Deaf students lose out in closure

Deaf students at Leicester College are facing an uncertain future because their support workers are being made redundant.

The Communication Support Workers help more than 20 students by interpreting into British Sign Language.

The staff are employed by Derby College for Deaf People, to work with students at Leicester College.

The specialist residential college in Derby is closing in July after a critical Ofsted report.

Eileen Hersey, additional support manager at Leicester College said: "The reassurance I can give to the students that are currently here is that they will get the support they need to access their course.

College move

"No student is excluded from applying for a course based on their disability whether it is a hearing impairment or anything else."

Some students from Leicestershire who commute daily to Derby for specialist learning may have to complete their courses at a mainstream college, without the support they need.

Leicester local education authority does not teach sign language in schools.

Their policy is for students to rely on their residual hearing unlike Derby College which concentrates on British Sign Language, the first language for many deaf people.

But, they are offered additional support with interpreters who translate lectures into sign language.

Carey McCarron, communication support worker employed by Derby College Deaf People to work with students in Leicester said: "It is important that students can learn in their preferred language, whatever that may be."

The Learning and Skills Council has given Derby college two years to allow students to finish their courses.