Deafness is our Super Power! 

The Orchard is a Special Support Centre (SSC) for children who are D/deaf. Our pupils come from across West Sussex and all have a significant hearing loss. They are supported by their Teachers of the Deaf and Special Support Assistants. We are proud of our Total Communication approach. Currently we support children who have a range of communication preferences: Oral, Sign Supported English (SSE) and British Sign Language (BSL).

Every child in The Orchard is part of one of the mainstream classes and are fully included in all aspects of school life. Every day they will spend time in their classroom learning alongside their peers. During this time our Special Support Assistants work closely with our pupils to provide tailored support. Learning will also take place in The Orchard where our children come for focused interventions with their Teacher of the Deaf. Our pupils have a weekly Deaf Studies session where they learn about their own deafness, the rich Deaf culture that exists and the Deaf community as a whole. They also benefit from weekly Speech and Language sessions with our SALT/SALTA. Our support is tailored to each child’s needs. We will develop their timetables to best suit their academic and social needs.

Deaf Awareness is a school wide priority. We work with our hearing pupils to teach them how to communicate with their D/deaf friends. Deaf events such as Deaflympics or Deaf Awareness Week are celebrated in our school assemblies. Our aim is to make Northgate a fully inclusive school regardless of whether you are D/deaf or hearing.

If you would like more information, then please do not hesitate to get in touch!