Survey

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Post-14 transitions support – a survey of the transition experience of visually impaired young people

Technical report of findings to summer 2011

Report for RNIB

August 2011

Authors:

Rachel Hewett

Graeme Douglas

Huw Williams

Visual Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research (VICTAR)

School of Education

University of Birmingham

Birmingham, B15 2TT

Contents

1 Background of the RNIB Transitions Project 14

1.1 Project Overview 14

1.2 Summer 2010 survey (Year 9 and 11) 15

1.3 Autumn 2010 survey (Year 11) 16

1.4 Spring 2011 survey (Year 9 and 11) 16

2 Post-16 Transition 17

3 Project Overview 21

3.1 RNIB Transitions Project 21

3.2 Method 22

3.3 Comparator Questions 25

3.4 Reporting strategy 25

4 Sample demographics and representativeness 27

4.1 Project sample and population 27

4.2 Participant drop-out (summer 2010 to spring 2011) 29

5 Findings – summer 2010 30

5.1 You and your family 30

5.2 Your visual impairment and support you receive at school 34

5.3 Statutory Support for Transition 41

5.4 Connexions/Careers Wales 47

5.5 Locus of Control and ‘self theory’ 50

5.6 Decisions for the future 54

6 Findings – summer 2010 and spring 2011 61

6.1 Planning for careers and the future 61

6.2 Work Experience 70

7 Findings – autumn 2010 and spring 2011 75

7.1 Examinations Experience 75

7.2 Travel 78

7.3 GCSE and equivalent results of Year 11 students 79

7.4 Transition experience of Year 11 students 81

7.5 Transitions Experience of Year 9 students 93

8 Conclusions and future plans 99

8.1 Key Findings 99

8.2 Future Plans 102

9 Appendix of Tables 104

10 References 140

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the many people who have supported this project.

Firstly, we would like to recognise the contribution given by the Visual Impairment Support Services, Resource Bases and Special School who assisted in the recruitment of the participants in this...