How professional connection through ETF has supported continuous learning and innovation to help students gain vital career and life skills.
From school to college: a bold new chapter
When Newfriars College opened its doors in 2018, it marked a turning point for young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Stoke-on-Trent. Evolving from a specialist Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school into a further education (FE) provider, the college set out to give EHCP learners not only education, but a foundation for independence, confidence and adult life.
Over the first four years, the team was laser-focused on getting the essentials right by shaping a new culture and curriculum, and developing three tailored pathways: Vocational, Independent Living, and Supported Living, along with a Supported Internship programme.
Right time for perspective and connection
Laying those foundations took an incredible amount of work, focus and dedication, which left little time and space to connect with others in the specialist FE community. In 2022, Jay Marshall, Deputy Head, felt the time was right time to look outward and connect with the Education and Training Foundation’s (ETF) SEND offer.
The Newfriar’s College team were interested in how others were solving the same challenges they were facing – and started by attending ETF’s thematic sessions on learning support, national occupational standards and professional development for learning support staff. The team then began exploring the resources and standards from the City College Norwich (CCN), one of ETF’s Centres for Excellence in SEND.
Gaining confidence and reassurance through peer review
In 2023, Newfriars invited specialists from the CCN to visit to provide an external, critical-friend perspective via a peer review.
"The peer review forces you to step back and examine and reflect on what you do, because you have to be able to explain it to the review team,” explains Jay. “It breaks you out of the ‘silo thinking’ that is so easy to fall into.”
The review did not identify major areas for change. Instead, it provided valuable reassurance that Newfriars’ direction of travel was sound and reflected sector best practice. The peer-review turned into a valuable professional dialogue – testing assumptions, refining approaches and instilling the team with confidence.
Honest discussions with trusted colleagues
The Newfriars team has also been active participants in ETF’s Communities of Practice –regular forums that bring together leaders and practitioners from both specialist and mainstream FE SEND settings to share knowledge, discuss challenges and exchange ideas. Topics range from English and Maths provision to Supported Internships and Ofsted inspections.
“The value of the Communities of Practice is that because we've got to know each other well, we can be open and honest in our discussions”, reflects Jay.
These sessions have been instrumental in helping the Newfriars team stay on top of national policy changes and sector expectations – including facilitating effective benchmarking of the college’s offer against other providers.
Connecting, learning, and leading change
The Newfriars team has remained motivated to continue strengthening their practice and deepening their impact for learners. With ETF, they found not only resources but a community of mentors, peers, and ideas that have helped them take their next steps with confidence.
For example, Newfriars adapted national standards, informed by both ETF and Natspec resources, for learning support roles and began creating bite-sized CPD opportunities so every staff member could access meaningful professional learning. The college also refined its curriculum and pathways — drawing on insights from ETF events and peer discussions to strengthen Supported Internships and Workplace Experiences that prepare learners for life beyond college.
Most powerfully, engagement with ETF has reinforced Newfriars’ own culture of reflection and ambition. Regular, high-value touchpoints with the sector have encouraged leaders and staff to keep questioning, learning and improving.
Newfriars has paid it forward to the sector — using its voice within ETF’s Communities of Practice to champion the role of specialist colleges, challenge misconceptions and highlight the scale and value of specialist provision.
Moving forward with confidence and purpose
For Newfriars College, ETF’s SEND offer has become a catalyst for reflection, collaboration, and sustained improvement. Jay describes it as a “professional connection” — a way to stay “refreshed and on your toes,” ensuring the college’s provision is always the best it can be.
Newfriars has strengthened its approach to supporting learners with SEND — ensuring every young person is given the best possible preparation for adulthood.
Access fully funded SEND courses on ETF's Learning Platform.