St John's Catholic School for the Deaf

St John's Catholic School for the Deaf is a school for deaf and hearing impaired children in Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England. Monsignor de Haerne, an influential Belgian priest and senator founded the School at a small house in Handsworth in 1870 with the help from the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. The School was relocated to Boston Spa in 1875. With efforts from the Daughters of Charity, the School has had a Vincentian Family ethos for almost a century and a half. The School will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2020. St John's Catholic School for the Deaf is referred to as "Boston Spa" in British Sign Language. Many past pupils are leaders, educators, teachers and businessmen in the Deaf Community. Lara Crooks, a past pupil, was a regular presenter for See Hear, a TV programme for deaf and hard of hearing people in the United Kingdom. Gerry Hughes, the round the world yachtsman, was also a pupil. St John's School provides a day and boarding education for deaf and hard of hearing children and young people. In the primary department, teachers use the Maternal Reflective Method of English language teaching, pioneered by Father van Uden, a Dutch oralist based at the Institution for the Deaf in Sint Michielsgestel. In the Post-16 section, young people are provided with note-takers to support them when they attend local colleges, in particular York College and Askham Bryan College. In 2008 compensation was awarded to seven men who were victims of a paedophile priest employed at the school between 1975 and 1980. Gabby Logan (the school's patron) presented a BBC Radio 4 Appeal on Easter Sunday 2009 to raise funds for an Expressive Arts Resource (EAR). The new drama studio was officially opened in October 2012 by Monsignor John Wilson of the Diocese of Leeds.