Chantry
Primary Academy

Learning values for life

VI Conference call to the Department for Education

Wednesday 6th May 2026

On Wednesday 6th May, four pupils from our Visual Impairment Provision participated in an important conference call with the Department for Education. During this meeting, which focused on the future of supporting children with special educational needs in mainstream schools, our pupils spoke before an audience of over 20 politicians and the Children’s Commissioner’s team.

They shared their personal experiences of what it is like to be visually impaired and part of the VI provision, speaking with fantastic clarity and confidence. In answering questions, they truly embodied our values of community, courage, and advocacy. A particular highlight was their conversation with an assistant to Lord David Blunkett, who served as a blind Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2015 and remains an active member of the House of Lords. The assistant recalled the early days of supporting Lord Blunkett's career, describing how they would adapt vital memos into braille and audio recordings to ensure he could lead effectively. One of our pupils shared that she aspires to be the prime minister and was told she would be welcomed by them all. So incredibly proud of our pupils.