Dr Ivan Tucker OBE retires from Mary Hare School

Mary Hare School has issued a press release reporting the retirement of its principal.

Christmas is a time of good cheer, but this year, we at Mary Hare were very sad that it also marked the retirement of Dr Ivan Tucker OBE. 

In 1987 Ivan left Manchester University Audiology Department to join Mary Hare as the Principal of Mary Hare School.  At that time, Mary Hare was quite a successful, oral school for deaf children.  Ivan has never been content with ‘quite good’ and went on to increase the number of children attending by working relentlessly to improve the academic and other achievements of the pupils.  A key strategy in pushing up the quality of the education at Mary Hare School was to insist that all teachers at the School followed a taught course leading to the qualification of ‘Teacher of the Deaf’ so that they got enough hands on experience during their training.  In order to make this possible, he  made sure Mary Hare became a recognised provider of the mandatory ToD qualification.  Now Mary Hare trains its own teachers and those teaching in others schools and services.  The post-graduate courses offered have grown to include an Early Years course and MSc in Educational Audiology.  Most recently Mary Hare has added a Foundation Degree in Hearing Aid Audiology to the list.

Building on this, Ivan set out to improve the facilities and support offered by the school.  Not happy with the time it took to get replacement earmoulds from the NHS for the young people at Mary Hare, Ivan decided to make his own.  In 1997 Ivan established Arlington Laboratories – an independent manufacturer of earmoulds.  Arlington Labs has since made over a million earmoulds for customers in the NHS, as well as making a huge financial contribution to the School each year, from its profits.

Arlington Labs was followed by HARS – the Hearing Aid Repair Business – and Mary Hare Hearing Centres in Newbury and Salisbury, dispensing hearing aids and providing support for anyone with hearing difficulties.

The children at the school can be grateful to Ivan for his tireless pursuit of improving the teaching facilities – and for his passionate belief that deaf children are every bit as able as their hearing peers and just need the right help to overcome the barriers presented by their disability.  A new 6th Form Centre built in 1995 meant that the number of pupils studying for A levels doubled to around 70 each year.  The conversion of an old stable block into a vibrant Art & Design block has enabled many pupils to excel and go on to study art at some of the best Colleges of Art in the UK.  The Performing Arts Centre was founded on Ivan’s insistence that music can be appreciated by deaf children – both as performers and spectators.  Mary Hare School has seen a large number of very talented musicians and dancers amongst the young people attending. 

Ivan will be greatly missed by all his colleagues for his sheer energy, enthusiasm and the great leadership he has provided during his time at the School.  Tony Shaw, Principal and CEO, has been a close friend and colleague for over 30 years.  “I know I am not alone when I say we will miss Ivan greatly. He has been an inspiration for so many professionals who have chosen to dedicate their careers to deaf education both at Mary Hare and within schools and services for the hearing impaired throughout the United Kingdom. The greatest tribute we can pay him is to emulate his passion, enthusiasm and determination in our work going forward. I know he will be following our work with interest and championing the cause of deafness through the new ventures he undertakes in ‘retirement’. We all wish him continued success and fulfilment.”