The legislative changes relating to Special Education Needs and Disability in recent years are now embedded in the thinking and planning of services and schools. However, the specific practicalities of ensuring access and inclusion for deaf pupils are sometimes difficult to identify in a blanket SEN policy. True inclusion means a deaf pupil can access the curriculum, progress and succeed to the full extent of their ability and take part in the extra-curricular activities of their school and the wider community.

We can help schools and services draft and implement policies by visiting with an objective, specialist perspective, drawing on experience of a variety of practices and ensuring obligations under the Disability Equality Duty are met.

Detailed training on assessing syntactic development was given, increasing staff understanding of language development. This was followed by discussion about individual pupils who were causing particular concern.

All staff from a Service attended a training day of the rationale of assessment. Consequently, a small group wrote the policy and action plan, including their own training requirements. Implementation of the policy was reviewed with the senior staff.