Sarah Wilson
Sarah’s main role is to lead communication across school alongside Hannah O’Mara, who is the SLT Communication Lead. This is done through working alongside the speech and language therapists (SALT), teachers, visiting professionals and therapists to support students with their communication needs. Once a student has been assessed by a SALT, Sarah will then follow their guidance to provide communication books, PECS book, communication boards, visual timetables, objects of reference and other communication systems that have been requested. Sarah is directly involved with all Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems, low and high tech, and attend Electronic Assistive Technology Service (EATS) assessments with the SALTs.
Another of Sarah’s roles is to offer Eyegaze sessions for students at our Grange Drive site who have this as an identified need as well as facilitating specialist communication sessions involving students that are on the caseloads of the SALT and Vision Support teams, have been assessed by them previously.
Sarah provides staff training in areas of communication, including Makaton signing, symbol workshops and communication in-print training for staff plus a general overview of how communication can be effectively supported within a classroom for the students’ diverse needs. Sarah also leads and supports the classroom Communication and PECS Mentors across school.