The role of the QTVI (2)

As your list probably indicates, the role of the specialist teacher is a multi-faceted one with role holders expecting to be able to demonstrate, knowledge understanding and skills in wide range of areas. At this point it will be helpful to refer to the specification for specialist teachers of children and young people with vision impairment Links to an external site. published by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) and in particular Annex A. This annex provides a list of the ‘minimum mandatory outcomes’ for the mandatory qualification that you are about to study. This is an important reference point as it serves to indicate the knowledge, understanding and skills that you will be developing over the coming months and years.

Although a number of frameworks have been developed outlining the core ‘competencies’ of teachers who undertake this role, there is to date no universal agreement as to what these consist of within the United Kingdom. A summary of the current situation in the four home nations of the United Kingdom is outlined below.

	England	Northern Ireland	Scotland	Wales
Title of Award	Mandatory Qualification for Specialist Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairments	Approved course for teaching pupils with visual impairment	Postgraduate Diploma Inclusive Education (visually impaired learners)	No specific qualification required
Approving Body	NCTL (National College of Teaching and Leadership)	Department for Education	Scottish Executive Education Department	None
Application	“Those teaching classes of children with vision impairment must hold an appropriate qualification approved by the Secretary of State. Teachers working in an advisory role to support such pupils should also hold the appropriate qualification.”	“Qualified teachers who wish to teach pupils with visual and/or hearing impairment must ensure they have the requisite qualifications. “	“Where an education authority employs a teacher wholly or mainly to teach pupils who are hearing impaired visually impaired or both hearing and visually impaired, then that teacher should possess an appropriate qualification to teach such pupils.”	There is currently no formal requirement to hold an additional qualification in Wales but in practice schools and LAs follow what happens in England

Further details

England: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mandatory-qualifications-specialist-teachers Links to an external site.
Northern Ireland: https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/circular-200722-qualifications-teachers-nursery-primary-secondary-and-special-schools Links to an external site.
Scotland: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2007/01/29163203/3 Links to an external site.
Wales: There is no direct reference to the requirement to hold a specialist qualification on the Welsh Government website.
Ireland: The situation is similar to that in Wales, i.e. there is an expectation that teachers gain a specialist qualification