Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert met a group of visually impaired students from The Angmering School when they visited the Houses of Parliament earlier this month (10 July).

The Angmering School is the only education resource in West Sussex with a unit specifically for visually impaired learners. The School’s Learning Support Advisors are qualified RNIB Braillists, and a VI Resource Centre is equipped with a range of specialist equipment.

Mr Herbert met the students, aged between 12 and 15, with Lord (David) Blunkett, the former MP and Home Secretary who has been blind since birth and who helped to arrange the school’s visit.

Lord Blunkett said: “It was great that the young people and staff were able both to experience the Commons and Lords and to question both Nick Herbert and I whose politics may be different but whose life challenges have given us a common perspective on so much.

“I am very keen indeed that the incoming Prime Minister and Government will quickly provide more financial assistance to both units and special needs provision such as this one right across the country and particularly to local authorities in their role in offering crucial support.’’

Simon Lilley, Headteacher at The Angmering School said: “Our students with varying degrees of visual impairment had an amazing experience when they visited the Houses of Parliament as guests of our local MP Mr Nick Herbert and Lord Blunkett.

“The Angmering School is fortunate to have a specialist centre which provides care and education for visually impaired students within a mainstream school setting. The centre is known as the Lavinia Norfolk Centre and is unique within the county, it also provides places for students with hearing impairment and physical disabilities.

“The students were all very enthusiastic following the visit and wanted to extend their thanks to Mr Herbert for his kindness and hospitality.”

Mr Herbert said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome the children from The Angmering School. Their questions were incisive, and I was fascinated to hear David Blunkett, who I’ve always hugely admired as a politician, talking about his experience of becoming an MP and Minister.

“I hope that his story of rising to hold one of the Great Offices of State despite being blind was an inspiration to the pupils, showing them that there can and should be no ceiling to talented people who have disabilities.”

ENDS

Notes

1. Photograph 1 – Nick Herbert with Lord Blunkett, staff and students from The Angmering School.

2. To find out more about the Parliament Education Centre, opened by Professor Brian Cox in 2015, see https://www.parliament.uk/educationcentre.

MP meets visually impaired Angmering school students