"Springboard to support"
Laura Foley, Deputy Headteacher, Ysgol Bryn Derw:
As a school we have benefited immensely from the grant funding which has enabled us to explore Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) technology within our special school setting. Without this funding, we would not have been able to provide life-changing experiences for our learners who otherwise would not have access to this technology.
The process from start to finish was straightforward and heavily support by those in Improvement Cymru and as a school we had instant access to advice and guidance if we needed it. We met regularly with Rebecca and Liz and were able to discuss next steps and troubleshoot to ensure our project could run smoothly.
Having access to the grant funding meant we could buy specialist equipment, dedicated time of a Speech and Language Therapist and our in house Communication Lead. The funding enabled named staff to oversee the project, collect baseline, mid-point and final data on learner progress and engage with families. We were able to provide staff training and parent/carer feedback throughout as well as ICT support and troubleshooting.
Being a recipient of the grant has given us the financial freedom to be creative and innovative in our communication approaches and has further enhanced our learners opportunities to make them as independent as possible. For many of the learners within the trial, their communication development has skyrocketed and they are able to share their thoughts about the world around them in a way that they have never been able to do before. Taking part in this project has provided a springboard to further support and enhance our non-verbal learners’ communication. We are beyond excited to continue on this journey and to see what will happen next.
