Miss-Delectable
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Sound Footing For Deaf Pupil (from The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
Schoolboy Toby Dorgan has become the first hearing-impaired pupil at Sheldon School to complete his secondary education with support from the school's special centre.
He has just taken A-level exams in applied science, PE and leisure and recreation. Already a level two cricket coach he now plans to study PE at university and become a full time sports coach.
The 18-year-old from Edington near Westbury was pleased to have finished his exams and is looking forward to his gap year and university.
He said: "I'm nervous and excited. It's going to be a new chapter in my life.
"I'm quite proud of myself to have finished and I'm looking forward to the summer."
He said it had been difficult when he started at the school.
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"My first day was really bad. I was really nervous and unhappy. I came from a little rural primary school and arrived at Sheldon with no friends.
"But the hearing impaired unit has been a great help. I'm pleased I came here and I don't have any regrets."
Felicity Collins, manager of the centre, said: "Toby has shown enormous commitment to his own education by travelling an hour each way to Sheldon where there is specialist help.
The centre opened in 2000 to provide special provision for hearing impaired pupils.
It is the only school in the country where the Soundfield system is installed in every teaching space.
The system amplifies the frequencies of speech evenly around the room and at a level to facilitate optimum perception.
Mrs Collins said: "Sheldon's hearing impaired pupils are the most successful pupils in the country when their grades and achievements are taken into account."
A proficient lip reader, Toby said the centre at Sheldon has been a big help.
He said: "The Soundfield system really helps because it is like surround sound coming in all directions.
"Also there are lots of teaching assistants who help in class and the teachers are more aware of things that normal teachers wouldn't realise like facing the class to help lip reading."
He wants to travel around Australia during his gap year before going to university in Gloucester.
Schoolboy Toby Dorgan has become the first hearing-impaired pupil at Sheldon School to complete his secondary education with support from the school's special centre.
He has just taken A-level exams in applied science, PE and leisure and recreation. Already a level two cricket coach he now plans to study PE at university and become a full time sports coach.
The 18-year-old from Edington near Westbury was pleased to have finished his exams and is looking forward to his gap year and university.
He said: "I'm nervous and excited. It's going to be a new chapter in my life.
"I'm quite proud of myself to have finished and I'm looking forward to the summer."
He said it had been difficult when he started at the school.
advertisement
"My first day was really bad. I was really nervous and unhappy. I came from a little rural primary school and arrived at Sheldon with no friends.
"But the hearing impaired unit has been a great help. I'm pleased I came here and I don't have any regrets."
Felicity Collins, manager of the centre, said: "Toby has shown enormous commitment to his own education by travelling an hour each way to Sheldon where there is specialist help.
The centre opened in 2000 to provide special provision for hearing impaired pupils.
It is the only school in the country where the Soundfield system is installed in every teaching space.
The system amplifies the frequencies of speech evenly around the room and at a level to facilitate optimum perception.
Mrs Collins said: "Sheldon's hearing impaired pupils are the most successful pupils in the country when their grades and achievements are taken into account."
A proficient lip reader, Toby said the centre at Sheldon has been a big help.
He said: "The Soundfield system really helps because it is like surround sound coming in all directions.
"Also there are lots of teaching assistants who help in class and the teachers are more aware of things that normal teachers wouldn't realise like facing the class to help lip reading."
He wants to travel around Australia during his gap year before going to university in Gloucester.