Inspectors from Ofsted and the headteacher of a school in Oxford were very impressed about the educational provisions for deaf and hearing impaired children at the Red Oaks School in Swindon.

A report by the inspectors on the school said: “ During our visit, one of the most striking features of the school was its inclusivity. For example, all pupils learn British Sign Language.

“It is used in assemblies, productions and the oral retelling of stories in writing lessons. Staff in all phases of the school exhibit high expectations and are highly skilled at getting the best out of pupils who have additional needs. Targets are aspirational and build on what pupils can already do.

“This is ensuring that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make strong progress towards their targets. This is the case for mainstream pupils as well as those in the specialist resource bases.”

There are eight deaf pupils using the special provisions at Red Oak, but they have most of their lessons in mainstream classes, using specialist teaching for lessons such as French or music which are more difficult for them, or if they need extra help.