Support for Students with Hearing Loss (Designated School 2025)
Support for Students with Hearing Loss (Designated School 2025)
Overview
Canossa Catholic Primary School (CCPS) will be a mainstream primary school designated to support students diagnosed with hearing loss (HL) using the Oral Approach from 2 January 2025. The restructuring of CCPS and Canossian School (CS) under 1 school banner – CCPS is a natural next step for both schools.
Since 1999, CS and CCPS have enjoyed a close school partnership, providing students from both schools meaningful opportunities to interact. CS students have been learning alongside CCPS students for most of the school days across different subjects. They experience recess together, go on learning journeys and school camps and participate in various school events together.
To provide a more inclusive educational experience for the students, Canossa Mission Singapore (CMS) decided to restructure CS and CCPS under a single school, CCPS. With 25 years of strong school partnership, this restructuring will deepen the existing inclusive culture and build a community where the students diagnosed with hearing loss will have more opportunities to learn and play alongside their hearing peers.
Students from both schools will continue to study together in the same form class and participate alongside one another in all school activities. Through interacting with differently-abled peers, the students will cherish each other’s unique gifts and talents. In journeying together, they will learn that while they may be different from one another, they will always be equal in dignity.
Continuing CS' Support for students with HL
For students diagnosed with HL enrolled in CCPS through the designated programme, educational support will be provided to strengthen their communication and language skills by teachers supporting hearing loss. They will also have access to onsite audiology, speech language and other relevant therapy support.
The students will also receive social emotional support aimed at inclusion, learning and identity. This includes greater support from both CCPS teachers and teachers supporting HL in their learning and character development.
The whole range of CCA offerings, school programmes and leadership opportunities for existing students of CCPS will be made available to all students, including the current students of CS. The provision of increased opportunities for students diagnosed with HL to interact with their peers will help to strengthen interpersonal skills and allow for emotional expression and growth.
Enrolment Process to CCPS under the designated programme:
Q1. How can I enroll my child with moderate to profound hearing loss in Canossa Catholic Primary School(CCPS)?
To ensure that specialised supports at CCPS will meet your child's learning needs, please seek a consultation with professionals at KKH's Department of Child Development (DCD), NUH's Child Development Unit (CDU) or SGH ENT Centre on your child's suitability for the designated programme. You may also approach Canossian Child Development Unit (CCDU) if your child is enrolled in the Canossian Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC).
Please bring along all relevant medical and professional reports from your child's previous assessments. You should be prepared for further evaluation or re-evaluation of your child by professionals at the hospitals or Canossian EIPIC to ensure that your child's learning needs can be met in CCPS.
Q2. What if my child is currently seeing a doctor/therapist who is not at KKH, NUH or SGH?
A referral from KKH DCD, NUH CDU, SGH ENT Centre or CCDU is required. MOE is working with KKH, NUH, SGH and CCDU to provide educational placement advice to parents with hearing loss.
If your child is not currently or actively being seen at KKH, NUH, SGH or CCDU (for children enrolled in the Canossian EIPIC), please obtain a referral from KKH, NUH or SGH. If your child was previously assessed by a private doctor to be suitable to receive the specialised supports at CCPS, do bring along all relevant medical and professional reports from your child’s previous assessment. A further evaluation of your child may be needed.
As the referral process may require an evaluation to determine your child’s suitability for specialised supports at CCPS, please take this step early, preferably when your child is in K1, to allow sufficient time for the evaluation. You can access the developmental and audiological services at KKH, NUH or SGH by obtaining a referral from any polyclinic, family doctor or GP, or by calling KKH, NUH, or SGH directly.
Q3. Would it be possible for me to register my child with hearing loss directly into CCPS and receive the specialised supports offered?
To ensure that the specialised supports at CCPS will meet the learning needs of the students with HL, parents whose children not currently enrolled in Canossian EIPIC are required to obtain a referral from KKH DCD, NUH CDU or SGH ENT to ensure that the child’s learning needs can be met in CCPS. You are advised to take this step early, preferably when your child is in K1, to allow sufficient time for the evaluation.
Q4. Do I need to participate in the P1 registration?
Parents need not participate in the MOE P1 registration exercise if their application is successful. Their child would be directly enrolled in CCPS. If parents are informed that the application is unsuccessful, they should participate in the P1 registration exercise.
Q5. When will I know the outcome of the application?
Parents will be notified of the outcome of their application by the second week of June each year, for admission to P1 in CCPS in the following year. For example, applications for P1 2025, notification of outcome will come out by June 2024.
Q6. Can students diagnosed with hearing loss from other mainstream schools transfer to CCPS?
Transfers of students diagnosed with hearing loss from other mainstream schools to CCPS will only take place when students meet the admissions criteria for enrolment into the school. MOE is in discussion with relevant stakeholders and will provide more information on the MOE website in the 3rd quarter of 2024.
Quotes from teachers and students
“This is what our society needs – to be an inclusive Singapore. They will form the new generation of Singaporeans who are receptive to inclusion in our society.”
- Miss Joslyn, CCPS teacher
“The inclusion programme is a beautiful partnership …It provides an opportunity for children with special needs to play and learn in a mainstream environment.”
- Mdm Connie Chua, CS teacher
“It has helped me to boost my morale and communication skills … This has made me realise that I should not let my fear hold me back from what I aim to achieve.”
- Shermaine Tan Li Ning, former CS student
_Disclaimer: All photos and videos were taken either pre-Covid, or with adherence and compliance to prevailing government regulations and COVID-19 safe management measures._