Admissions Process

Our admission process involves five stages to ensure that the Deaf Academy is the right place for each student, and we’re here to guide you through every step of the way.

1. After making contact we will gather some general information about your situation and needs – this can be by telephone, email, Facetime, Skype or even a visit from one of our key staff.

2. The next step is to arrange a visit (either at your home or here at the Deaf Academy depending on what works best for your family) with Mark Stocks – Assistant Principal for Assessment and Progression. We will discuss the provision at the Deaf Academy with you and answer any questions you may have.

3. If we feel you would be best placed here, we will undertake an assessment. This is a one to two-day visit to our campus in Exmouth for parents and students, visiting classes and meeting our on-site therapy team. It is a personally tailored process, and for those who intend to be resident with us it will include an overnight stay in our residential care accommodation.

We aim to support as many students as possible, but also want to ensure that we offer the best service possible so that every student has a positive and enriching experience with us. This means that whilst we will endeavour to enable every student who reaches the assessment stage to come here, we also know our limits and will not offer a place if we cannot provide an excellent service for each individual.

4. If we decide that we can meet your needs and the student decides they would like to come here, we’ll ask permission to make an offer of a place to your Local Authority. The Local Authority decides whether they will fund your place here. This may take some time, but we will be on hand to support you through the process.

5. If a place is agreed, we will arrange a full induction programme to support students and their families through the transition.

To enquire or discuss the admission process, please contact our admissions team by email admissions@thedeafacademy.ac.uk