The Royal National College For The Blind

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The Royal National College for the Blind


Established	1871
Type	Community college
Principal	Christine Steadman
Location	Hereford, United Kingdom
Nickname	RNC
Website	http://www.rncb.ac.uk/

The Royal National College for the Blind is a further education college based in the English city of Hereford. All of the students are blind or partially sighted. Alongside regular further education subjects and vocational training, the College offers training in independent living and personal development.

[edit] History

The College was established in 1871 by the Victorian philanthropist Thomas Rhodes Armitage and the American anti-slavery campaigner Francis Joseph Campbell (who lost his sight at the age of five). At that time, the College was called "The Royal Normal College and Academy for the Blind" (with the word "Normal" referring to the teacher training offered by the College) and was at first near Crystal Palace in London, later moved to Upper Norwood. In its early days, the College was considered very progressive and experimental in its approach to education. By the end of the 19th century, the College had over 200 students.

The 20th century saw the College move location several times, before settling in Hereford.

[edit] Courses Offered

The College is divided into several different areas of teaching:

Leisure, Therapies and Sport (including courses and qualifications in massage, complementary therapies, and sport treatment and management).
Music, Media, Performance and Art (including courses and qualifications in music technology, piano technology, media and art).
Information and Communication Technology (including courses and qualifications in office skills and the European Computer Driving Licence).
Business, Administration and Customer Service.
GCSE, AS and A Level qualifications.
Skills For Life (including Braille reading).