We are proud to share the news that our Year 2/3 class has recently received a prize for their birthday card entry for renowned author Michael Rosen. His work has inspired generations of children to engage with stories in imaginative and interactive ways. 

You can find out more about his work here. 

Congratulations to teacher Blanca Perez, her team and all the students for the work they have done to make this happen. 

Connecting literacy with communication 

Our approach to literacy emphasises functional communication. As highlighted in our transdisciplinary team (TDT) newsletter, we place real importance on creating purposeful opportunities for students to extend their understanding, interact with others and express themselves. Adapting communication to each learner is done by using visual support and designing motivating activities that encourage participation and interaction. 
As a school, we are also continuing to refine our pre-phonics and phonics pathways to ensure our pupils and students are supported towards developing their communication and literacy skills.

At Sybil Elgar School, we help our students connect their skills and express themselves to the people they admire. Our students frequently have opportunities to engage in activities such as these, making cards or writing letters to others during their literacy lessons. This form of expression is especially important in the context of autism and communication. Because communication is not only about producing words, signs, symbols or actions correctly. It is about connecting with others.  

As Ruth Bader Ginsburg reminds us, “Reading is the gateway for children to make sense of the world around them.” This principle underpins our ethos as we support our pupils and students to develop their communication skills and find joy in literary activities.