The school is central to the service for the sensory impaired within the local authority. In addition to pupils from Bolton, the school currently provides for pupils from Blackburn with Darwen, Bury, Lancashire, Manchester, Rochdale, Salford, Trafford, Warrington, Wigan and Blackpool. The school has undergone a number of changes over the past two years. The Nursery classes are now governor-led, which has resulted in staffing and funding changes. The hearing children in the Nursery are from the Bolton area. The school has taken 22 secondary-age pupils onto its roll, these pupils being based at the Sharples Academy. The primary site has added a small key stage 3 class that meets the needs of pupils who have HI and additional complex learning and behaviour difficulties. The school’s secondary pupils do not attend any alternative provision. The headteacher is newly appointed, having been in an acting capacity since September 2017. A staffing review is currently underway, resulting from recent Inspection report: Thomasson Memorial School, 6–7 March 2018 Page 9 of 12 changes in the school’s designation to meeting the needs of pupils aged 11–16 years. The use of oral communication or Sign Supported English is integral to the school’s teaching, learning and assessment approaches. Pupils have access to regular audiological assessments. Social links have been established with Devonshire Road County Primary School. Pupils are mainly of White British heritage, although the proportions from minority ethnic backgrounds and of those who speak English as an additional language are higher than the national average. The vast majority of pupils have EHC plans. The school has a higher than average proportion of disadvantaged pupils.