Developing speech, language and communication skills is a fundamental aspect of our school curriculum and is vital to ensuring all our pupils can achieve their full potential to communicate with those around them using their personal communication systems.

To support this, we are using the WellComm screening toolkit.  This toolkit enables us to track your child’s/young person’s communication and language development, and provide tailored activities to develop their skills further.

It focusses on their understanding of what is being said to them (receptive language) and also how they communicate. (expressive language)

Some of the assessment is completed through specific activities and some through everyday observations with familiar staff and also by speaking to you as parents and carers.  It is also fun and motivating and we use each pupil’s own communication systems alongside, including Makaton signs, symbols and objects.

Once they  are screened, they are given a colour-code according to their overall score:

     ⬤ Consider referral to a specialist service for further advice/assessment

     ⬤ Extra support and intervention required

     ⬤ No intervention currently required

Next Steps 

The second part of WellComm is the Intervention Tool, which consists of resources which provide focused teaching and intervention activities to meet the individual needs of the child/young person in their classroom setting.  Through The Big Book of Ideas, WellComm provides a large number of bespoke, fun and practical intervention activities for use across the entire age and stage range.

Following the WellComm screening, we will discuss the results with you and provide activities for you to support their next steps at home.