Admissions Criteria

Donaldson's is Scotland's national school for pupils who are deaf or have communication difficulties.

• Donaldson's School DVD
• Donaldson's Prospectus (PDF)

Donaldson's School offers day and residential places to deaf pupils and pupils with communication difficulties, who benefit from being educated in an environment of inclusive communication. Many of our pupils also have Additional Support Needs (such as Autism; Learning Difficulties; Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties), and require a differentiated curriculum and more intensive pupil support to facilitate their learning.

Additionally, we will offer places to hearing pupils with severe low-incidence speech and language disorders, who benefit from visual systems of education, including TEACCH, BSL, and Sign Supported English (SSE). All pupils are admitted following individual assessment, in line with the Donaldson's Admissions Policy.

The school ensures the development of full communication potential, using a range of communication methods such as BSL, Sign Supported English (SSE), lip-reading and augmentative systems of communication. Once assessed a Communication Profile is developed for each pupil which highlights communication and learning needs.