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The Deaf Academy is a registered charity (charity number 1124523) and has a rich and long history, being founded in 1826 in Exeter. We are a non-maintained special school, and as such we are not maintained by the local authority. Much of our work relies on donations and the generous support of our funders and fundraisers.

Our Charity’s objectives

Our Charity’s objectives, which were revised with the permission of the Charity Commission in 2008, are:

  • to provide education, training, care, accommodation, leisure opportunities, welfare and other support services to deaf people and people who are not deaf but who, due to some other disability, would benefit from the same (principally though not exclusively from the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset) with the object of developing their personal, mental, physical and spiritual capacities so that they may realise their full potential as individuals and members of their communities and society as a whole and so that their condition of life may be improved; and
  • to educate the general public in the needs and capabilities of deaf people with a view to achieving greater integration between deaf and hearing communities.

Trustees and governing body

Our Charity has a Board of Trustees which meets at least four times a year. Whilst governance of the Academy is delegated to a Governing Body which meets at least six times a year, the Trustees remain responsible for the Governance of the Charity as a whole.

Our Annual Report provides an update on our previous year’s activities and our financial position for the financial year.

Your support ensures that Deaf young people with additional needs can thrive.

 

In 2026 the Deaf Academy is celebrated 200 years of Deaf education and culture – two centuries of breaking barriers and transforming lives. Yet today, Deaf children and young people with additional needs still face inequalities that no child should encounter.

While hearing children start school with a grasp of around 5,000 words, Deaf five-year-olds typically have access to just 500 signs. And too many still leave education without the opportunities their hearing peers take for granted. At the Deaf Academy we are changing that story.

How you can get involved

 

Whether you can donate, take on a sponsored challenge, organise a quiz night, or help us raise awareness, every action helps break down communication barriers and builds a more accessible world for everyone.

One of the most powerful ways to support our mission is by championing British Sign Language. Encourage your workplace or school to get involved, or simply practise the signs you learn with others. Every new signer helps build a more connected and understanding community.

The Deaf Academy Strategic Plan 2023-2028

The new Strategic Plan is a clearly defined strategy for growing and developing the Deaf Academy to become an outstanding provider for education, care, wider practice and innovation for Deaf young people with additional and complex needs. It is a roadmap that details the Academy’s core ethos and values and a set of strategic milestones identified to achieve its principle objectives.

This document is BSL translated. Each section contains a QR code which you can scan using your smartphone or tablet, allowing you to view the translation.

Strategic Plan
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