The Deaf Academy’s Heritage

Over the course of 2021-23 PaddleBoat Theatre Company and the Deaf Academy have been researching the rich heritage of the school, alongside the wider history of deaf education. Uncovering archives, testimony and historical artifacts, we have pieced together the history of this unique school.

As part of the project, we have created a film and a book that share the heritage of the school and its students. Find out more about the book.

The Deaf Academy opened its doors in 1826 in Exeter, under the name of ‘The West of England Institution for the Deaf and Dumb’. Founded by Charlotte Hippesley Tuckfield, the school has undergone many changes since then.

Timeline of the Deaf Academy

BSL translation of the timeline below. 

2023

Adult Residential and Learning Centre

The Post 19 Adult Residential and Learning Centre opened in September 2023 at Long Causeway in Exmouth. This centre has been named Fearnside House. Here we will be offering a range of life and living skills and employability skills to help our young adults thrive and achieve an independent life.

Ofsted Grading

School and College were awarded their best ever grading of ‘Good with Outstanding Features’ at their recent OFSTED inspection. One student described the Deaf Academy as ‘Paradise’.

2022

British Sign Language (BSL) is finally given protection by UK law

Students and staff are delighted that BSL had received formal recognition and protection.

2021

One of our Teaching Assistants, Nikki, was highly commended in the ‘Teaching Assistant of the Year’ category at the TES Awards.

2020

National Lockdown Heros

The Academy was delighted to receive a ‘National Award for Lockdown Heros’ recognising the Academy’s efforts to provide face to face education for all students through out the pandemic.

Move to Exmouth

The Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education moves to Exmouth in September 2020 and is renamed ‘the Deaf Academy’.

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Coronavirus hits and schools are shut

The Deaf Academy stays open for many students during lockdown.

2010

International congress of the Deaf apologises

for banning sign language, announcing that it was a ‘Discrimination and violation of human and constitutional rights’.

2008

old logo
School changes its name

to ‘Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education’.

2003

British Sign Language is recognised as an official language on 18 March

1999

BSL-March-1999-3
4,000 people march from Trafalgar Square

to petition Downing Street to recognise British Sign Language. 

1971

topsham road 70s building
A new building is completed on the existing site in Exeter

1965

Mr Olding becomes headteacher until 1985
tech
Technology develops

and is used in classrooms to try and help communication

1939 – 1945

old school
World War II

Exeter is heavily bombed in 1942 Baedecker Raids.

The school swimming pool becomes a static water tank in the war effort. 

The school is damaged from a 1.30 am bombing on 4 May 1942. A bomb falls across the road and damages all the classrooms. Students are sent home for three months.

Name changes

to ‘Royal West of England Residential School for the Deaf’ in 1939.

1914 – 1918

World War I

Male teachers at the school leave for war, leaving only female staff.

1902

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King Edward VII grants ‘Royal’ to the school’s name

1892

The school starts collaborating

with other colleges and girls are sent to Bicton College to learn cookery.

1880

The second International Congress of the Deaf in Milan bans sign language

with emphasis on oralism as an learning method. Out of 164 delegates at the conference only one was deaf.

1864

Abraham Lincoln approves the first higher education Institution for deaf students in the world

Gallaudet University is founded in Washington DC.

1844

Exeter_St_Davids_1844
Exeter St Davids Railway Station opens

Allowing students to return home in the holidays, rather than stay at school for up to six months at a time.

1829

The School grows with 50 students enrolled

1828

OLD BUILDING ILLUSTRATION
Topsham Road building

is finished with capacity for 70 students.

1827

unknown artist; H. P. Bingham, Headmaster of the Royal West of England Residential School for the Deaf (1827-1834)
In February a building on Alphington Road is leased to allow the school to open

It is officially titled ‘The West of England Institution for the Deaf and Dumb’.

Mr Bingham is headteacher at the school with just six pupils.

1826

Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 1 April 1826
Charlotte Hippesley Tuckfield hosts a meeting at Exeter’s Royal Clarence Hotel.

She successfully persuades funders to help her set up a deaf school.

1778

Samuel Heinicke sets up the first deaf school in Germany

His methods focus on oralism – lip reading and speaking rather than using sign language. He’s considered the ‘father of oralism’.

1760

The first school for the deaf opens in the UK

by Thomas Braidwood in Edinburgh with just one pupil.

1755

Charles de L’ Epee opens the first free school for the deaf in Paris.

Written Archives

‘A selection of written archives relating to the Deaf Academy’
Did you attend our school? We would love to hear more.

9 + 8 =

Thanks to National Lottery Players

This project would not have been possible without Paddleboat Theatre Company, the Heritage Fund and students at the Deaf Academy.