New services for deaf and visually impaired children to be launched (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

New services for deaf and visually impaired children to be launched

7:19pm Tuesday 19th January 2010

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Two key appointments have been made to lead new education services for children with special needs in the Bradford district.

Sue Wright has become the district’s first head of a new service for deaf and hearing impaired children, and Anne Lomas has been appointed as the first head of a new service for children with visual impairment.

Sue Colman, assistant director of Children’s Services in Bradford Council, said: “We are delighted with these appointments and excited that both heads will be working to establish new specialist services in Bradford.”

Anne Munro, director of access and inclusion at Education Bradford, said: “These appointments are critical in starting two new district-wide specialist services for Bradford with the opportunity to develop services to equal the best in the country.”

Mrs Wright has worked in Bradford for eight years and left Girlington Primary School at Christmas.

She will now lead the district-wide service which will be based in three centres at Girlington Primary School, Swain House Primary School and Hanson School.

Thorn Park School for deaf children in Heaton will close at the end of the summer term and existing staff who work at Thorn Park School, Nab Wood School, Girlington School and Swain House School will join forces as a new team from September under Mrs Wright.

The service will have close links with Yorkshire Cochlear Implant Service (YCIS), housed in the Listening for Life Centre at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Lomas has extensive experience of the education of children with visual impairment and currently works as head of the Leeds Specialist VI Team.

The new service she will lead will operate in three schools, giving pupils access to specialist facilities and teaching and build on the provision at Grove House Primary School, Killinghall Primary School and Hanson School.

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