Calls for more support for deaf children at school in South Yorkshire
It's claimed deaf children in South Yorkshire are likely to fall a whole grade behind their classmates studying for their GCSEs
New figures suggest deaf children across our region are likely to fall a whole grade behind their classmates when studying for their CGSEs.
With thousands of pupils collecting their GCSE results across South Yorkshire later this week, the National Deaf Children's Society is calling for the government, local health bodies and local authorities to provide more support to help close the gap between deaf and hearing students at GCSE level.
Karen Pearce is a teacher, and has a deaf child in her class. She's also the chair of the Sheffield Deaf Children's Society. She thinks more needs to be done to help pupils with hearing problems at school:
"Me being a teacher, I understand that teachers are under a lot of pressure - bigger class sizes - and they don't always get time to go over and make sure that children understand. I know you always try your best to but it's not always possible because you've got lots of different kids with lots of different needs."
"I've got a class of 33 in Septemeber - and you've got to think to yourself, if you've got a class of 33 and some of them have additional needs, how do you manage those additional needs if you've only got an hour?"
Karen's daughter is also deaf - she says she sometimes struggles in school:
"I think she feels quite isolated. She tells us the learning assistant doesn't always come over and check she's understood what she's supposed to be doing so she ends up just copying from her peers and watchingwhat they're doing and thinking they're doing that so that must be what i'm supposed to do."
Karen's views are echoed by Alison Lawson, the regional director for the National Deaf Children's Society:
“Deafness is not a learning disability. With the right support, there’s no reason deaf children can’t achieve the same things as their hearing friends. Sadly, this data suggests they’re not getting that support.
"This gap in GCSE attainment shows deaf children need more support, not less - so the focus now should be on improving outcomes."
The National Deaf Children’s Society provides practical and emotional support to deaf children and their families - and challenges governments and society to meet their needs.
There are almost 5,000 deaf children across Yorkshire and the Humber - and more than 45,000 across the UK.