Department For Education
Overview
To teach a class of pupils with hearing impairment (HI), vision impairment (VI), or multi-sensory impairment (MSI), a teacher must hold a mandatory qualification. This qualification is required in addition to qualified teacher status.
To offer the mandatory qualification in sensory impairment (MQSI), providers must be approved by the Secretary of State.
Providers: until 31 August 2023
The following providers are approved to offer courses leading to the mandatory qualification, against the updated specifications from September 2016 to 31 August 2023.
| Provider | Specialism | Link to course details or contact |
|---|---|---|
| University of Birmingham | VI, HI and MSI | vision impairment, hearing impairment, multisensory impairment |
| University of Leeds | HI | hearing impairment |
| University of Manchester | HI | hearing impairment |
| Mary Hare School / University of Hertfordshire | HI | hearing impairment |
| University of Edinburgh | VI | vision impairment |
| Liverpool John Moores University / St Vincents special school | VI | vision impairment |
Specifications for mandatory qualifications: until 31 August 2023
Providers: from 1 September 2023
Following a invitation to tender (ITT) conducted in 2022, the following providers have been approved to offer the MQSI from 1 September 2023.
Providers have been approved for an initial period of 3 years with the option of extending annually for up to a further 3 years.
The MQSI offered from 1 September 2023 will need to meet the revised specifications for mandatory qualifications.
Providers have signed contracts with the Department for Education (DfE) to ensure the high quality delivery of the qualification that meets the needs of the profession and children and young people with sensory impairment.
| Provider | Specialism | Link to course details or contact |
|---|---|---|
| University of Birmingham | VI, HI and MSI | vision impairment, hearing impairment, multisensory impairment |
| University of Leeds | HI | hearing impairment |
| University of Manchester | HI | hearing impairment |
| Mary Hare School / University of Hertfordshire | HI | hearing impairment |
| University of Edinburgh | VI | vision impairment |
| Liverpool John Moores University | VI | vision impairment |
Additional Providers: from 1 September 2024
| Provider | Specialism | Link to course details or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Seashell Trust | MSI | multisensory impairment |
Revised specifications for mandatory qualifications: from 1 September 2023
In advance of updating the specifications for mandatory qualifications we have made the versions valid from 1 September 2023 available for reference before the original specifications are withdrawn.