Great Oaks School is a Secondary School based in Southampton for young people with a range of complex learning difficulties including autism and speech and language difficulties, including a large number of non-speaking students who rely on communication aids. Great Oaks follows a broad and balanced curriculum, particularly focusing on developing communication, literacy, numeracy, and personal and social skill.
Using Signalong at Great Oaks
Before using Signalong, Ilda, Training and Induction Manager and Signalong Tutor at Great Oaks School, expressed that both students and staff often felt frustrated by the communication barriers, and as a result, students’ needs and wants were not always being fully understood or met. Signalong was introduced in 2007 by the Head Teacher, Andy, who had seen first-hand its benefits through his role as a Trustee of the charity. When talking about the benefits of using Signalong, Ilda said: “the benefit of Signalong is its Philosophy – total communication including gestures and body language among others. Its primary function is to communicate; this is effective as it minimises dysregulation and challenging behaviour among our students.” Using Signalong has enabled their students to communicate with their friends and teachers effectively. Ilda added “They feel a sense of pride and satisfaction when they are understood and we have fewer incidents of challenging behaviour.”
Signalong is delivered weekly to all students in Years 7 and 8 and the use of Signalong extends across the school, featuring in assemblies, productions, and signed songs every term.
How has Signalong impacted communication with the classroom?
All teachers and staff at Great Oaks are offered the opportunity to complete a Foundation Course lead by one of their in-house Tutors at no extra cost. They have a large number of staff who are familiar with Signalong and this is implemented in the classrooms. In addition, Signalong is timetabled for some of their students, and they feel that it is of the utmost importance that every student in the school should be able to interact with others.
Great Oaks has seen the biggest impact of Signalong in their Pathways 1 classes (sensory learners) as many of the students in this class are non-speaking and rely on signing to have their needs met to communicate in general. In their other pathways they still use Signalong to reinforce and support communication.
When asked if they’d recommend Signalong to others, Ilda commented: “Yes, recommend Signalong due to its total communication approach. Signalong is about communication and uses a holistic approach.”
Remembering Andy.
We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Andy Evans, Headteacher of Great Oaks School and one of our long-standing Trustees. Andy served as a Trustee of Signalong from 15th April 2013, during which time he helped to shape, strengthen, and champion our work. Signalong was an important part of Andy’s life; he even met his wife, Zoe, during a Signalong Tutor course. We are truly grateful for the dedication, kindness, and unwavering commitment he brought to Signalong.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Andy’s family and everyone at Great Oaks School.
Find out more
To find out more about Great Oaks School, please visit Great Oaks School. Want to know how Signalong could support your students or organisation? Send us an email to admin@signalong.org.uk