AN IDEA created by an Alcester family business to help non-verbal children at a town primary school will soon be rolled out to other schools after proving successful.
Kickstart Signs!, which has been producing signage for over 35 years in numerous sectors, originally created the ‘communication board’ after a request from the headteacher.
The board was used by children with SEN (special educational needs) during breaks and lunchtimes in the playground.
After seeing the reaction the board received on the playground, Kickstart soon found itself making more when Shottery Primary School in Stratford made further requests to enable each classroom to have one due to their popularity.
Having proved so effective in education, the firm is now launching AVoice4All to meet demand.
Shottery Primary School headteacher Louise Withers said: “The board has generated an awful lot of interest in the playground, with children gravitating towards it and generating their own games.
“In the classroom, one child, with a diagnosis of autism and ASD, is using the language key to help express how he is feeling in different situations throughout the day.
“It has been a game changer.”
Since the initial range was produced, Kickstart Signs! has also translated the boards into multiple languages including Ukrainian to help individuals whose first language is not English.
And silent language keys have also been created for pupils who are unable to communicate with their voice.
Having now been installed in several Warwickshire schools, AVoice4All has set the aspiring goal of ensuring every school in Warwickshire will have communication boards by the end of 2025 with interest appearing elsewhere within the UK.
