Award - Winning Deaf Academy

Welcome to the Deaf Academy

A place where Deaf young people can explore their futures

And where there is no limit to their ambitions

We grow and nurture every child

We are a unique provision in the UK, offering a specialist curriculum, teaching, support and care to Deaf young people, the majority of whom have accompanying additional needs. This is a fantastic place for young people to learn, develop and be part of a diverse Deaf multilingual community. Our aim to develop empowered, confident young people who are equipped to embark into adulthood with aspiration, skills and resilience.

Our Academy is a warm, friendly and safe place to live and study. We understand that our students are individuals, with unique needs and dreams for the future that deserve to be nurtured and encouraged. We want to ensure that every student who leaves the Academy goes out into the world confident and with the ability to communicate and achieve their goals.

We encourage our young people to explore their passions and develop a strong Deaf identity, while also supporting them to excel educationally. We were one of the first UK Deaf Schools to offer Supported Internships to our College students, and one of the few which offers a bilingual environment, where our students learn in both British Sign Language and English.

We hope you enjoy exploring our website, and please do get in touch if you have any questions.

Sylvan Dewing – Principal

Knowing and growing every learner

Our Prospectus

In 2020 the Deaf Academy opened its doors on a new site in the beautiful seaside town of Exmouth. Designed around the principles of inspiration, visual communication and inclusivity, this truly 21st century Deaf school and college places the Academy at the cutting edge of Deaf education in Europe. Take a look at our prospectus to find out more about how we help our students to thrive.

view prospectus

Student Experience: Molly

“Thanks to the Deaf Academy our daughter has had the opportunity to discover and develop a passion for acting. She has found drama helps her express herself in a way that she hadn’t been able to before.”
– Molly’s mum.

17-year-old Molly joined the Deaf Academy as a residential school student in 2015. She had previously attended a mainstream school where she hadn’t yet discovered her talent for acting. Here at the Deaf Academy she has developed her confidence and realised she has a passion for performing on stage.

Molly and many of our students’ dramatic flair is nurtured through regular Expressive Arts classes. Working with local theatre company PaddleBoat, many of our students have become accomplished actors, regularly performing different shows to hundreds of people at Exeter Phoenix Theatre. Drama is an important subject here at the Deaf Academy, and ties in closely with studying BSL and English. Molly’s achievements include winning the prestigious National Deaf Children’s Society’s (NDCS) ‘Raising the Bar’ competition. The project strives to raise expectations of what Deaf children and young people can achieve within dance, drama and music. Molly was selected out of contestants from across the country by highly acclaimed arts industry Deaf professionals.

When I got a place on Raising the Bar I was like ‘Wow!’ I felt so proud. The masterclass was amazing. I felt nervous but also excited – the first day I couldn’t eat I had so many butterflies! I took part in lots of drama activities including acting out a phone conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, as well as the big showcase finale. I’ve really improved my acting and I would love to keep studying drama in the future.