Speech and Language Department

Sara Peaford – Speech and Language Therapist

 Effective communications between a child and their family, friends and teachers is often a number one priority for parents. Treetops has addressed that by developing its own Speech and Language Department with a full-time speech and language therapist and two communication assistants.

We aim to promote Total Communication in the Treetops environment. This allows each and every pupil to communicate to their full potential with each and every member of the school.  We do this by providing visual aids, using sign language and implementing classroom strategies.

Signalong is the signing support system that is used here at Treetops (and throughout the borough of Thurrock).  Every member of staff receives training in basic Signalong skills and this promotes the use of sign language within the school through working in the classroom, signing in singing assemblies and song club.

Throughout the year we carry out Signalong phase 1 and 2 courses for parents, professionals and other members of the community to help promote sign language in the home environment and the rest of the community.

We run Social skills groups with children from class 1 through to the 6th form. Individual speech and language intervention is carried out with pupils who need extra therapy in areas such as phonology, receptive and expressive language development.  There is a continuing programme of structured assessments and observations with pupils in order to monitor progress and liaise regularly with classroom teachers and other professionals.

We are also able to observe the pupils in a number of less formal environments such as the canteen, the playground, assemblies and on school trips.  This is beneficial because we get to know each and every child as an individual.