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Closure of UK’s Oldest School For Deaf Children Sparks Protests

Parents and campaigners are protesting the closure of the UK’s oldest school for deaf children. The Royal School for Deaf Children in Margate was first opened in 1792, and grew to encompass a residential school, sixth form and further education for 19- to 23-year olds at Westgate College. As well providing support for children with […]

Callum Fauser
by Callum Fauser
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Parents and campaigners are protesting the closure of the UK’s oldest school for deaf children.

The Royal School for Deaf Children in Margate was first opened in 1792, and grew to encompass a residential school, sixth form and further education for 19- to 23-year olds at Westgate College. As well providing support for children with Deafness, the school also catered for children and young adults with a range of complex additional needs, including autism and learning difficulties.

Last week, however, families were informed the school and all of its operations would be closed with immmediate effect. It was subsequently announced this week that the John Townsend Trust which operated the school had gone into administration.

The school and college had been attended by approximately 150 pupils and students from different parts of the country, six of whom received specialist residential care for 52 weeks of the year. The closure has resulted in 350 staff redundancies at the school, leaving 140 in place until alternative care arrangements are found for the school’s pupils before the end of next January.

According to press reports, Geoff Rowley of administrator FRP Advisory was quoted as saying “The joint administrators have to look at the financial position while always ensuring that services only continue where they can be guaranteed to meet the requirements of the Care Quality Commission and OFSTED, aimed ultimately at keeping the right levels of care at the heart of the assessment.

‘I would like to thank management and staff for their ongoing dedication and professionalism in maintaining as a priority the wellbeing of residents and service users, and am grateful for the support of the wider community in what has been a very difficult process for all concerned.”

The school’s last publicly available Ofsted inspection [PDF] was carried out in February 2014 and rated it as ‘good’.

The BBC reports that Jan Turner, who’s 22-year-old son Aiden started at the school aged 5, is taking legal advice as part of a continuing campaign to keep the school open. Turner has also set up an email contact for parents whose children received care from the John Townsend Trust at careprovisionjtt@yahoo.org.uk.

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