First Minister opens Donaldson’s new school

The school, which is Scotland's national school for children who are deaf or have speech and language impairment, welcomed the First Minister to the new building where the pupils gave him a tour and demonstration of its superb facilities which have been designed specifically for their needs.
 
Donaldson's, which moved into the new building at the beginning of the year, is one of the seven grant aided special schools (GASS) supported by the Scottish Government and provides education and care for 70 pupils. The First Minister spent the morning at the school, learning to communicate with pupils in British Sign Language (BSL). He saw first-hand how the bilingual environment and the teaching of life skills helps the pupils learn and to move on successfully from the school into the hearing world.
 
Speaking about his visit, the First Minister said, "Donaldson's School is one of Scotland's most historic schools with 150 years of teaching generations of young Scots. Today's opening of this new building in Linlithgow marks a new chapter in Donaldson's history. The Scottish Government acknowledges and supports the work of Donaldson's to provide a first class education for children who are deaf or have significant speech and language difficulties while helping them to develop the necessary life skills to achieve future success. I congratulate the staff and pupils on their collective strength in making this school a national institute for education and I wish them all the best in their new, excellent school building."
 
In welcoming the First Minister to Donaldson's, Chairman of Governors, Rev John Chalmers said, "Today is a landmark in Donaldson's 150 year history and it is fitting that Scotland's First Minister is with us to mark this important occasion. Our new building has transformed the way we are meeting modern demands and delivering the very highest standard of specialist teaching and care."
 
With Donaldson's unique range of communication support, therapy and care plus many new facilities, including enhanced residential provision and a host of additional services, the new school in Linlithgow offers pupils every opportunity for success. Donaldson's teaches pupils within a bilingual setting encouraging the use of both British Sign Language (BSL) and English, and caters for children and young people from two and a half years to 19 years.

The curriculum is delivered by an interdisciplinary team of highly qualified teachers who are supported by dedicated classroom assistants and residential care workers, providing round the clock excellence in education and care. The team includes: teachers of the deaf; speech and language therapists; an educational psychologist; an educational audiologist; a physiotherapist; an occupational Therapist; deaf studies tutors; and subject teachers.