Students living in Wales

The Welsh Government (WG) will make the decision about whether you can be funded to attend RNC. Their decision will be based on whether or not they believe you need a residential placement to complete your education, and the quality of the RNC offer.

They will look at a range of information, which may include the results from the Pre-Entry Assessment at RNC, reports on your progress at school, your future plans and reports by other professionals you have worked with. They will also look at what is available in your local area, to see whether your needs can be met there.

It is important to be clear about why you want to study at RNC and how this will make a difference compared to staying in your home area. You need to make sure that your Careers Wales Adviser understands what you hope to achieve and what your needs are. If they are not aware of your concerns and the issues you face, they will not be able to support you in moving forwards. You will also need to explore local options to make sure you are aware of all the alternatives.

If RNC is right for you, there will be good reasons for this. You may not be able to study your chosen course in your home area. You may have fallen behind or had a very difficult experience at school. Your eye condition may have developed recently or have deteriorated so you need extra support to regain your confidence and rebuild your skills. You may feel socially isolated or excluded, particularly if you are the only person you know who has a visual impairment, and lack confidence as a result. You may need specialist help to achieve your ambitions of employment, higher education or independent living.

We will work with you and support you to make sure that your voice is heard and to provide the evidence you need to secure funding.

The WG is planning new legislation on the provision of specialist education, although this is currently at an early stage. If you have strong views on the subject, you could consider writing to your Assembly Member to share your experiences and opinions. This could help to influence the new law.