Deaf school consultation to consider staffing

Hamilton Lodge School and College in Brighton is set to close in August 2025

A deaf school in East Sussex that is set to close has launched a consultation to see how "staff expertise" can be maintained and redundancies avoided or mitigated.

In September, Hamilton Lodge School and College in Brighton confirmed its plans to close on 31 August 2025 after 80 years due to a decline in the number of pupils.

On the school's website, it says: "The trust aims to continue with its primary aim of supporting future generations of deaf children."

The school said it wanted to hear from "interested parties" with ideas to continue providing and diversifying its services.

Following the announcement in September, the British Deaf Association said it strongly objected to the closure.

Parents also raised concerns about the closure, with one mother saying it would be "catastrophic" for her daughter.

A spokesperson for Hamilton Lodge Trust previously said: "Sadly, the challenging economic climate for the education sector and the decline of our student roll over a number of years has left our trustees with no option but to propose the closure of Hamilton Lodge School and College.

"Our school community is our priority, and we are liaising closely with the local authority to explore alternative arrangements for our students."