Nasen

What Nasen does

Nasen (the National Association for Special Educational Needs) is a UK-registered charity and company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 19 December 1991 and headquartered in Tamworth, Staffordshire, with a second office in London. It is the self-described leading professional membership body for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the UK, serving SENCOs, teachers, support staff, inclusion managers, school leaders, governors, schools, multi-academy trusts, local authorities, and the Department for Education.

Its core product is the nasen Academy, a SCORM-compliant Learning Management System launched in February 2026 that delivers accredited continuing professional development (CPD) courses to individual members and subscribing organisations. The Academy sits on top of a tiered membership model: a free Core membership for UK residents and a paid Plus membership granting full LMS access, personalised dashboards, certification pathways, and one complimentary module credit. Institutional customers (schools, MATs, local authorities) purchase Organisational LMS subscriptions with per-user licensing, co-branding options, organisational analytics, and dedicated support. Supporting offerings include specialist SEND Reviews, the Recognised Teacher/Practitioner of SEND programme, the nasen Quality Framework, a SENCO Support Service, the Whole School SEND / Universal SEND Services programme (DfE-funded and run jointly with the Education and Training Foundation), and a publications portfolio (nasen Connect magazine, Book Series, Journals, Miniguides). Nasen also runs the annual nasen LIVE conference (3 July 2026 at The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham) and the nasen Awards.

Nasen monetises through a mix of recurring membership and Organisational LMS subscriptions, pay-as-you-go event fees (e.g., £109 per nasen LIVE 2026 ticket), paid SEND services, publications, sponsor income from partners such as Axcis Education, BeReady, Concero Education, Nisai Learning, and TTS, and DfE grant funding. The go-to-market motion is membership-driven, combining self-service online enrolment with direct sales to schools, MATs, and local authorities; demand generation relies on content marketing, webinars (Twilight Talks), events, and an active social presence. The organisation is ISO 9001:2015 certified and PCI-DSS compliant for payments, and operates in the United Kingdom only, having ceased accepting new international memberships while continuing to serve existing international subscribers.

Name

Nasen

Legal name

The National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN)

Website

https://nasen.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nasen is a UK charity and the leading professional membership body for SEND, serving SENCOs, teachers, schools, MATs, and local authorities with a SCORM-compliant CPD LMS, accredited courses, SEND reviews, events, and the DfE-funded Universal SEND Services programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Educational Needs Professional Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Core LMS Platforms (Academic & Corporate) (EDAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Learning Content Bundling & Subscription Passes (All-Access Libraries) (MPACALAL)

Keywords

• Special educational needs
• Professional development training
• Membership services
• Inclusive education resources
• Learning management system

Headquarters

HQ city

Tamworth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual paid Plus Membership providing full access to nasen Academy LMS including personalised dashboards, certification pathways, and complimentary module credit. Also Organisational LMS Subscriptions for schools, MATs, and local authorities with per-user licensing.
2. Event Fees: Revenue from nasen LIVE annual conference (tickets priced at £109 for the 2026 event) and other training events and seminars.
3. SEND Services: Paid SEND services including the Recognised Teacher/Practitioner of SEND programme offered on a subscription basis (12-month access).
4. Core Membership (Free Tier): Free membership providing selected complimentary benefits including digital resources, newsletters, and webinars to UK individuals. Serves as a funnel to paid upgrades.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nasen provides tiered membership subscriptions (free Core and paid Plus) and organisational licences that grant access to the nasen Academy LMS, a SCORM-compliant platform delivering specialist-developed, evidence-based CPD courses on SEND. It complements this with paid specialist services (SEND Reviews, Recognised Teacher/Practitioner programme), ticketed events (nasen LIVE conference), webinars (Twilight Talks), and a DfE-funded free resource programme (Whole School SEND / Universal SEND Services) for UK schools and further education settings.

Product overview

Nasen offers a platform-plus-modules architecture centred on its nasen Academy Learning Management System (LMS), a SCORM-compliant platform for delivering accredited CPD courses. The core offering includes tiered membership (Core free and Plus paid), with Plus members and organisational subscribers gaining full LMS access featuring personalised dashboards, certification pathways, and analytics. Supporting products include SEND Reviews (specialist assessments), the Recognised Teacher/Practitioner Programme (professional recognition), nasen Quality Framework (resource certification), SENCO Support Service, and a comprehensive Resources library including nasen Connect magazine, Book Series, and Journals. Events include the annual nasen LIVE conference and nasen Awards. Whole School SEND operates as a DfE-funded sub-brand providing free universal resources, online CPD units, autism training, and regional support across UK schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Whole School SEND: A DfE funded programme providing free, quality-assured information, resources and CPD to support a whole school approach to inclusion, hosted by nasen alongside strategic partner Education and Training Foundation (ETF).
• nasen Academy

