Admission at RNIB Pears Centre

We offer specialist services to children and young people who are blind or partially sighted with multiple disabilities and complex needs, including:

Admission criteria

Within school we support children and young people aged 4 to 19. Within our children's home we are able to accommodate children and young people at any age between 0 and 19 years.

We support children and young people who have learning difficulties and disabilities and are blind or partially sighted. Additional needs we cater for include:

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
  • Physical disabilities
  • Communication difficulties
  • Additional sensory impairment (deafblindness)
  • Additional healthcare needs, such as epilepsy
  • Additional behavioural difficulties.

There is no geographical catchment area for RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning. We are able to admit young people from any area of the UK or, in exceptional circumstances, from overseas. Day pupils usually come from within easy daily travelling distance of Coventry, where we are based.

Admissions process

If we think we can meet a child's needs based on an initial assessment, we will make a provisional offer and await a formal referral from the local authority. Individual consideration will be given to referrals if an appropriate place is available and the admission criteria is met.

Pre-admission assessments of prospective children and young people are carried out in partnership with parents, carers and families as well as education, social care and health professionals. These aim to ensure that we can fully meet the individual young person's needs and that they are compatible with the needs of other children and young people we support. If we think we can meet a young person's needs based on our full assessment, we will make a formal offer of a place with cost breakdown.

For more information about our admissions process, download our admissions guide (Word, 230KB).

How to apply

Contact us and complete our placement enquiry form to tell us your child's needs. We recommend that you visit us to meet our team and see our facilities. To discuss places or arrange an informal visit, please get in touch.

Last updated: 19 April 2013

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Help us provide specialist services for children and young people with complex needs and sight loss, at RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning.

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