An estimated 25,000 blind and partially sighted children and young people in Britain need specialist education support. The majority are educated in mainstream schools. A high proportion (at least 50 per cent) have additional disabilities and/or special educational needs (SEN) (Morris and Smith, 2008).
This section provides facts and figures about education for children and young people with visual impairment, and provides a gateway to the most important research and policy work RNIB has undertaken in this area.
You can also visit our research pages for a full list of RNIB's education research reports and for other relevant research relating to complex needs and employment of blind and partially sighted people. All RNIB research reports can be downloaded from the website.
RNIB believes in an evidence based approach to policy, and research is used to inform RNIB responses to government consultations.
This section also includes a collection of external quality standards for reference, which collectively define what is expected of educational professionals working within the field of visual impairment.
We have developed a series of RNIB position statements on key aspects of provision to help safeguard the quality of support which blind and partially sighted children and young people require to achieve this aim.
Research in progress
Future provision of mandatory qualification training for teachers of pupils with visual impairment in London and the South and East of England
RNIB is carrying out a survey of VI services and schools in London and the south, east and south east of England as part of a review of the Disabilities of Sight programme. The programme is run by the Institute of Education (IOE), University of London in conjunction with RNIB and leads to the mandatory qualification for teachers of pupils with visual impairment (VI).
If you are the head of a VI or sensory service or school and have, or might in the future consider sending students for training on the Disabilities of Sight programme at the IOE, we would be grateful if you would take the time to complete the brief questionnaire and return it to Sue Keil at RNIB by 6 February 2012.
Download the covering letter and short survey for completion here: