Archived decisions

Ref No:

East Hants 1/07

R

HAT Statement

HAT:

East Central

(East Hampshire sub HAT)

Date of submission:

12/02/07

SUBMISSION

Decision Title & Reference Number: Review of resourced provision for deaf/hard of hearing children

Decision Maker: Executive Lead Member for Children's Services

Decision Date: 15/02/07

Discussed at HAT on: Week commencing 5 February 2007

Statement:

HAT members are opposed to the closure of resourced provision for deaf/hard of hearing children at Medstead Primary School.

The Report received by the Executive Member for Children's Services on 12^th October 2006, recommended that the unit at Medstead should remain open.

No new substantiation has emerged in the further round of consultation since October, accordingly the Officers' recommendation of 12^th October should remain extant.

We summarise the reasons why the Medstead H.I. Unit should remain open:

· One of the 20 stated priorities in the Children and Young People Partnership is "increased access to excellent general education". Ofsted reports and SATS results show Medstead's position as academically the best performing school in North Hampshire with an HI unit. Its excellent teaching should be accessible to HI children as well as normal hearing pupils.

· Because of the expertise of the specialist teachers, Medstead offers total communication skills on an individual basis, whether signing or auditory/oral. Cochlear implants, whilst an aide, are not a cure for deafness and implants cannot be used if ossification has taken place.

· What makes Medstead unique is the combination of its TCU, with its small caring environment. The whole school environment is vital to development of confidence and emotional well-being for all pupils, including the most vulnerable.

· Parents choose Medstead for its size, for its rural location, the linked (same site) Pre-School with HI provision and BSL qualified staff, and for its record in establishing peer networks which continue well into working life. They choose this without hesitation over proximity to their own homes.

· The existence of the Pre-School Unit provides a secure learning base for HI children aged from 3 years old to 11 years old. From 11 years onwards the children would not necessarily want to be in a pyramid whether coming from Medstead or not. If they wanted to join a pyramid at that stage then they could join the one to be centred on Winchester.

· No financial arguments for closure have been made. That is not surprising since the teacher/pupil ratio is at or about the recommended levels. The £10,000 estimate of travel cost savings if the unit is closed is not relevant as it is not possible to predict where the children would come from if the unit remained open in the future.

· Rural areas do require, in certain circumstances, different solutions to needs - one size or configuration does not necessarily fit all.

· Medstead provides the only HI resource for children aged between 3 and 11 years old in the whole of East Hampshire - which has no provision at all for 11 year olds +.

· Medstead has an excellent record of rehabilitating HI children with severe learning, emotional and physical disabilities.

Context: (supporting evidence)