Island Schools To Benefit From New Speech And Language Support Tools

Children across the Isle of Wight are set to benefit from a new initiative aimed at improving speech, language and communication skills in schools and early years settings.

The Isle of Wight Council’s Virtual School has invested in a set of Progression Tools developed by Speech and Language UK.

The tools, along with dedicated training provided by the council’s Schools Speech and Language Support Team, will be provided to every school and setting.

Covering ages three to 18, the Progression Tools help teachers and staff identify speech and language challenges early — often before they become barriers to learning.

They can also be used to track speech and language development over time or following targeted programmes.

A training event for education providers will take place on Wednesday 18 June, offering practical guidance on how to use the tools to support children more effectively.

The training is open to all Island settings, including nurseries, schools, and post-16 providers.

All settings with a child cared for by the Isle of Wight Council have already received an invitation. Invitations for all other settings will be sent to headteachers or managers after the half-term break.

If your setting would like to ensure you receive an invitation directly, please email: virtual.school@iow.gov.uk 

Councillor Claire Critchison, Cabinet member for children’s services and education, welcomed the initiative, saying:

“This is a fantastic example of how we’re working together across services to give every child the best start in life.

"Early identification of speech and language needs can make a huge difference to a child’s confidence, learning, and future opportunities.  

“By equipping our schools and early years settings with the right tools and training, we’re not only supporting our most vulnerable children, such as those in care, but also strengthening the overall quality of education across the Island.

"I’m proud to see our teams leading the way in making sure no child’s needs go unnoticed.”

The Virtual School, which supports care-experienced children, will also require the use of the Progression Tool as part of Personal Education Plans (PEPs) for children in care, ensuring their needs are identified and addressed as early as possible.

Carol Payne, deputy chief executive of Speech and Language UK, said:

“We’re honoured to be working with the Isle of Wight Council and its dedicated staff to support those children with speech and language challenges.

“From our research we know there are two million children in the UK with speech and language challenges and our unique tools and training programmes make it easier to identify those children so that they can get the support they need to help them thrive at school, into young adulthood and beyond.”

The initiative has also been shared with NHS colleagues, who are supportive of the collaborative approach being taken across education and health services.

As well as designing innovative tools and training for educators Speech and Language UK offers a free advice line and guidance to families to help them support their child's skills.

For more information, visit: https://shop.speechandlanguage.org.uk/collections/progression-tools