Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited the Devon-based Deaf Academy charity today (May 8), joining students and staff to celebrate its 200th anniversary.
The visit formed part of a vibrant programme of events marking the bicentenary of the organisation, which is the oldest Deaf school in England.
During her visit, The Princess Royal met students, staff, trustees, governors, supporters and local dignitaries, as well as representatives from leading national Deaf charities. She also spent time learning about the Academy’s work and its impact on young Deaf people.
Students shared their experiences of life at the Academy and took part in a programme of creative sessions, including a British Sign Language-led poetry workshop with award-winning Deaf poet Raymond Antrobus, fun with a bubble fairy in the new outdoor sensory play area and an African drumming workshop.
The Princess Royal spent a lot of time listening to the students who spoke about the impact of the Academy on their lives.
Student Hafwen Clarke, 21, said: “It’s really important that people understand about Deaf awareness and it was fantastic to see Princess Anne interested in learning more during her visit.”
In thanking the Princess Royal for attending, the charity’s Chair of Trustees Dame Angela Pedder DBE, said: “May I extend my warmest thanks to Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal for joining us today. Your continued support, including your visit to our previous site, means a great deal to everyone connected with the Academy. It is wonderful to have you here to share in this celebration.
“We’re very proud to be celebrating our bicentenary and it has been fascinating to look back over our achievements over the last 200 years, honour our past and recognise the people who have brought us here. But importantly, we also look forward to the future, and we do that with confidence that it is a future shaped by the determination, talent, and spirit of our students.”
The event, which coincided with National Deaf Awareness Week, was also attended by the Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability in the Department for Work and Pensions. He met with Mark Stocks, Partnerships and Community Manager at the Deaf Academy, and other members of staff to hear about the life-transforming work of the organisation both in relation to the education of young Deaf people, but also its work in promoting an understanding of Deaf culture and inclusivity in the wider community.
Sir Stephen said: “The Deaf Academy has been transforming the lives of young Deaf people for 200 years and it was a privilege to join the celebrations for such a significant milestone.
“Championing the rights of BSL users and Deaf people is something this government is deeply committed to. That’s why we have published plans to increase the use of BSL, are working closely with the BSL Advisory Board to break down barriers in education, employment and health, and are investing £3.5 billion in employment support for disabled people by the end of the decade.”
The Deaf Academy was the first Deaf school to open in England – in Exeter in 1826. It moved to its state-of-the-art campus in Exmouth in 2020 and this year is staging a series of events to mark its significant anniversary. It recently changed its charity name from the Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education to the Royal Deaf Education Trust – to reflect its ongoing dedication to supporting Deaf young people with additional needs from across the country.
A unique provision in the UK, the Deaf Academy offers a specialist curriculum, teaching support and care to Deaf young people (aged 9 to 25), the majority of whom have accompanying additional needs.
This was The Princess Royal’s second visit to the Academy. The first was when she opened a new sensory room at its former site on Topsham Road, Exeter, in 1993. It has also warmly welcomed other members of the Royal Family over the years, including the late Queen, when she was Princess Elizabeth, in 1946 and the late Queen Mother in 1969. The then Earl and Countess of Wessex visited in 2004. On this occasion, the Princess Royal was shown archive images from those visits, as part of an exhibition charting the evolution of Deaf education over the past 200 years.
The Princess Royal observed a performance by the student BSL Choir and went on to unveil a plaque to commemorate the visit. She was presented with a posy and history book by Student Ambassadors Tinksie and Fred, both 14. The visit ended with the gift of a jar of Royal Deaf Education Trust honey from the Academy’s own beehives, presented by 12-year-old Eco School representative Ivy.
Sylvan Dewing, Principal and Chief Executive of the Deaf Academy, said: “We were delighted to welcome the Princess Royal to the Deaf Academy. She showed genuine interest in the activities which were being put on as part of our celebration day and also the wider work of the Academy in educating young Deaf students and raising awareness of the challenges that exist for Deaf people in society today.
“This was a day of celebration with our young Deaf students firmly at the heart of activities. It was wonderful to be able to share it with Her Royal Highness.”
As part of the day of celebrations, the Academy also convened a ‘change-makers’ panel. The Student Council-led activity, saw CEOs from a number of Deaf charities answering questions on a range of topics, from their own experiences to the future of Deaf education.
In attendance were CEOs from the Deaf charities British Deaf Association, Royal Association for Deaf People, Deaf Action and National Deaf Children’s Society, and the head of Special Educational Needs and Disability for Devon.
