i.   there is a significant discrepancy between the child's attainment, as measured by National Curriculum assessments and tests, and teachers' own recorded assessments of a child's classroom work, including any portfolio of the child's work, and the attainment of the majority of children of his or her age

ii. there is a significant discrepancy between the expectations of the child as assessed by the child's teachers, parents and external specialists who have closely observed the child, supported, as appropriate, by the results of standardised tests of cognitive ability, and the child's attainment as measured by National Curriculum assessments and tests

iii. there is clear recorded evidence of the extent and nature of the child's hearing loss in the form of the results of any recent audiometric assessments, with relevant audiograms

iv. there is clear recorded evidence that the child's hearing difficulty significantly impairs his or her emotional or social development, access to the curriculum, ability to take part in particular classroom activities or participation in aspects of school life .

v. there is clear substantiated evidence, based on specific examples, that the child's hearing difficulty places the child under stress, with associated withdrawn or frustrated behaviour.


The child's special educational provision

3:79. In the light of evidence about the child's academic attainment and hearing difficulty, the LEA should consider the action taken by the school and, in particular, should ask whether:

i. the school has taken the advice of appropriate external specialists, including, for example, qualified teachers of the deaf, the LEA's support services and voluntary bodies

ii. the school has formulated, implemented, monitored and evaluated individual education plans to support full access to and active involvement in the curriculum and the school's life, addressing such matters as the child's positioning in the class, the scope for paired activities with hearing children or adults and the use of hearing aids and other relevant equipment

iii. all teachers and adults in the school have been alerted to the child's hearing difficulty and are aware of basic measures they should take to overcome or circumvent that difficulty

iv. the school has sought the views of, and involved, the child's parents at each stage

v. the school has explored the possible benefits of, and where practicable secured access for the child to, appropriate information technology, for example word processing facilities, painting programs and other software which uses the visual power of the computer, providing training in the use of that technology for the child, his or her parents and staff, so that the child is able to use that technology across the curriculum in school, and wherever appropriate, at home

vi. the school has, with the parents' consent, notified and sought the assistance of the school doctor and/or the child's general practitioner, as appropriate.