About St John's

St. John’s is a non-maintained residential and day school for pupils from 3 to 19 years of age which was founded nearly 140 years ago.

As an oral school, we place great emphasis on developing to the full each child’s potential for understanding spoken language. We also believe that the majority of children can acquire some degree of spoken language skill.

As a result, St. John's has a national and international reputation for bringing profoundly deaf children to language through an approach which unites linguistic, academic and spiritual growth.

The Maternal Reflective Method
The language philosophy at St. John’s, is based on the way in which all children learn to communicate. Natural conversation is at the heart of our approach, which we call the 'Maternal Reflective Method'.

This method of language acquisition and teaching is used throughout the school. Initially, it resembles the way a mother behaves with a young child, interpreting the child’s movements, gestures, sounds and expressions, and putting them into normal colloquial language.

Meaningful & Relevant Communication
In the early years of our pupils’ language development, conversations form the starting point for all lessons. This approach is highly motivating because by ensuring that the pupil takes a central role, communication becomes both meaningful and relevant.

An important feature of the Maternal Reflective Method is the use of written texts, which provide the pupil with a vital and permanent record of the spoken conversation. The text can then be used to introduce reading, and to reflect on the language.

Contact Us to find out more