About SWALSS
Formed as a professional association in 1985, with the prime purpose being to organise CPD for Headteachers, Deputies, Middle Leaders and School Business Managers through conferences, workshops and training programmes.
SWALSS is dedicated to improving the education and care of children
and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities.
SWALSS actively seeks to represent the views of its members to all the major educational organisations including, DFE, OfSTED, NC, NASS and the SSAT.
SWALSS promotes collaboration between professionals throughout the South of England and Wales to improve the quality of education and care for children with special educational needs. This is achieved through programmes offering high quality professional development.
We are a not-for-profit association and have over 150 special school members! Join the association today!
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We have four aims
To promote collaboration between professionals in improving the quality of education and care for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
To promote and enhance high quality leadership, management and professional practice in special schools and colleges across the full range of SEND settings.
To have the capacity, expertise and credibility to influence national and regional policy through consultation with the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, the Teaching Schools Council and other key stakeholders.
To operate as a high quality, not-for-profit organisation within a rigorous quality assurance framework.
The purpose and operating practices of SWALSS are all set out in our Constitution, which is updated annually.
As a voluntary organisation operating in the fast moving world of special education, it is essential that SWALSS works proactively to remain viable and relevant.
We listen carefully to our member schools in order to provide exactly what they need.
Our Executive Committee maintains an action plan that details the development work we are currently engaged upon.
Discover the benefits of SWALSS membership
Our four annual conferences, for example, are always well supported and the reviews of them featured on this site are testament to how school leaders regard them.
Our Leadership and Management Course is now in its ninth year and continues to provide an invaluable special school alternative to the more generic NPQ courses available elsewhere.
These two key offers are supported by a wide range of other training, development and support opportunities that flex and change according to the needs of our members.
Every effort is made to keep our conferences and other events as affordable as we possibly can: we prize value for money very highly and our outgoings are kept to an absolute minimum.
Now what's the cost?
Attendance at any SWALSS event requires membership, but at only £195 per school per year the comparison with other organisations is clear.