Case studies

We know that classrooms are being built in which deaf children can’t listen and learn effectively – because this is what parents and professionals have told us.

Here are some personal stories from the frontline.

Leigh Academy in Dartford is an example of a new build school that is not compliant with Building Bulletin 93, the Government’s rules on acoustics. 

The premises were completed in January 2008 and is a state-of-the-art facility. It has a hearing-impairment unit for deaf children as part of the school. 

Following concerns from a NDCS Family Officer, the CEO of the academy has been made aware of the issues regarding the acoustics of the school and an experienced audiologist was asked to conduct tests.

The tests confirmed that large parts of the building are not compliant with Building Bulletin 93. The CEO has raised the issue with the contractors and now good progress is being made in addressing the problem. However, this is likely to involve a costly retrofit.

These issues could have been avoided if Building Bulletin 93 had been followed at the outset. 

NDCS is working closely with the CEO and will be monitoring the situation, but remains concerned that if this is a regular occurrence in newly built schools, large amounts of money will be wasted. 

Amanda Button from London told us about her efforts to find a primary school with good acoustics in London:

"My daughter is due to start Primary School in September 2009.  She has a moderate-severe hearing loss and is dependent on her hearing aids. I have been visiting schools over the last few months, and it has been a depressing experience. The acoustics are terrible, and they are noisy places. Classrooms, school halls and canteens that even I (with no hearing impairment) struggle to listen in. 

One school that I viewed is newly built, and just a small school, so on paper looked like a fair option for my daughter. On visiting I was shocked to discover that the classrooms - which were all situated next to one another - had been built without any doors at all. This was to allow the children to 'flow' throughout the school. The headteacher explained that they found noise from other classrooms a constant problem.   

Surely the LEA's commissioning such building projects need to wake up to the barriers to mainstream education that they are creating for our hearing impaired children?"

As part of our campaign to Close the Gap, NDCS asked parents in 2007/08 what they thought the barriers holding deaf children back are.

Over a third - 34% - said they had concerns over the school building in terms of acoustics and adaptations.

Read the survey results in full:

• NDCS survey on educational attainment - results (98 kb)

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