Below are details of our current or most recent programmes.
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NASS Senior Leadership Course and Network 2026/7
Applications close on Friday 22nd May
Strong, well-supported leadership is critical to the future of special schools and alternative provision (AP). Yet we are acutely aware of the pressures faced by senior leaders in special and AP settings, and of how little support there is for their career development, ongoing job satisfaction, and well-being.
In response, we are pleased to introduce the NASS Senior Leadership Course and Network, a new programme designed exclusively for headteachers, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers working in special and AP settings.
The course and network will provide a mix of support, networking opportunities, leadership training and up-to-date research. There will be a strong emphasis on the development of coaching skills and on using these skills to support colleagues within the network.
The course and network will run from October 2026 to May 2027, in two groups, each participating in three virtual meetings and three face-to-face days.
Our three course tutors – Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Dominic Salles and Andy Lole – already run several successful courses for special school and AP leaders. The success of these courses demonstrates a clear desire among senior leaders to engage in further professional learning and to connect with like-minded colleagues.
For more information and an application form, please email: admin@nasschools.org.uk
NASS members benefit from a significant reduction in fees as part of their membership.
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Provision reviews with #TeamADL
The aim of the Provision Review accredited course is to enable senior leaders in special schools to undertake a sustainable review process in their setting.
Course Leader: Dr Anita Devi, Founder and CEO of #TeamADL
The process helps to clearly articulate the connectivity between high quality teaching + adaptive teaching (inclusion), reasonable adjustments (disability) and provision that is ‘additional to and different to’ (pupil specific).
Based on organisational change theory and robust research methodology, an effective Provision Review spotlights four variables and the interactions between them. These variables include the full breadth and depth of provision available, quality, impact, and cost. Provision Reviews engage all stakeholders in open dialogue, capitalising on local intelligence to enhance local strengths and to support local needs.
Provision Reviews are a strategic, face-to-face, integrated and locally developed approach to enhancing SEND provision that interfaces with the school improvement cycle to provide governors, trustees, senior leaders, staff, and families with relevant data about:
- What the setting offers and how effective it is
- Where there are gaps in provision
- Analysis of cost and impact for individual children as well as groups of learners
This methodology has been used in mainstream, special and AP over the last 18 years. As part of the course delivery, participants are shown examples and impact feedback, thereby enabling them to design their own plan to move forward. The course consists of participants journeying through a workbook to fully understand what a person-centred review looks like and how to conduct one with integrity.
The next training course will take place over two mornings (9.30am to 12.30pm) on 16th and 23rd September. >> Find out more and book onto the training
The Provision Review training with Anita was far better than what I was expecting. I gained clarity on how to elicit and draw together the lived experiences of a variety of stakeholders and formulate these high quality teaching expectations into an easily accessible two page document. – Deputy CEO at Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust
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Coaching offer for NASS members – ready to take your leadership to the next level?
The Glass House Leadership Lab is offering discounted rates on 1:1 personalised coaching sessions to support you in enhancing your leadership and the impact of your team. In a recent guest blog for NASS, Dr Matt Silver, Founder and CEO of The Glass House Leadership Lab, shared how transformative coaching can be for special schools, its leaders and communities. Read Matt’s blog
For further details about the offer for NASS members, please read the flyer below.
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NASS School Improvement Partner Training 2026/27
September 2026 to May 2027
Applications now closed
If you are a NASS member looking support from a NASS SIP, please visit our Member Zone to see our network of current SIPs available to provide support.
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Future-Readying Your Workforce Course, starting November 2025
Applications for the second cohort now closed.
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