Products and services

• nasen Academy A SCORM-compliant Learning Management System delivering accredited CPD courses on SEND, developed by nasen specialists, with personalised progress tracking, dashboards, analytics, and certification pathways for individual Plus members and organisational subscribers.
• Core Membership Free annual membership tier for UK residents providing selected complimentary benefits including digital resources, newsletters, webinars, and other SEND-focused materials; auto-renews annually and serves as the funnel into paid Plus membership.
• Plus Membership Paid annual individual membership granting full access to the nasen Academy LMS, personalised dashboards, certification pathways, and one complimentary module credit; auto-renews annually.
• Organisational LMS Subscription

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1.8 million pupils in England have special educational needs (SEN) - representing an increase of 91,400 (5.2%) pupils since 2025

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Nurture InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Nurture International collaborated on the Twilight Talk 'From Data to Impact' series. Creator of the Digital Developmental Portrait, a time-effective tool validated by the University of Liverpool for embedding developmental, nurture-informed approaches at whole-school levels.
• Education and Training Foundation (ETF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation and Training Foundation is a strategic partner of nasen for leading the Universal SEND Services programme. This DfE-funded programme provides free, easy access to quality-assured information, resources and CPD to support a whole school approach to inclusion across England.
• Axcis EducationminorOthersAxcis Education is a sponsor of nasen. They are the foremost supplier of SEND staff to mainstream and specialist schools in England and Wales, providing teaching, leadership and support staff recruitment services.
• BeReadyminorOthersBeReady is a sponsor of nasen. They are a learning and development organisation that transforms lives through fully-funded, CPD-accredited programmes for all school staff across England with deeply embedded SEND content.
• Concero EducationminorOthersConcero Education is a sponsor of nasen and partner for accessibility training. They support education organisations by designing, building and delivering specialist technical services and solutions including inclusive IT environments.
• Nisai LearningminorOthersNisai Learning is a sponsor of nasen. Established in 1996, they provide flexible, personalised online and blended education for non-traditional learners, including those with SEND and SEMH.
• TTSminorOthersTTS is a sponsor of nasen. For 40 years TTS has worked with educators to develop high quality and developmentally aligned resources, with CPD accredited podcasts, blogs and exclusive content.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Council for Disabled Children: UK charity umbrella body for the children's disability and SEND sector, providing policy advocacy, training, and resources to member organisations. Directly comparable as a SEND-sector professional body with training and policy influence.
• Association for Science Education (ASE): Long-established UK subject association offering individual and institutional membership, CPD courses, conferences, journals, and resources. Closely comparable operating model to nasen — membership, CPD, publications, annual conference — in a different subject area.
• The Geographical Association: UK subject association with individual and school membership tiers, CPD, publications (journals and magazines), and an annual conference. Structurally and operationally similar to nasen as a UK subject-based professional membership body.
• Chartered College of Teaching: UK professional membership body for the teaching profession offering chartered status, CPD, and professional learning resources. Directly comparable to nasen as a teacher-facing professional body with paid membership, CPD content, and event programming, though broader than SEND.

Broad incumbents

• Tes Global: Major UK-headquartered education platform providing teaching resources, CPD courses, recruitment, and school software to a global audience. Broader incumbent with overlapping CPD and resource offerings for schools, plus stronger financial firepower.
• Mencap: Large UK charity supporting people with learning disabilities, including the education and training workforce around SEND. Comparable as a SEND/learning-disability charity with training resources, but a broader services scope and significantly larger scale than nasen.
• The National Autistic Society: Largest UK charity for people affected by autism, providing training, services, advocacy, and resources across education, employment, and adult services. A much larger SEND-adjacent organisation with overlapping training and resource offerings for educators.

Emerging players

• IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice): UK charity providing SEND-related training, advice, and resources to parents and professionals. Partial overlap with nasen's training and resource mission in the SEND sector, but smaller and focused on legal/advisory content.
• Contact (for families with disabled children): UK charity supporting families with disabled children, offering training, resources, and SEND-related guidance. Comparable in the SEND ecosystem with training and resource offerings, but with a family-facing rather than professional membership focus.

Others

• Education and Training Foundation (ETF): UK sector body for the further education and training workforce, and a strategic partner of nasen on the DfE-funded Universal SEND Services programme. Adjacent, not directly competitive, but operates in the same policy, training, and CPD ecosystem for educators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nasen_org
• Facebookfacebook.com/370441986600
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-national-association-for-special-educational-needs-nasen-
• Instagraminstagram.com/nasen_org
• TikToktiktok.com/@nasen_org

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nasen