Academic Life

We offer the full National Curriculum to visually impaired young people and a wide range of GCSE and A-Level options

We take students with a range of academic ability if we feel we are able to support them and meet their needs. However, our emphasis is on achievement: our exam results are always impressive and most of our students go on to university.

All our teachers are subject specialists, as well as qualified teachers for the visually impaired, who have a real flair for developing self-esteem. They give our students the individual attention, in small class sizes, that is so important to help them do well academically.

Our academic facilities include a Learning Resource Centre with a library, an Examination Centre, three ICT rooms, five science laboratories, a Music Centre and a range of dedicated subject classrooms.

Our students can do it

We offer a wide range of GCSE subjects and over 24 AS and A2 subjects, to ensure a varied choice for our Sixth Form students. In this way students are supported to progress to an extensive range of courses in further and higher education and then on to diverse careers.

We also provide ASDAN courses (personal, social and communication skills) for some students to give them the chance to develop and practise a range of skills and participate in many activities outside the classroom.

Students often achieve grades well above the national average, taking no account of visual impairment or any additional needs. Students’ hard work, together with the commitment of staff, lead to examination results which demonstrate strong and impressive ‘value added’, looking at progress across Key Stages.

“We never forget that our students are young people first. Young people who just happen to need support for their visual impairment.”
Kate Campbell, SENCO