Students and staff are celebrating after being shortlisted for two categories in the prestigious 2026 Natspec Innovation Awards.
The national awards recognise and celebrate outstanding, innovative practice across specialist further education colleges, highlighting initiatives that make a real difference to young people with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities).
Derwen College has been named a finalist for Innovation in Student Voice for the Student Council’s community accessibility work for Purple Pound Day, and for Innovative Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing for our pioneering Sleep Matters initiative.
The Innovation in Student Voice nomination recognises the powerful work led by the Student Council to help make local businesses more accessible for people with learning difficulties and disabilities. Their work, in partnership with specialist staff across College, has empowered students to assess local services and raise awareness of inclusive, disability‑friendly practice.
Meanwhile, the College’s Sleep Matters project, led by the occupational therapy team, has been shortlisted in the Innovative Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing category. The initiative is part of our wider Wellbeing Strategy and focuses on improving students’ sleep hygiene to support emotional regulation, cognitive performance, and everyday learning.
Congratulations!
Clare Howard, Chief Executive of Natspec, praised the achievements of this year’s finalists. She said: “With policy changes and uncertainty currently affecting specialist colleges, it is more important than ever to recognise and celebrate their innovative work. The entries to this year’s Natspec Innovation Awards have shown that, despite external pressures, specialist colleges continue to use innovative ways to ensure meaningful outcomes for learners. This year’s submissions showcased an impressive range of inspiring initiatives, with shortlisted colleges clearly demonstrating what makes their projects truly innovative. Congratulations to the 16 shortlisted projects and their colleges!”
The winners across seven categories will be selected by an independent judging panel and announced at an online awards ceremony on Thursday 26 March.
Derwen College is proud to be recognised among the UK’s leading specialist FE providers and looks forward to celebrating innovation across the sector next month.
