Dear all

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine your day-to-day life without the ability to hear. Think about the things we often take for granted: the rhythm of your favourite song, the punchline of a joke shared in a noisy corridor, or the sound of a teacher’s voice in the classroom. For many, these are simple parts of life, but for those with hearing loss, these moments can be barriers to connection and communication. Simple tasks, like following a group conversation where everyone is talking at once, or watching a video without captions, can be exhausting challenges that lead to feelings of isolation or loneliness.

This week is Deaf Awareness Week 2026. An annual event, created by the UK Council on Deafness, it is designed to increase awareness of the challenges people with hearing loss and deafness face, and to celebrate their unique culture and history.

Deafness is more common than you might think. Approximately 11 million people in the UK are deaf or have some form of hearing loss. This means that in almost every school, workplace, and community, there are individuals navigating a world that isn’t always designed for them. Deaf Awareness Week 2026 focuses on increasing public understanding and promoting activities that encourage greater inclusivity and better communication.

Role models like Rose Ayling-Ellis, the first deaf contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, challenged the harmful myth that deaf people cannot enjoy music by showing that hearing isn’t just about ears. It is also visual and physical, as you can feel the vibrations of the beat. Her success showed that when the right support is in place, deaf people can excel in a wide range of careers.

One of the questions young people often ask in school is how they can help when it comes to ‘awareness weeks’ and the like. To that end, we shared the list of practical and incremental things anyone can do to help improve understanding and conditions for those affected, in this case, by deafness or hearing loss:

Educate yourself: Familiarise yourself with the different types of deafness and the adjustments that can improve someone’s wellbeing;
Improve your communication: When talking to a deaf peer, face them directly, keep your mouth visible, and speak clearly without shouting. If they don’t understand, be patient and willing to repeat or rephrase;
Learn some Sign Language: Consider learning some British Sign Language (BSL) to help bridge the communication gap. (At Brentwood, there is a BSL course as part of our Tuesday activity programme);
Advocate for accessibility: Encourage your clubs or social media platforms to use captions and subtitles;
Ask what helps: Every individual is different. Don’t be afraid to ask a peer how they prefer to communicate, whether it is through lipreading, hearing aids, or signing.

One of the privileges of working in a school is observing the energy and appetite young people have to make a positive difference, and seeing how small steps, such as those listed above, make a big difference when they are done by lots of people, over time.

Have a great weekend

Best wishes

Michael Bond

‘Together, we break barriers’: Deaf Awareness Week, 4th-10th May 2026

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