Following NatSIP work for the Department for Education on the Future of the Sensory Impaired workforce, in 2019/20 DfE engaged NatSIP in the revision of Mandatory Qualification Standards across the three specialist areas for teachers of children and young people with Hearing Impairment/deaf (QToDs), Multi sensory Impairment/deafblind (QTMSIs) and Vision Impairment (QTVIs).
The requirements of the DfE were that the new standards should reflect the changing landscape in education, be flexible in order to continue to meet the needs of SI children, align with DfE priorities to co-design and deliver training in an increasingly school led system and raise aspirations for children and young people with SI.
As a result of the collaborative working and consultations across the sector new standards for the Mandatory Qualifications for Teaching Children with Sensory Impairment are in place and were published alongside the SEND and AR Improvement Plan in March 2023.
The three different mandatory qualifications provide the opportunity for professional development and essential grounding in highly specialist skills to ensure that children and young people with sensory impairments can have equality of access to education, opportunities to develop independence and be prepared for successful adult life. The qualifications provide teachers with the tools to develop and maintain the knowledge, understanding and skills within a dynamic and changing educational environment.
The Mandatory Qualifications for Teaching Children with Sensory Impairment continue to be open for applications from the course providers in University of Birmingham (HI, MSI, VI), University of Edinburgh (VI), University of Hertfordshire with Mary Hare School (HI), University of Leeds (HI), University of Manchester (HI), Liverpool John Moores University with St Vincent's School (VI). Recruitment is underway for September 2023.