Mandatory Qualification for Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairments
Entry requirements
Applicants are normally required to have a first degree or diplomas or five years of relevant professional experience, training or other relevant qualifications.
In addition to the general entry requirements, applicants should have:
- Department for Education (DfE) Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or Qualified Teaching and Learning Skills (QTLS) status or equivalent;
- normally, a minimum of one year's teaching experience;
- mentor support from a qualified teacher of vision impairments (QTVI); either paid employment, or a formalised volunteer role with a view to employment as a QTVI, in a capacity that involves regular and ongoing teaching of children and young people with vision impairments throughout the duration of the programme.
Entry to the programme will be subject to a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check with barred list for children and adults.
Please note that for enrolment onto this course, Early Years Teaching Status does NOT count as qualified teacher status (QTS).
As well as those requirements already listed you will be expected to have:
- access to a braille machine for the duration of the programme;
- internet access from home and/or work;
- appropriate resources, commitment and a line manager’s agreement to allow full engagement in all the required components of the programme (e.g. attendance at residential study weekends and online study days and tutorials; agreement from line manager for release for educational visits, teaching placements and ideally a minimum of half a day per week study time; a mentor who is a QTVI).
Programme staff will discuss the course with all suitable candidates.
Months of entry
September
Course content
Our programmes in vision impairments provide opportunities for professional development for those who want to make a difference to the lives of children and young people with vision impairments
Approved by the Department of Education and designed to fit around busy working lives, the PGDip / MA Mandatory Qualifications for Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision impairments are blended learning programmes that enable qualified teachers (QTS or QTLS) to gain specialist skills and knowledge that make a difference to children and young people in the classroom. On the programme, you will be able to work through online learning materials at your own pace and will be supported by both online tutorials and live lectures. There are also two face to face study weekends which you must attend if you wish to gain the mandatory qualification.
Please note: alternative courses (The PGDip/MA Education of Children and Young People with Vision Impairments programme) is also open to teachers (as well as other professionals with appropriate qualifications) working with children and young people with vision impairments who do not wish, or are not eligible, to obtain qualified status to teach children and young people with vision impairment.
Why study this course?
- Approximately 100 specialist teachers of children with vision impairments are trained each year, making the University of Birmingham the largest teacher training provider in the area of vision impairment in the United Kingdom.
- The course is strongly rooted in practice and makes strong links with mainstream settings, special schools and settings, and sensory support services to help keep provision up to date and relevant to practice.
- The programme with its three sensory pathways, benefits from association with members of the Vision Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research (VICTAR), who are leading researchers in vision impairment education.
Fees and funding
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- MA
- part time36 months
- Distance learningis available for this qualification
- PGDip
- part time24 months
- Distance learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Enquiries
- visionimpairments@contacts.bham.ac.uk