Our Unit
New Whittington Community Primary School is a mainstream school which has a Hearing Impaired Facility that has been in existence for over 40 years. We cater for children from 3 to 11 years in our nursery and in our 2 mainstream units.
We have a designated Teacher for the Deaf and four Teaching Assistant’s for the deaf, each who have qualifications in BSL and Childcare [NNEB or NVQ]
Modes of Communication
We use both Signed Supported English (SSE) and British Sign Language (BSL) whichever is appropriate.
The children have regular speech and language sessions and we are supported by a speech and language therapist from the NHS.
We also have visits from the county audiologist who checks radio-aids.
At least annually teachers for the deaf and speech therapist from the Nottingham Cochlear Implant Service visit us to assess the children’s progress.
We do have a policy of promoting quality spoken language whenever possible.
Learning
Our pupil to teacher ratio is high and each child’s needs are catered for. Every child integrates into their mainstream class for a percentage of their timetable, where they are supported by a Teaching Assistant for the Deaf or a Teacher for the Deaf who will supply signed support and interpretation of the lesson where required. We also have the unit where we work on literacy and spoken language skills.
All our classrooms are adapted to provide an ideal learning environment, with a surround sound amplification system, lowered ceilings and carpeting in all classrooms and in our halls.
All our children wear receivers whether they are hearing aid users or children with cochlear implants.
Integration
The children in the unit integrate with their mainstream class mates. They enjoy going on educational trips, residential courses and after school clubs.
High Standards
Ofsted said:
‘The hearing impaired unit is strength of the school and there is good provision for pupils with SEN’.
‘Pupils with hearing impairment achieve very well in relation to their previous understanding’.
‘They are well integrated in to their classes and benefit from very good relationships with their peers and so have very good attitudes to learning’.
QDD – Quality Development Dialogue Report November 2018
The ER at New Whittington is, in my opinion, at least good with many outstanding aspects of practice.
The deaf specific curriculum and refined target setting, complemented by speech and language targets, is a particular strength.
There is a tangibly positive climate for learning, supported by a personalised curriculum that effectively meets pupils’ needs and strongly promotes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development.
The positive, purposeful ER learning environment, in the ER specific room, reflects much that would be considered excellent mainstream classroom practice while ensuring that it is conducive to the learning styles of pupils.
Expectations are high. Behaviour observed during the visit was at least good if not outstanding and pupils, whether engaged in onetoone learning or as a small group displayed highly positive attitude to learning.
David Heald QDD Advisor
November 2018
Feel free to contact us:
Tel: 01246 450688
Fax: 01246 260042
Email: NWPRMonaghan@learnerstrust.org
