Yewstock School is a communication-friendly school. We use total communication.
Total communication involves:
– Signalong (Signalong is based on British Sign Language, using unaltered BSL signs wherever possible.)
– PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)
– Sound Buttons
– Communication Books
– ALBs (Aided Learning Boards)
– Signage in schools
– Symbols for the curriculum
– Narrative
– Assistive Technology (Eye Gaze, Talkers with Grid, Proloquo2Go, and Clicker Communicate)
– Clicker and Docs Plus
– Reading pens
– Visual timetables, class schedules, individual schedules
– Visual aids such as Now and Next
– True Object Based Icon (TOBI)
– Core vocabulary
Meet the Communication Team
Signalong Champions
Communication is core to Yewstock School. It is the right of every child to be able to communicate and have their voice heard. Communication is an essential part of life and learning. In addition to providing accessible learning, we use a range of strategies to help in our inclusive communication environment. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) helps our pupils to communicate as effectively as possible and ranges from simple adaptions to the curriculum such as a symbolised word to highly technical solutions such as an iPad with Grid or using EyeGaze.
Pupils have a communication care plan to ensure we are meeting their needs. Should a pupil require it, we will follow a communication pathway that allows more targeted and specialist support as well as technical equipment like an iPad with Grid.
At Yewstock School you will see:
Specialist advice and guidance. We are guided by our experts.
We have two Speech and Language therapists, Jo Gilmore and Diane Lewis. They will assess pupils individually, work with class teams and advise the communication team on best practice around the school or following personalised programmes.
Targeted sessions with our Communication team.
Led by Kate Winfield, Yewstock School’s communication lead, the team will deliver interventions such as the Nuffield Early Learning Intervention (NELI), Brick by Brick, Talkabout, and social communication groups.
Universal approaches in class include narrative, a core vocabulary, and Signalong.
Other universal strategies will include visual timetables, aided language boards, symbols for vocabulary, and communication books or talkers for pupils who need them. We will also embed approaches such as Attention Autism, Peic-D and TacPac where appropriate.
We pride ourselves on building capacity through continuous professional development and modelling. This is across the school to ensure speech and language therapy is built into our classroom practice rather than a bolt-on.