SEND Reform: Don’t Leave Blind and Partially Sighted Students Out of Sight

On 23 February 2026, the government published the Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, alongside the consultation SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First. Together, these proposals signal significant change and set out an ambition for a more inclusive mainstream education system.

At Thomas Pocklington Trust, we share the ambition for system that delivers earlier support, strengthens inclusion in mainstream settings, and improves transitions for children and young people with SEND.

Reform is needed. Too many blind and partially sighted children and young people are not receiving the support they are entitled to, the impact on learning, independence, wellbeing and future opportunities is profound. 

Our focus is to work constructively with the Department for Education and sector partners to ensure that blind and partially sighted learners are fully considered as the proposals develop.

Getting it Right for Blind and Partially Sighted Students 

Barriers for blind and partially sighted children and young people re widespread and systemic. These include:

• Inconsistent access to specialist support. 
• Gaps in inclusive classroom practice.
• Limited access to assistive technology. 
• Insufficient reasonable adjustments. 
• Challenges at key transition points.

Specialist input is critical and we welcome the explicit reference in the consultation to the role of Qualified Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (QTVIs) and Habilitation Specialists. This reflects the consistent engagement and expertise from the sector so far, but there is still more to do.

As the new tiered system is designed, it will be important to ensure that new barriers to access specialist are not created. Children and young people should not need an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to receive support from a QTVI, and that this principle should be enacted in the new framework.

Workforce and Funding 

There are significant and persistent gaps in the specialist workforce. The proposal to create an “Experts at Hand” service could potentially help to address this, but only if there is investment to strengthen specialist vision Impairment (VI) input to mainstream settings.

To ensure this ambition translates into meaningful change, reform should include: 

• Targeted investment in VI education services.
• A clear national workforce strategy to address shortages in QTVIs and habilitation specialists.
• Transparency about how funding changes, including any redistribution from the high needs block to schools’ main budgets, will affect VI services.

Alongside sector partners we are in the position to support the Department for Education to understanding how funding and what the reforms could do to address existing shortfalls.

National Inclusion Standards 

We welcome the development of ‘National Inclusion Standards’ and see this as a significant opportunity to drive consistency of inclusive practice.

The development of these standards should include adoption of the Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) within policy and guidance. Access to specialist learning, including mobility, independence skills, and assistive technology, is essential to ensuring equitable access to education.

The definition of “complex needs” within the reforms are crucial in determining how blind and partially sighted children and young people experience the new system. We are committed to working with policymakers to provide clarity and specialist expertise in this area.

Centring Lived Experience 

Our response to the consultation will be shaped by the lived experiences of blind and partially sighted children and young people.

Together with RNIB we will be holding roundtable discussions to capture the voices and experiences of young people, their families, and professionals. The insights gathered will inform our formal consultation response and ongoing engagement with government.

Calling all Blind and Partially Sighted Young People! 

• We are inviting young people to join a focus group to talk about the proposals for reform to the SEND system planned by the Department for Education. This is your chance to share what you really think about the proposals and shape our response to the consultation. 
• Wednesday 15th April, 6pm-7pm, online on MS Teams.  
• Please register here.

Calling all Professionals! 

• RNIB will be hosting a series of roundtable events for professionals to feed into the SEND reforms consultation. To register your interest, please email Roisin Jacklin at roisin.jacklin@rnib.org.uk

If you cannot make the above dates but would still like to contribute to contribute to these discussions, please contact: 

EducationPolicy@pocklington.org.uk