IT IS fantastic to know that St Rose’s School has been saved from closure.

And in a week which has been filled with tragedy for the Stroud community it is really lovely to have some positive news to write about.

During my time at the paper I have met staff, students and parents who see St Rose’s as so much more than a school, it is a lifeline for these young people who are just trying to make their way in the world like everybody else.

As headteacher Jan Daines explained to me the school is there to help all the pupils live as independently as possible.

Every member of staff at that school is dedicated to ensuring the pupils have the best quality of life – and this can’t be seen more than by the appreciation of the parents.

Nowadays the technology available to children with some of the most severe special needs is staggering.

During my most recent visit I was introduced to a piece of technology called Eyegaze. It is a system which allows people with severe physical disabilities to access a computer.

It has an inbuilt camera which tracks eye movement enabling the user to move the mouse pointer around and ‘click’ by blinking.

The system is used by pupils who are unable to communicate verbally and in some cases can only move their eyes and head.

I’m told that pupils can use it to close the curtains, turn on the TV and do things we take for granted such as saying ‘hello’.

It’s incredible to see it in action and you realise that these children know exactly what is going on around them and with this new technology can now much more easily engage.

Getting funding and staff to teach pupils how to use this technology is just one of the ways St Rose’s makes a difference to the lives of its pupils and thankfully it can now continue to do so.