THE mum of a profoundly deaf boy has welcomed an end to 'lots of sleepless nights' after his school's hearing impaired unit was saved from the axe.

Faye Gilbert, from Barkham, has praised the news the centre at Emmbrook Infant and Junior School will stay open for the next academic year, after measures were made by Wokingham Borough Council to recruit a new specialist teacher to tackle the threat of closure.

Faye's six-year-old son Rhys, is profoundly deaf and has had to undergo invasive surgery to have cochlear implants.

He has been at the infant school for two years but was facing a 46-mile round trip to Newbury to go to school each day when the council revealed last month they might be forced to shut the unit because of two teachers retiring and other resigning at short notice.

A new specialist teacher will join the mainstream school in Emmbrook Road in September, meaning the dedicated unit will open as normal in September.

Faye said: "We are delighted, it has been quite an intense process in a very short period of time.

"We have tried to shield Rhys from what was going on but he started to pick up on it so he is now really happy.

"Having a new teacher will be great, obviously it is something he will have to adapt to but overall this is the best possible outcome for us."

In recent years the number of hearing impaired pupils being referred to the unit had been steadily falling, so the council consulted with parents, other schools, the Berkshire Sensory Consortium and the National Deaf Children’s Society.

From this September there will be only four pupils for a unit designed for eight.

Faye added: "It was difficult at the time to have our wishes heard and initially it was difficult just getting the right people in the room at the right time but the council really saw the demand for this unit.

"There was quite a risk element for us not doing anything about it until right until the end of term and there were a lot of sleepless night and a lot of worry."

The unit is now safeguarded for its current pupils until they leave.

Cllr Charlotte Haitham Taylor, executive member for children’s services said: "Having a teacher on board is fantastic news for the children because it means they can stay in the unit they enjoy and continue their education as planned."