Montacute School is a special educational needs school that supports a diverse group of learners, including students with speech, language, and communication needs. Montacute use a Total Communication approach to support it’s students from Reception to Sixth Form who present with a broad range of Complex, Profound & Multiple Communication Needs. Signalong Tutor at Montacute School, Lucy King commented: “The Montacute family encompasses pre-intentional students, who are in the very early stages of developing a functional communication system to express their wants and needs, to advocate for themselves and to affect their world, to individuals accessing Foundation Level courses and all those in between. Signalong has positively impacted student engagement, confidence, and learning outcomes.”
Using Signalong at Montacute School
Montacute School adopted Signalong many years ago, being one of the first schools in Dorset to implement Signalong. Lucy added “Signalong is not just a tool for communication, it is a fundamental part of our school culture.”
Signalong is embedded across all classrooms and integrated into daily routines, interactions, with staff and students using Signalong consistently to ensure communication is accessible to all. Lucy added “This whole-school approach extends beyond the classroom. In communal areas, during assemblies, on school trips, and in our local community, students are encouraged to use Signalong to express themselves and connect with others. This consistency helps reinforce learning, builds confidence, and fosters a more inclusive environment for all.”
To support the widespread use of Signalong, the school have developed a strong set of resources and systems. They:
- Share Sign of the Week videos across their social media channels with various students and staff taking part to introduce new vocabulary in a fun and engaging way.
- They have ‘Signing Champions’ for staff members who promote and model the use of Signalong throughout the school
- Have an in-house Signalong Tutor, Lucy, which allows them to deliver ongoing training and support tailored to the needs of the students and staff
- A dedicated YouTube channel ‘Let’s Sign with Lucy’ providing accessible, student-friendly signing videos for practice and reinforcement at home and in school
- Signalong posters and manuals are displayed across the school and used in lessons to reinforce key signs and aid recall
Lucy commented “These tools not only support learning but also empower students by giving them multiple ways to develop and express their communication skills.”
Montacute School have also achieved Gold Signalong Friendly Status for the way they teach, encourage and promote Signalong within the school and the wider community.
The Benefits of Using Signalong in a School Setting
When asked about the benefits of using Signalong in a school setting, Lucy said they observe these every day.
She commented: “
- Signalong encourages an active communicator and we witness social interactions taking place all throughout the day – peer to peer and between staff and students.
- Signalong is a fantastic tool to aid the student’s understanding of spoken language as we connect a visual cue with the spoken word. Being able to use Signalong enables us all to express ourselves more clearly thus reducing communication frustrations.
- We notice, due to being able to express their needs or emotions more effectively, a decrease in frustration-based behaviours.
- Signing can be used at anytime, anywhere. It can easily be adapted to the individual’s level of understanding, whether it be at 1, 2 or 3 keyword level. It is very accessible as we are signing keywords only – not overloading with too much language.
The use of Signalong has boosted the students understanding of spoken language as the signs act as a visual reinforcement of the words. It promotes slower, clearer communication as it encourages adults to naturally slow down and emphasise key words, in turn supporting comprehension.
Lucy added “For those students, who are non-verbal or have limited speech, they can use signs to express their choices, emotions and needs – building their confidence to interact with carers, teachers and peers. This promotes inclusion as the students are able to participate in group activities and discussions, for example. Signalong can be used across the curriculum, supporting the students with their learning.
Giving the students the tool of signing, allows them to communicate more effectively and we notice how this helps reduce anxiety, behaviours and frustrations. Empowering both staff and students with the skills, has been key in supporting our students in their day-to-day routines at school.”
Lucy stated “Signalong has had a significant positive impact on communication within our school, from peer interactions to expressing needs, boosting language to inclusive communication environments.”
The Impact of Using Signalong
Since introducing Signalong, Montacute has seen a noticeable and positive shift in both student engagement and learning outcomes. Students who previously struggles to participate are now more confident in expressing themselves, contributing to lessons, and interacting with their peers. Lucy added “We have seen an increased focus, improved behaviour, and greater enthusiasm for learning, especially when signing is integrated into activities.”
Lucy stated that the visual nature of Signalong has supported memory, understanding, and language development, particularly for our learners with speech, language, and communication needs.
Embedding Signalong into Their Daily Routine
Montacute have embedded Signalong into their daily routine. From the moment their students arrive at school Signalong is used during morning circle and the welcome as well as their assemblies.
Lucy commented “Signalong supports our curriculum as it is so flexible and there is always a new key sign to be learnt to support their learning. A highlight of our week brings singing and signing together at Upper School Choir and for the younger students, a Sing and Sign Assembly is held – what better way to learn sign than through music!
“We use Signalong to aid the students with expressing their feelings and if they don’t have the words, signing is a lovely way for them to get their message across.”
Find Out More
To find out more about Montacute School, visit https://www.montacute.poole.sch.uk/. Interested in finding out more about Signalong? Email admin@signalong.org.uk , we’d love to hear from you!
Quotes from Teacher’s at Montacute School
