Education Support Service

Established in April 2025, the partnership between Thomas Pocklington Trust and Guide Dogs was created to deliver a more joined-up, efficient and accessible education support service for blind and partially sighted people.

Before the partnership, both organisations offered valuable education services, but there was overlap, particularly for secondary-age students and those moving into further and higher education. This could leave families and professionals unsure where to turn, create duplication for both charities, and reduce overall efficiency.

We came together with a shared goal: to remove those barriers and make the journey easier for all students of any age and the support networks around them. By combining our expertise, we set out to create a more seamless service that could reach more people, offer a simple and consistent referral pathway, and provide trusted information, advice and guidance at every stage — from primary school through to college and university.

We also wanted to strengthen signposting, bring together the knowledge and experience of both teams, and make the best possible use of charitable resources so that every donor pound has greater impact. Crucially, this partnership was designed not only to improve services, but to model what ambitious, values-driven collaboration can achieve.

Together, we are now delivering clearer, stronger and more accessible support for students of all ages, families and professionals. Closely aligned to the Eyecare Support Pathway for Children and Young People in England, this ensures that our service users receive the support they need at the moments they need it most.