Newcastle Sensory Service is a city-wide, centrally funded service which includes a specialist deaf resource base at Jesmond Park Academy. There are 2 other specialist deaf resource bases in Newcastle based in Benton Park Primary School and Broadwood Primary School. 

The resource base is staffed by Qualified Teachers of Deaf Children and Young People (QToDCs) and Specialist Learning Support Assistants.  The staff in the specialist deaf resource base work to mitigate the effects of any language delay by liaising with and advising school staff, delivering deaf awareness, ensuring audiological equipment is working effectively, differentiating mainstream work to make it more accessible, pre and post teaching and matching language use to meet the communication preference of individual students. We seek opportunities to promote deaf awareness within the school community, throughout the school year, with student voice at the centre.

Deaf students are fully integrated into form time and assemblies. They are in form groups with other deaf peers where possible. Deaf students are expected to follow the same rules and routines as mainstream students and are supported in accessing and following these.  Equally, they are supported and encouraged, as needed, in social times, extra-curricular clubs, after school revision sessions and work experience placements.

Some students are withdrawn from lessons to give them time in the specialist deaf resource base. This is done with consultation between QToDC, deaf students, parents/carers and the school. The resource base provides a quiet, calm environment and a visual point of reference for deaf students with displays covering key vocabulary from lessons, a notice board of upcoming events/ current information, resources to support their understanding of their deafness, and a board showing the many successful careers deaf students have gone into after leaving the specialist deaf resource base at JPA.  In the specialist deaf resource base there is also a selection of books with a deaf character or focus.

Student specific targets relate to language development, mental health, independence skills and the Personal Understanding of Deafness curriculum. Together, we learn about audiograms, technology, deaf culture and self-advocacy skills. QToDCs set termly targets, in collaboration with students, parents, mainstream staff and outside agencies, and review them in weekly tutorials, termly reviews and EHCP meetings. Student voice is evident across the work we do with the students, including weekly tutorials and Support Plan/EHCP target setting, encouraging students to take an active and reflective role in their own learning and development. 

QToDCs are responsible for completing annual assessments of students’ language and communication and report on progress in their EHCP, working collaboratively with other professionals including Speech and Language Therapists, the North-East Cochlear Implant Team, Audiology at the Freeman, Social Services, Connexions and Deaf CAMHS. They also regularly liaise with colleagues across the city to create transition programmes that ensure smooth transition for students from the two primary Specialist Deaf Resource Bases and those exiting at Year 11/Year 13. 

Transition programmes are carefully created to meet individual needs as students move into secondary education.  Equally, a lot of work takes place to ensure students have the skills and knowledge to enable them to transition successfully into post 16 education and adulthood.

All students in the specialist deaf resource base are entered for mainstream exams, with appropriate access arrangements that are their normal way of working, approved by the JQC for external assessments.

In addition to GCSEs and BTECs, some students, in the specialist deaf resource base, complete Step up to English in mainstream literacy lessons, and Entry Level Maths and units from the AQA Award Scheme in the resource base, to ensure they leave school with as many qualifications and life choices as possible.  In Key Stage 4, students can use one option block to receive further sessions in the resource base, to prepare them for external exams and assessment.

We track our students’ progress, both academically and socially, through observations and close liaison with mainstream staff, as well as their school grade cards.  This information is then used to influence their Support Plan targets and support package. 

Staff in the specialist deaf resource base support and promote the development of independence skills in preparation for adulthood. This includes, as appropriate, teaching deaf students safety skills for independent travel, how to use a phone to make an emergency call, about their deafness and their deaf identity, the importance of having a healthy mind, how to book interpreters for medical appointments, about Personal Independence Payment and Access to Work and how to maintain their audiological equipment as they move to adult services. In addition, we bring together a deaf peer group for students, so they can make deaf friends, have deaf role models, peer support and access to positive communication. 

We continually strive to improve the service we offer deaf students and to ensure the provision we offer remains student focused and meets the Quality Standards outlined by NatSIP.  This includes keeping up to date with both changes in deaf and mainstream education and measuring the impact we are having through feedback from students, parents/carers and mainstream staff, as well as academic attainment.

If you would like further information, please look at Newcastle Council’s Local Offer:

What is the Local Offer? (newcastlesupportdirectory.org.uk)

Useful links:

RNID - National hearing loss charity

Home - British Deaf Association (bda.org.uk)

National Deaf Children's Society | Supporting deaf children (ndcs.org.uk)

Help and support for deaf young people | How you can get involved (ndcs.org.uk)