Torbay’s Visual Impairment (VI) Service offer advice and support. Torbay Visual Impairment (VI) Service has been developed to provide specialist support and advice to all Torbay’s Local Authority early years settings and schools, including special schools and provisions. The service supports the inclusion of pupils with visual impairments in all these settings.

The referrals are managed by the Local Authority Torbay SEND team and are sent to the VI Advisory Teacher. Pupils can also be referred directly to the VI Advisory Teacher by the Ophthalmology department at Torbay Hospital. As necessary, this will be followed by a visit from the VI Advisory Teacher.

The Service is, at present, staffed by one part-time advisory teacher. This teacher is an experienced teacher with an additional degree in working with children and young people with VI.  This includes a qualification in Grade Two Braille and knowledge and experience of access technology that supports the learning of both modified large print (MLP) users and Braillists in their setting.

Torbay VI (Visual Impairments) Service – Family Hub (torbayfamilyhub.org.uk)

Torbay’s VI Advisory Teacher is Rosey James rosey.james@torbay.gov.uk 07393 802534

All children deserve the care and support they need to have the best start in life. Children learn and develop at a faster rate from birth to five years old than at any other time in their lives, so their experiences in early years have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe, and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high-quality early learning provide the foundation children need to fulfil their potential.

Four guiding principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage are:

• Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured.
• Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
• Children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time. Children benefit from a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers.
• Importance of learning and development. Children develop and learn at different rates. (See “the characteristics of effective teaching and learning” at paragraph 1.18). The framework covers the education and care of all children, including children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

• Development Matters – Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage (publishing.service.gov.uk)
• Birthto5Matters-download.pdf
• What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS-complete-FINAL-16.09-compressed.pdf (foundationyears.org.uk)