Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children

Overview

Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children continues to be an outstanding school. It is described as a “beacon of bilingualism and deaf pride,” where pupils enjoy attending and feel their life chances are greatly improved. The school provides a calm, orderly environment where staff inspire pupils to believe they can achieve anything.

Strengths

• Pupils develop a strong sense of “deaf identity and culture” through a bilingual curriculum teaching English and British Sign Language (BSL) in parallel.
• Staff use technology effectively, such as recording videos to help pupils learn “complex, subject-specific vocabulary” and support communication.
• “Deaf studies” is a real strength, helping pupils understand their culture, communication skills, and place in the world through role models.
• Teachers “meticulously capture evidence” of learning, allowing them to identify small steps of progress and provide timely extra help.
• Leaders show care for staff well-being, ensuring they do not experience “undue pressure due to workload demands.”

Areas to improve

• The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with “robust” systems, rigorous recruitment checks, and staff who are fully aware of their responsibilities through regular training.