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Original poster

Deaf child in year 7 can't hear school bell

57 replies

elliejjtiny · 27/12/2024 23:33

He gets to school on time 99% of the time but around 5-7 times a month he will be logged as late because he says he can't hear the bell. His brother who isn't deaf says he can hear the bell everywhere including on the playground etc so he isn't in a quiet area or anything like that. I've been at school at the beginning of the day and change of lessons and it's not like the bell goes and everyone dashes off to their tutor rooms. There will be people being late, going to the office and all sorts, so I can't tell him to move when everyone else does. The tutor doesn't give him detention when he is late but he still gets a red wedge in his wheel on classcharts. Also I would like him to not be late if possible. Any tips?

OP posts:
Hellisemptyallthdevilsarehere · 28/12/2024 13:48

JFDIYOLO · 28/12/2024 13:22

The school must make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act. Especially if he's being punished for some thing directly disability related.

EG Installing a light that goes on when the bell does.

OP says he isn't being punished by being given a detention. But I'd say this is a disservice in its own way. If a child misses something, catching them up in their (and a teacher's!) own free time is ensuring they get what they're entitled to, not solely a punishment.

Arguably, a deaf child who misses the important morning notices or input on a wellbeing issue in tutor time through no fault of their own deserves to be caught up more than a kid who kicks off, is removed for everyone else's safety and then does the work with 1:1 support from their teacher during a lunch break - but this would be an automatic consequence in most schools.

Brefugee · 28/12/2024 13:50

newphonehassle · 27/12/2024 23:38

A watch is a solution, however I would be raising it with school as he should not be getting punished becsue of his disability.

yep, i would be asking the school how they are going to solve this issue of them not being inclusive. (but also a watch, the playground supervisor and maybe his classmates could all be helpful here?)

elozabet · 28/12/2024 18:55

elliejjtiny · 28/12/2024 13:09

Thank you everyone. He has hearing aids, a teacher of the deaf and an ehcp. We got him a watch for Christmas so hopefully that will help. It's only ever tutor time first thing in the morning he has been late for (apart from one time when he didn't get himself changed from pe on time) so I think he must not be with friends then but is for break and lunch. I have noticed when I go to drop my youngest off at primary school on the other side of town there are quite a few from the secondary school strolling along the road, not rushing at all so I think there will be a lot of children coming in late, not just my ds on his own when everyone else is in tutor time.

Ds seems to really struggle with background noise so he will hear the bell if everyone around him is fairly quiet but if it's really loud he won't be able to hear it. Also there are a few girls in his tutor group who tend to "mother" him a bit so they will tell him the bell has gone if they are around. Year 7's aren't allowed their phones at school apart from with permission for medical reasons so I will ask the senco if he can have his with him.

Thank you all again. Starting secondary school has been a steep learning curve for us all as there are so many hurdles that just weren't there during primary school.

Hopefully the watch will work. Do you drop him off at school? I'm still wondering where he is going to be so late to form.

Honestly, if he was in a playground, canteen, corridor when he should be in form, somebody would notice him. I would still be having the conversation about where he is during this time.

I agree with others that it's a safeguarding issue as he will be signed in absent when in fact he's on site.

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Unexpectedlysinglemum · 28/12/2024 19:11

newphonehassle · 27/12/2024 23:38

A watch is a solution, however I would be raising it with school as he should not be getting punished becsue of his disability.

I agree they need to make reasonable adjustments for his disability- please use that language and cc in the sendco

NewName24 · 28/12/2024 20:38

Annoyingthescammers · 28/12/2024 10:31

Assuming he has hearing aids or cochlear implants, these work best within about 2m and prioritise speech sounds roughly from the front (so people are less distracted by background noise) so it’s understandable that he might not always hear the bell. They absolutely should not be marking him late without proper discussion with him, you and the TOD to make a plan and agree what is fair.
Fire alarm is likely to be a different system but worth checking this , local fire service usually willing to do a safety check and where we are help with equipment.

Depending on his level of aided hearing lights by bell might be appropriate but you might also want to think what he can learn to do to be safe in other situations, eg being aware of other people moving as a habit. Not sure how much it’s fair at his age to be his responsibility and how much relying on school putting up more tech as a reasonable adjustment. You don’t want to ‘blame the victim’ but on the other hand he needs to learn to gradually be more independent and safe in a mostly hearing world.

If he has a phone there are likely to be accessibility settings where you can programme the phone to vibrate to a custom sound (ie set it up to vibrate to school bell) there are also apps such as Deaf Wake which might help in this or other situations. Hope you get it sorted!

Such a helpful post.

Original poster
elliejjtiny · 28/12/2024 21:23

Yes, he gets dropped off. I asked him and he says he is always there before his name in the register but he has to be in his tutor room before the second bell goes or he will be marked late. If he heard the first bell he knows he has a few minutes to get to his tutor room so he needs to get a shift on. If he doesn't hear the bell he thinks he's got ages so he will stroll down the corridors, hold the door open while 50 people go through it, maybe go to the toilet etc.

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 28/12/2024 21:31

elliejjtiny · 28/12/2024 21:23

Yes, he gets dropped off. I asked him and he says he is always there before his name in the register but he has to be in his tutor room before the second bell goes or he will be marked late. If he heard the first bell he knows he has a few minutes to get to his tutor room so he needs to get a shift on. If he doesn't hear the bell he thinks he's got ages so he will stroll down the corridors, hold the door open while 50 people go through it, maybe go to the toilet etc.

So in reality its not an issue of not hearing the bell, it’s an issue of him being slow. He needs to go straight to his tutor room after being dropped off instead of faffing. Our school has done away with bells completely.

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