Free school for blind children planned

A free school for blind and partially-sighted children has been proposed in Kent. It could be part of joint bid with those campaigniing for a Christian secondary school.

The impetus for the poposal cmes from the news that the Royal London Society for Blind People re closing their school in Dorton House in Seal. The RLSB want to focus on one-to-one and mobile visits.

Tony Negus, whose 10-year-old son Zac attends Dorton House, says:

"It took us nine months to get Zac into Dorton House through the council and he's been there since he was two. It's all he knows.

"Zac doesn't communicate well and the staff there are all well-trained.

"Inclusion in mainstream education is not possible. We have no other options but to create a school ourselves."

While Kent County Council is notionally Conservative it is hostile to free schools and also academies. But seven of the schools it runs are doing so badly that the faced being forced to become academies.