Step One: Know What Support You Can Expect

Your school has a duty to ensure that every student can access education opportunities. This includes students who have special needs or a disability. So, as a blind or partially sighted young person, if you need support to access learning  your school should do everything they can to meet your needs.

Here are some examples of how your school might be able to support you:

• Provide class materials in formats that are accessible for you, such as large print, braille, electronic documents or even audio.
• Ensure the school environment considers your vision impairment, for example adapting lighting, reducing glare from windows, or having clear pathways. Learn how professionals can create inclusive education environments in our four step guide.
• Ensure you are supported to navigate your way around school independently; this could include being taught routes to and from classes and adjustments being made to the school environment such as tactile marking on steps, braille notation on signs and doors. Find out more in Step Four: Understand How to Get Around School.
• Ensuring you can take exams and assessments in a way that is accessible to you. This may include having exam papers in an accessible format, having someone to read questions and write your answers, providing extra time and a suitable environment to sit the exam.

The important thing to remember is you should be supported in a way that enables you to do as well at school as your classmates.

The support you receive at school can be delivered by different people, including your teachers and other specialist members of staff. You can find out more about these different people on our ‘Understanding the professionals that are there to support you’ page.