events, these voices have been essential in shaping our response.
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NASS Awards 2026 open for entries
Our annual awards are open to NASS member schools and organisations. The deadline for entries is midday on Wednesday 15th July.
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Claire Dorer OBE to step down as Chief Executive of NASS after 21 years
On Monday 11th May, Claire Dorer OBE announced that she will step down as CEO of NASS at the end of 2026, after 21 years leading the membership association.
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Leadership isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being real
In this guest blog, Julie Liddell from Still Human (Part of Edwin People), writes about how behind every leadership role is a human being navigating complexity, pressure and, at times, isolation. And while leadership can look like certainty from the outside, it often feels like holding everything together for others.
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A new outcome measure tool to measure the impact of therapy on learners’ quality of life and access to education
Northern Counties School was our 2025 Innovation Award winner for developing a groundbreaking therapy outcome measure tool, designed to better capture the impact of therapy on learners with complex needs—supporting improvements in wellbeing, independence, and access to education. In this guest blog, Louise Allport, Assistant Head (Therapy), explains more.
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From Mental Health to Social and Emotional – what difference does it make?
NASS CEO, Claire Dorer, reflects on a proposal in the SEND Reforms consultation that could signal the end of a 12-year categorising of ‘Mental Health Needs’ as a distinct category of SEND, and a return to ‘Social and Emotional Needs’ within the SEND Code of Practice and proposed Specialist Provision Packages.
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How can a trauma-informed approach in special schools support the diverse and complex needs of learners?
In this guest blog, Julie Harmieson from TISCUK outlines how trauma-informed practice can be embedded across special school settings to better understand behaviour, support regulation and create environments where both learners and staff can thrive.
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SEMH: The missing foundation of teacher education
In this guest blog, Matthew Harris from St Edward's School shares what drove his school to partner with St Mary’s University to launch the UK’s first Primary PGCE with an SEMH enhancement. He highlights how too many teachers start their careers feeling unprepared to support pupils with SEMH needs, leaving some of the most vulnerable children without the understanding and help they deserve.
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Real-world risk scenarios special schools face (and what they teach us)
In this guest blog, Rachel Barker and Craig Cotton-Betteridge from AssuredPartners, explore real-world risk scenarios facing special schools and the lessons they offer for creating safer, more resilient learning environments.
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What about special schools and APs?
A guest blog from Dr Anita Devi that reflects on three key areas for special schools and Alternative Provision (AP) in relation to the SEND Reforms
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