As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), sign language is my first language. I grew up immersed in the Deaf community, witnessing first-hand the barriers and challenges that many Deaf individuals face, particularly when it comes to education. So, when I learned that Hamilton Lodge School and College in Brighton, a vital institution for Deaf children, is set to close in August 2025, I felt compelled to speak out.
Hamilton Lodge has been a lifeline for Deaf children, not only for its high-quality education delivered in British Sign Language (BSL) but also as a sanctuary where students find community, identity, and acceptance. For many pupils, this school is a second home, where they are understood and seen.
Why This Matters
The closure of Hamilton Lodge would be catastrophic for Deaf children and their families. Parents like Helen Husbands, who moved her family to Hove to ensure her daughter Isabelle had access to this specialised education, now face the prospect of uprooting their lives once again.
For these children, being in a school that teaches in BSL is essential to their emotional and social well-being.
With only a handful of schools in the UK offering direct BSL instruction, the closure of Hamilton Lodge highlights a deeper problem—the systematic decline in specialist education provisions for Deaf children.
The impact is devastating, not just for the students who will lose their school but for the entire Deaf community.
A Call to Action
The Hamilton Lodge parents have launched a petition calling on the Secretary of State for Education to review the declining availability of specialist schools for Deaf children.
These children deserve to learn in an environment that understands their language, their needs, and their culture.
I urge you to sign this petition and share it widely. Together, we can raise awareness and fight for the right of every Deaf child to receive the education they deserve, in a language they can fully understand.
Please, sign the petition here: https://chng.it/BBV8Cbqf8X
Let’s hit that next milestone!
If you haven’t signed yet, now’s the time! Sign the petition and share it with friends, family, and everyone who believes in the right to inclusive education.
Let’s stand together to ensure that Deaf children, like Isabelle, don’t lose the communities and opportunities that are critical to their growth and success.
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