Elmfield School for Deaf Children

Co-located specialist school for Deaf children with complex needs

Elmfield School for Deaf Children provides specialist education for children from 2 to 16 years of age. The pupils have ranging levels of deafness from moderate to profound, with some children having additional special needs.

The school is split across two sites. Previously situated in the Westbury-On-Trym area of Bristol, the primary school had a vision to co-locate with a mainstream school to encourage more interaction between the Deaf and hearing communities.

By relocating to The Bristol Education Centre (BEC) in Horfield, Bristol, they now share a compact site and reception space with Upper Horfield School. This required a major refurbishment of an existing building, previously offices, with part demolition and new build facilities.

The new layout promotes inclusion through a combined reception space that encourages Deaf pupils to interact with their mainstream peers in a shared setting. The new reception also provides both schools with a greater street presence in the local community.

The design responds to the needs of Deaf students by incorporating DeafSpace principles. For example, we designed-in wide corridors to make communication easier, as there is then more space for signing.

The school also provides dedicated therapy, speech and language space, as well as a mix of traditional teaching classroom and sensory rooms, with a library, art room, and life skills kitchen, allowing flexible learning and teaching depending on a child’s needs.

Outdoor covered play areas, directly accessible from teaching spaces, promote independence and learning through play.

The project was part of a wider programme of school SEN provision and improvement across Bristol, including multiple school sites for both Elmfield School for Deaf Children and Claremont Special School as part of the Bristol City Council Local Education Partnership (LEP).