I was pleased to meet with Heather Gray and Louise Sloan from the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) recently to talk about the attainment gap for deaf learners in Scotland.
I strongly believe that all children and young people in Scotland should have the best start in life. They should be supported to reach their full potential and become successful learners, effective contributors, confident individuals and responsible citizens. Worryingly however, recent research commissioned by the University of Edinburgh by the NDCS has highlighted a significant gap in educational attainment and life chances that exists for deaf children in Scotland.
A crucial first step in effecting real change for this group is to have national recognition that more can and should be done for deaf learners. That’s why I have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Mike Russell, asking him to acknowledge that an attainment gap exists for this group and to commit to closing it.
By acknowledging the attainment gap, the Scottish Government will send a strong message that meeting the unique needs for deaf learners is crucial to delivering the objective of ‘Getting it Right for Every Child’ and the Curriculum for Excellence. Scotland would also join other parts of the UK who have already formally recognised the need to close the gap for deaf learners.
Visit the NDCS website here.
Siobhan McMahon for Central Scotland 