Annual report 2002 - batod

BATOD Annual Report 2001The last year has been an exciting one with many developments to reflect upon. It included our last AGM inCardiff, celebrating our 25 th Anniversary in style. We were fortunate enough to have excellent speakers. Weparticularly remember Christie Yoshinaga-Itano who travelled from Colorado to be with us. It was also goodto have so many Past Presidents with us for our special day, and the Magazine commemorating the eventis one of which to be proud. It was encouraging to see the support by other organisations too for our work,with whom we continue to have good working relationships.During the course of the year our activities have been especially supported by the National Deaf Children’sSociety (NDCS) and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). This support is invaluable for us.During the year British Society of Audiologists (BSA) inaugurated their new Paediatric Audiology InterestGroup (PAIG). Our President was invited to speak at the first well-attended meeting. It is vital that, in thesechallenging times, with changes in two of our major areas of interest, education and audiology, that wework closely with relevant organisations, and we have continued to do so.Furthermore, BATOD has been represented at a wide variety of meetings which have been itemised in themagazine during the year. Meetings have taken place with, in addition to the RNID and NDCS, theGeneral Teaching Council (GTC(E)), the Education minister in Wales, the Special Needs Inspectorate inNorthern Ireland (with the local NDCS), the University of Edinburgh and the Scottish Parliament, theQualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), the Teacher Training Agency (TTA), the School Teachers’Review Body (STRB) and the UK Council on Deafness (UKCoD). We have also developed a closerelationship with Deaf@x in relation to the Government’s BECTa-run (British Educational CommunicationsTechnology Agency) communication aids project. The two organisations are responsible for the part of theproject which is supporting the communication needs of deaf children. The development of this project hasbeen described in the magazine.We have been raising throughout the year the particular circumstances of those Teachers of the Deafworking in advisory and support services particularly in the climate of increasing delegation of LEA funds toschools and the Government emphasis on inclusion, which relies on the quality of the support provided bysuch services. Indeed this has been a theme of our responses to consultative documents and has been amain agenda item in our various meetings with government and other bodies.BATOD has not only been represented at major meetings and with organisations in the UK, but we havealso extended our interests in Europe, with our membership of FEAPDA (European Federation ofAssociations of Teachers of the Deaf) and a good representation there at their recent Congress inStrasbourg. Our President, Sue Archbold, made one of the keynote speeches, and our presence was astrong one. Our Secretary, Paul Simpson, is now the Vice-President of FEAPDA and the next congress isto be held here in the UK in Autumn 2003.BATOD’s finances have exercised our minds throughout the year, and we agreed at our last AGM asubstantial increase in our subscriptions which has enabled us to establish a more secure financial footing.We were concerned as to whether this would result in a loss in membership, but, although we lost some,we are delighted that, overall, our membership has grown over the year. Following this, we advertised thepost of Secretary and had a most encouraging interest in the role. Paul Simpson was appointed and beganin his official capacity in September 2001. The amount of work now being undertaken – including attendingmeetings, responding to and collating consultation responses, dealing with a whole range of enquiries andsupporting the NEC - has shown us how much the post really was needed. Gone are the days of ringinground for someone to attend a meeting at the last minute! Consequently, BATOD’s profile in our fieldcontinues to be raised.We finally produced our own Continuing Professional Development (CPD) log which has been favourablyreceived; this is purely voluntary but many teachers, services and schools are finding it a useful method ofrecording professional development, without duplicating paperwork. BATOD has increased its work inproviding professional training in an accessible way during the year to support this emphasis onprofessional development. In developing BATOD’s professional role, we reflected during the year on our‘strap line’ and made the change from ‘Advancing the Profession’ to ‘Promoting Excellence in DeafEducation’.email: secretary@BATOD.org.uk BATOD Annual report 2001 BATODWebsite: www.BATOD.org.uk 21 The Haystacks, High WycombeAnswerphone / fax 01494 464190 page 5 Bucks HP13 6PY