T

he deaf unit at Jack Hunt secondary day school has been active for more than 30 years. Now run by Teresa Quail, Lead Teacher of the Deaf, it provides extra support to the schools deaf students, who attend all lessons with their hearing peers. Teresa and her team of Teaching Assistants (TAs) provide extra support for the students academic work, as well as their speech and social development. Three of my TA team are deaf, and one of them studied at Jack Hunt, says Teresa. Approaches to education have changed, and he often comments that he wishes he was a student now, rather than 20 years ago. The more experience of deaf students a school has, the better their integration and removal of barriers, she adds. The awareness is already here, so we can push forward and

improve the students sense of integration and belonging. The school adopts a personalised learning approach for each student, depending on their needs. These may change over time for example, students who have a cochlear implant will receive post-implant rehabilitation and care at the school, to focus on speech and listening. Its a very slow process, says Teresa. For children who are implanted at 13, we have to start helping them with their basic environmental sound awareness. Peterborough has a high ratio of students from ethnic minority backgrounds so, for many deaf students, their home language may be a different language entirely. Thirteen year-old Golofnira Zadran (pictured opposite), was born in Pakistan, and moved to Germany when

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PEOPLE

Continuing our look at educational support for deaf students, Juliet Stephens visits Jack Hunt School in Peterborough
she was four years old, to have a cochlear implant operation. Two years ago, she moved to the UK and has since gained tremendous uency. I practise, but I also learn a lot from watching, she says. British Sign Language is different to German. Also, the lip patterns and long words make German very confusing; I nd it easier to lipread English.

Below: Golofnira Zadran (centre) at the Signature Awards, with her brother, father and Teresa Quail (far right)

Adjusting to a new school

Last year, Golofnira won the Signature award for Young Learner of the Year and attended the award ceremony with her father, brother and Teresa Quail. I was nervous, because everyone was looking at me, but I was excited. I didnt expect to win but, when I did, I was jumping for joy! Many students will have come to

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out and play. Similarly, 15-year-old Calum Daly (pictured below), was at a boarding school for deaf students until a year ago; When I told them I wanted to go to university, they just asked why? he says. Like many of the students who attend the deaf unit at Jack Hunt, Calum is hardworking and, thankfully, now in an environment that supports and nurtures his ambitions. The range of GCSE subjects on offer at his old school was limited. I came to Jack Hunt for the choice of subjects. I want to do A-Levels in maths, further maths, ICT (information, communication and technology) and physics.
Right: Ayesha Quraishy is about to leave Jack Hunt

Learning self-belief
Jack Hunt from a primary school where they were the only deaf student. Ayesha Quraishy (pictured above), is now 18 and about to leave Jack Hunt. Her life has been transformed since she rst arrived in the UK from Kenya in 2006. She had one year at a primary school when she arrived: I didnt enjoy my time there, she says. I started making friends and, after a couple of months, everything changed. People started talking about me behind my back and ignoring me. I didnt and still dont understand what happened. Maybe Id done something wrong? The staff were great, though. If it hadnt been for my teachers, and the TA, I wouldve left.

Calum also enjoys the plethora of extra-curricular activities that are available at Jack Hunt. In his rst term, he won an award for a deaf awareness lm that he made in lm club, working with hearing students and one other deaf student. Calum wrote, directed, edited and acted in the lm, as well as

Nurturing ambitions

Some students will have come from schools with a low expectation of what theyd be able to achieve. Golofnira recalls that she was frustrated by her school in Germany: I was impatient to learn, but the teachers werent really bothered they just wanted us to go

adding the subtitles and music. Some students respond instantly to all these available resources; others can take time to adjust. Once they realise that we believe they can learn, and they believe it themselves, thats when the

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students really start to take off in their learning and self-condence, says Teresa. The efforts of the deaf unit are well-recognised by the students themselves; Miss Quail is amazing. She does so much for the deaf students, organising peer support for younger students at the school, and arranging social trips and work experience, which are so important, says Ayesha. Its so hard to get a job nowadays, especially with all the job cuts. Teresa encourages independence for

the deaf students, with initiatives such as her award-winning programme where pupils speak to trainee teachers at Cambridge and East Anglia universities, to educate them about deaf awareness, and explain about their hearing aids or implants. It builds the students condence, she says. Once they leave school, they have to survive in the hearing community. So, they have to be able to explain their needs, and to work with a whole range of people.

The school adopts a personalised learning approach for each student, depending on their needs

LIAM ODELL, FROM BEDFORD, TALKS ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE AT MAINSTREAM SCHOOL

Im currently studying for my A-Levels at Redborne Upper School. I get really good support from the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), and getting hearing aids has really made a difference. Previously, I didnt hear things clearly, so Id get confused. Im much more enthusiastic in lessons now. I was young when I developed my inner ear deafness. I had regular hearing checks, and hoped that my hearing would improve but it didnt. The whining noises in my ear became more prominent, and I was shouting when I spoke, often without knowing. When the idea of getting a hearing aid was suggested, I immediately declined. After

having glasses to correct my lazy eye, I thought it would all be a bit much to handle. But, after thinking about it, I agreed. Its been really positive; in fact, it has changed my personal life and strengthened my friendships. Its also made me notice how loud the world is! The bell at school is beyond the normal sound range my aid picks up, so it whistles, which can be annoying. But Ive learned to adapt to using the hearing aid now. Im looking toward university, now, and I hope to study journalism and public relations areas that, ironically, require good listening skills! But I suppose having a hearing aid should make it all the easier...

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