Longwill School for the Deaf

Parents and Carers

Working in Partnership with Parents

At Longwill, we recognise that parents and carers play the most important role in their child's development and education. We believe that strong partnerships between home and school are essential in helping our pupils achieve their full potential and develop into confident, successful and proud Deaf young people.

Home and School Working Together

We are committed to building strong relationships with families, encouraging open communication and ensuring parents remain fully involved in their child's learning and development.

Family Engagement

We offer workshops, coffee mornings, family events, celebrations and information sessions throughout the year.

Communication

We keep in touch through ClassDojo, video calls, telephone calls, meetings, parents' events and updates from class teams.

Support

We value the knowledge and experiences families bring and work together to support every child's development.

Keeping Families Involved

We are committed to working closely with families and providing regular opportunities for parents to engage with school life.

Throughout the year, we offer workshops, coffee mornings, family events, celebrations and information sessions to support parents and strengthen our school community.

Workshops • Coffee Mornings • Family Events • Celebrations • Information Sessions

Miss Rosser also hosts parents' workshops throughout the year; please keep an eye out for the latest information.

Deaf Child at Home Project

The Deaf Child at Home Project is a bespoke package of support offered to families at Longwill. Developed and delivered through a Deaf-led approach, the project aims to raise awareness of Deafness, build confidence and improve communication within the home environment.

We recognise that many families are new to the Deaf community and may have limited experience of Deaf culture, British Sign Language (BSL), or the unique needs of a Deaf child.

Deaf Identity • Deaf Culture • Communication • Language Development • Accessible Home Environments

The project provides practical advice, guidance and support to help families develop positive communication strategies and strengthen relationships at home.

The Deaf Child at Home Project has been incredibly successful over the years, helping families to develop stronger communication, greater confidence and a deeper understanding of their child's Deaf journey.

Parent and Carer BSL

As part of our commitment to supporting communication within families, we offer British Sign Language (BSL) classes for parents and carers.

These sessions are available both online and in person, making them accessible to as many families as possible. The classes provide parents with the opportunity to develop their signing skills, build confidence in communicating with their child and gain a greater understanding of Deaf culture and the Deaf community.

Online Sessions • In-Person Classes • Signing Skills • Deaf Culture • Family Communication

By learning BSL, families can strengthen relationships, support language development at home and ensure that their child has full access to communication both in school and beyond.

Whether parents are completely new to signing or looking to develop their existing skills, we welcome everyone to join us on their BSL learning journey.

Communication at the Heart

Together, we can create a strong, supportive community where Deaf children thrive, families feel empowered, and communication is at the heart of everything we do.