SEND Local Authority Reform Plans – is special school expertise at hand or out of reach?
Claire Dorer OBE explores the uncertainty facing special schools as SEND reforms take shape, questioning how their expertise can be expanded across the system while policy simultaneously seeks to reduce reliance on specialist placements.
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A new way to hear every pupil’s voice at mealtimes
Litmus Partnership launches first-of-its-kind Consumer Insight for special schools
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Announcing our 2026 NASS Award finalists!
We are delighted to announce our 12 finalists in this year's NASS Awards!
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AGNI and deprivation of liberty: What special schools need to know
In this guest blog for NASS, Kathryn Layzell, Partner at Stone King LLP, explains the implications of the recent AGNI judgment for special schools and pupils with complex needs.
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When placements break down – how to achieve a good ending for children, schools and local authorities
When an EHCP-funded placement is no longer working, finding the right way forward can be challenging. In this guest blog, our NASS partner Stone King explores placement breakdown, exclusion, early engagement and planned transitions.
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Four Asks. One Ambition: A SEND system where every child can thrive
In the week that Andy Burnham took office as Prime Minister, NASS wrote to the new Prime Minister to set out four priorities for SEND reform in a series of briefing papers.
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Zero-hours & low-hours contracts
In this guest blog, Gemma Hill of HCR Law explains what's in the government's latest consultation (currently open until 25th August), explores the proposed new rights for workers and agency staff, and highlights the key issues special schools need to be aware of as these employment law changes take shape.
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NASS appoints new CEO
NASS Trustees have appointed Clive Lawrence OBE as the new Chief Executive of NASS and he will join NASS in November 2026.
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More money upfront… but at what cost?
What does the government's new SEND funding consultation mean for special schools? In this analysis, NASS Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer Mari Davis explores the potential opportunities, risks and unanswered questions behind the proposals, and why special schools should be paying close attention.
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KCSIE 2026: What special schools need to know
KCSIE 2026 was published on 7th July and comes into force in September 2026. In this article, Kate Shields from NASS Partner HCR Law explores the key changes, what they mean for special schools, and the steps leaders should take to ensure safeguarding policies, staff training and practice remain compliant and effective.
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The experts are at hand – but where are they coming from?
Jasper Williams, NASS’s Policy & Research Intern reflects on the Government’s Experts at Hand proposals — the opportunities they could create for collaboration between mainstream and special schools and the unanswered questions around funding, workforce and local planning.
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