Deaf children falling behind at GCSE, says NDCS

Analysis by the National Deaf Children's Society shows that deaf children in England are falling behind their classmates from primary school through to GCSE.

Only 30.6% achieve a GCSE strong pass - Grade 5 or above - in both English and maths, compared with 48.3% of children with no special educational needs.

57% fail to reach expected levels in reading, writing and maths in Sats tests at the end of primary, compared with 26% of children with no SEN.

Chief executive of the NDCS Susan Daniels, said: "These figures show the true depth of the crisis engulfing deaf education in this country.

"Meanwhile, the government is starving local councils of funding, meaning their support is cut back and their specialist teachers are being laid off.

"The government needs to address the gap in results urgently and begin to adequately fund the support deaf children need.

"It promised every child in this country a world class education, but until deaf and hearing children progress and achieve at the same level, it is failing to deliver and that is utterly unacceptable."