Our grandson is nearly five years old and is profoundly deaf, but received a cochlear implant in March 2006, which has changed his life. With this, and specialist teaching, he hears, is learning to speak, can count and is starting to read. His parents would like him to go to a specialised school for deaf children, where all teaching is oral, but the local education authority refuses to pay for this and has said that he must go to the school in their area that has a deaf unit, but where the additional help for him would be in sign language, which he no longer uses. What can be done to help him?

Diana Lloyd, Wiltshire

Your grandson’s parents should contact the National Deaf Children’s Society (0808 800 8880) for advice and, if necessary, legal support. He should already have been statemented. If this has not been done, the education authority should be asked to complete a statement.

Given the success of the implant, the suggestion that he should be given support using sign language is fatuous. Do not, though, rule out a mainstream school. If he were to sit at the front of the class, he may well be able to cope perfectly well.

Our six-year-old daughter is in year 1 but working alongside year 2’s with reported ease for English and maths in the mornings. The school is keen to accelerate her learning so she is always working with the year above her. We are concerned about her leaving primary school a year early. What is your opinion of accelerating children’s learning?

Charlotte Child, Devon

If the child can cope socially and emotionally it makes sense to ensure that she is challenged intellectually. There is no legal obstacle to her moving to secondary school a year early, but you should check with schools she might want to go to: some head teachers can be difficult. It is a pity more schools do not take gifted children seriously.

My daughter is in year 11 at a Welsh-medium comprehensive. Recently she brought home English coursework about Keats’s To Autumn to revise before mock exams. Reading through, I noticed that the definitions given by the teacher for some words were incorrect, for example “kernel means shell” and “winnowing means soft”. I believe that coursework is usually marked by the school, so if she uses the correct meanings of these words rather than the teacher’s notes, will her work be marked down?

Name withheld

It may well be. Collusion is not, however, an option. You can either speak to the teacher directly or go straight to the head. In that the teacher may make other mistakes in the future, I think the head needs to know so that the teacher’s performance can be monitored.

If you have a question for Chris Woodhead, write to him c/o The Sunday Times, 1 Pennington Street, London E98 1ST or e-mail him, with your name and address, at education-questions@ sunday-times.co.uk

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