Jordanstown Schools
Encyclopedia
Jordanstown Schools is a school for deaf children and children with visual impairments, including blindness
. It is based in Jordanstown
, north of Belfast
, Northern Ireland
. Despite its Presbyterian & Anglican roots, it is now non-denominational.
The school is owned by the Ulster Society for Promoting the Education of the Deaf and the Blind whose roots are in Claremont Institution
(Dublin) and Belfast Auxiliary Society (formed 25 April 1821) which was to send Ulster's deaf children to Claremont Institution, Ireland's first school for the deaf and dumb (founded in 1816; for further details, read: 'Pollard, R., The Avenue: A History of the Claremont Institution, Denzille Press, 2006). Belfast Day School for the Deaf and Dumb was founded in 1831 and was originally based in a small schoolroom at Donegall Street Congregational Church in the city centre
. In 1845 in moved to the Lisburn Road, a site now occupied by the medical department of Queen's University
. In 1961 it again moved to its present site in Jordanstown, close to the University of Ulster
.
The school offers both primary
and secondary
education
, catering for children between 4 and 19.
The current principal is Mrs Ann Magee.
is practiced in the Deaf Department with several children from families where Northern Ireland Sign Language
or/and Irish Sign Language
is used on a daily basis. However the Schools promote the Total Communication policy with the focus on using Signed English.
English is used in the Blind Department.
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
. It is based in Jordanstown
Jordanstown
Jordanstown is the name of a townland and electoral ward in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is within the urban area called Newtownabbey and the wider Newtownabbey Borough....
, north of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Despite its Presbyterian & Anglican roots, it is now non-denominational.
The school is owned by the Ulster Society for Promoting the Education of the Deaf and the Blind whose roots are in Claremont Institution
Claremont Institution
The Claremont Institution for the Deaf and Dumb at Glasnevin, Dublin, was the first school for the deaf and dumb in Ireland. It was established in 1816 by Dr. Charles Orpen.-History:...
(Dublin) and Belfast Auxiliary Society (formed 25 April 1821) which was to send Ulster's deaf children to Claremont Institution, Ireland's first school for the deaf and dumb (founded in 1816; for further details, read: 'Pollard, R., The Avenue: A History of the Claremont Institution, Denzille Press, 2006). Belfast Day School for the Deaf and Dumb was founded in 1831 and was originally based in a small schoolroom at Donegall Street Congregational Church in the city centre
Belfast City Centre
Belfast city centre is the central business district of Belfast, Northern Ireland.The city centre was originally centred around the Donegall Street area. Donegall Street is now mainly a business area, but with expanding residential and entertainment development as part of the Cathedral Quarter...
. In 1845 in moved to the Lisburn Road, a site now occupied by the medical department of Queen's University
Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University Belfast is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The university's official title, per its charter, is the Queen's University of Belfast. It is often referred to simply as Queen's, or by the abbreviation QUB...
. In 1961 it again moved to its present site in Jordanstown, close to the University of Ulster
University of Ulster
The University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
.
The school offers both primary
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and secondary
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
education
Education in Northern Ireland
Education in Northern Ireland differs slightly from systems used elsewhere in the United Kingdom, though it is more similar to that used in England and Wales than it is to Scotland. A child's age on 1 July determines the point of entry into the relevant stage of education unlike England and Wales...
, catering for children between 4 and 19.
The current principal is Mrs Ann Magee.
Languages use
Northern Ireland Sign LanguageNorthern Ireland Sign Language
Northern Ireland Sign language is a sign language used mainly by Deaf people in Northern Ireland.NISL is described as being related to Irish Sign Language at the syntactic level while the lexicon is based on British Sign Language and American Sign Language .A number of practitioners see Northern...
is practiced in the Deaf Department with several children from families where Northern Ireland Sign Language
Northern Ireland Sign Language
Northern Ireland Sign language is a sign language used mainly by Deaf people in Northern Ireland.NISL is described as being related to Irish Sign Language at the syntactic level while the lexicon is based on British Sign Language and American Sign Language .A number of practitioners see Northern...
or/and Irish Sign Language
Irish Sign Language
Irish Sign Language is the sign language of Ireland, used primarily in the Republic of Ireland. It is also used in Northern Ireland, though British Sign Language is also used. Irish Sign Language is more closely related to French Sign Language than to British Sign Language, which was first used...
is used on a daily basis. However the Schools promote the Total Communication policy with the focus on using Signed English.
English is used in the Blind Department.