Oliver (11), who is deaf and autistic, begins his journey into senior school with strong support from his family, a tailored Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and a school committed to meeting his needs. Maria, Oliver's nanny, shares how the transition to senior school is going: "Transition has been amazing for Oliver. His new school understands how anxious he is about change, so he was invited to visit with [his parents] to look at the school again and to meet the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) teacher. He then went with his best friend (who went to nursery, infant school and now senior school with him) to a couple of transition mornings. Oliver also had a full transition day where he and other new students got to meet some of the teachers, looked in some of the classrooms and had lunch. His new teaching assistant (TA) came out to meet him, and she spent most of the day with him. When he came out, he had a big smile on his face and really enjoyed the day. Oliver was very excited to get measured for his uniform. His tie is green, so he had his hearing aid moulds made in the same colour so it all matches! […] It's wonderful to see Oliver growing into a well-loved, kind-hearted and smiling boy who no doubt will take on the world and strive to what he wants to be. I cried on his last day of primary and asked him to hold my hand one last time, but he said, "No, Nan!!" I don’t know which is worse, going from Nanny to Nan or Oliver growing up! Guiding us all along the steps has been the National Deaf Children's Society. Without them, Oliver, his family and many others would be lost and forgotten, so thank you!" Our bloggers share their stories and experiences to help other families, so please be kind and respectful when commenting 💜 Read the full blog here: www.ndcs.org.uk/advice-and-support/real-life-stories/oliver-starts-senior-school (fb)

What an incredible day! ✨ A huge congratulations to every single one of our amazing Great North Run runners. You trained, you pushed through every mile, and you crossed that finish line – all to support deaf children and their families. Because of you, we can be there for even more families across the UK when they need us most. From the bottom of our hearts – thank you 💜 Feeling inspired? The main ballot for the 2026 Great North Run is now open! Apply today, and register your interest with us to find out when charity places become available: https://go.ndcs.org.uk/fbgreatnorthrun2026 (fb)