Secondary education

This resource is for staff working in special schools attended by deaf children with complex needs.

Download 'Deaf-friendly teaching: For staff in special schools' and watch our video below of top tips for staff working in special schools:

Our assessments webpages provide information on the range of different specialist assessments available to professionals working with deaf children in each of the following areas:

• early communication skills
• language
• listening
• literacy
• mathematics
• cognitive development
• social/emotional development.

You can also learn more of the key principles involved in effective use of assessments.

We've produced a series of resources to set out the simple steps that can be taken to improve the listening environment in nurseries, schools, and other education settings.  

• Information on creating good listening conditions: For education settings
• Tips on how schools can improve listening conditions
• Managing listening conditions checklist
• Preliminary noise survey
• Pupil survey
• Presentation for Teachers of the Deaf
• Information for parents
• Sound simulations of classroom with poor or good acoustic conditions
• Our Here to Learn video clips including clips on reducing background noise and on good acoustics

We’ve worked with the National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP) to produce a range of resources to help practitioners in carrying out EHC needs assessments for deaf children and young people and drawing up EHC plans.

• Better Plans, Better Assessments, Better Plans: a multi-disciplinary framework for the assessment of children with a hearing impairment
• Template for assessment and information gathering
• Section by section guide to writing more effective EHC plans for children and young people with sensory impairment
• NatSIP summary checklist to writing more effective EHC plans
• Model Education, Health and Care plan - Ruby (aged 3)
• Model Education, Health and Care plan - Kirsty (aged 4)
• Model Education, Health and Care plan - Robert (aged 11)
• Model Education, Health and Care plan - Daniel (aged 18)

Our Here to Learn video clips include basic information on the practical steps which school staff can take to be more deaf aware and include deaf children and young people in all aspects of school life.

Quality standards for the use of personal radio aids

Personal radio aids can really improve deaf children's listening experiences. This resource sets out quality standards for a common approach to the timely and appropriate provision and use of radio aids to make sure deaf children have the best outcomes.

Download 'Quality standards for the use of personal radio aids'.

These quality standards have been developed with the UK Children’s Radio Aid Working Group, whose aims are to:

• promote the use of radio aids among children and young people
• promote the knowledge base about radio aids
• influence the policy framework for the provision of radio aids
• influence the quality and consistency of radio aid provision and practice
• raise awareness of the importance of a positive acoustic environment.

How Radio Aids Can Help - Information for parents

This guide for parents explains how radio aids and soundfield systems can help deaf children. It also outlines the different types of radio aid systems available and how to maintain radio aids. Teachers and other staff working with deaf children and young people may also find the information in this guide useful.

Download 'How Radio Aids Can Help - Information for parents'.

Radio aids video

In this video, deaf young people explain what radio aids are and how they benefit from them.

Watch NDCS radio aids video.

Case studies

Find examples of policy documents and loan agreement forms shared by specialist support services, as well as some case studies from specialist support services below:

Example radio aids policy from Berkshire Sensory Consortium Service.

Principles and Guidance to support the Provision of Radio Aid systems and other Amplification Devices by Oxfordshire Special Educational Needs Support Services.

Case study - Radio Aids Corporate Insurance by Norfolk County Council.

Case study – Radio Aids Policy and practice anecdotal feedback.

Borrow a radio aid

Find out how parents can borrow a radio aid through our Technology Test Drive or Borrow to Buy scheme.

The resource provides advice on support to deaf children of all ages who speak English as an additional language (EAL), including children who have yet to start school and their families. The resource is aimed at Teachers of the Deaf and other professionals who work with deaf children who use EAL, including special or additional needs coordinators and EAL coordinators. 

Download 'Supporting the achievement of deaf children who use English as an additional language (EAL)'.

A short top-tips video on supporting children who use EAL is also available. 

We would like to thank the Bell Foundation for their funding, expertise and support in the development of these resources. 

These resources have been developed by the Government or other organisations for education professionals that may be helpful for your work with deaf children.

Find out more about other education resources.