The curriculum
Mary Hare Primary School offers a vibrant primary curriculum that is tailored to meet the needs of hearing-impaired children. Taught within an auditory-oral philosophy, class groups normally have between 5 and 8 pupils working with a qualified teacher of the deaf in good acoustic conditions. Group hearing aids further support each child's use of residual hearing. Classroom assistants work in partnership with the teachers to support the work of the children. The high staff/pupil ratio means that adult support is readily available for pupils for follow-up work, reinforcement or an individual programme.
As well as classroom-based lessons, all children have weekly Music, Art, PE and Technology lessons. As the children progress through the school, the curriculum becomes increasingly wide-ranging and, for the oldest pupils, includes French and Health Education. Certain aspects of health education, including sex education, are dealt with after consultation with parents, both on an individual basis and in appropriate groupings when the need arises.
Homework is set both to reinforce and to extend the learning which has taken place through the day. In residence, care staff support the children in this work and on occasions will organise outings to further enrich the children's understanding of a particular topic.
All activities planned in the after-school programme reflect the broad priorities of the auditory-oral philosophy of the school. However, the organisation of leisure time is not seen purely as an extension of school but rather as an opportunity to provide a range of experiences similar to those which would be available at home. Children can participate in a range of on and off-site activities; this range is frequently revised and extended. Children are given every encouragement to attend clubs within the neighbourhood so that over time they can mix with confidence both at school and in the local hearing community. Arrangements can always be made for day pupils to join in these activities.
Most children have a limited amount of homework each evening - 20 minutes for younger children and 45 minutes for older pupils. The work done in the classrooms is supported by the care-staff who help the children to complete the homework set.
